Kodokan

Kodokan, founded in 1841 by the daimyo Tokugawa Nariaki within the grounds of Mito Castle, was the largest domain school (hanko) of the Edo period, serving members of the Mito domain and their children. Designed as a comprehensive institution, it taught both scholarship and martial arts, with subjects ranging from Confucian studies, history, and astronomy, to swordsmanship and swimming. Students could study here throughout their lives, with mandatory attendance from ages 15 to 40 for the samurai of the Mito domain and their children, making it a unique hub of learning and training in late Edo Japan.
The school also holds a special place in history as the childhood study site of Tokugawa Yoshinobu, the last shogun. In 1868, he lived here in confinement. The main gate, main hall, and Shizendo Hall, which date back to its domain school days, escaped the ravages of war and are now designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan.
Today, the preserved compound covers about one-third of its original size, but you can still explore the historic buildings alongside the seasonal beauty, especially in early spring when nearly 800 plum trees bloom in the gardens. As a key part of Japan’s early modern educational heritage, the Kodokan offers a rare opportunity to step into the intellectual and cultural legacy of the Mito Domain.