A Day Trip To Hita (Part One)

 I thought about writing one post on this day trip, but I have so many photos to share that doing it in parts is better; otherwise, I'm going to be here for hours!

Hannah and I planned this trip many months ago. The first idea was to go at the end of September, but after Hannah had another seizure, we ended up using her holiday from university to go to the hospital. 

The first idea was to take the train, but Mikey offered to drive us! I'm glad he did, as I'm exhausted from all the walking we did!

The weather was perfect for walking around, not too hot but not cold!

The drive is just over an hour. Through the countryside and mountain roads.

Part of the drive is along a river. I really liked this bridge.

I love the colour and how it seems to disappear into the trees.

This is on the way home.

 

The first place we visited was Kangien, a school that was founded in 1817 by Hirose  Tanso. He was a Confucian scholar, poet and educator. The school operated until 1893, spanning over 80 years and attracting around 5,000 students from more than 60 provinces across Japan. This made it one of the most influential private schools of the Edo period. One thing that made this school stand out was that it admitted students regardless of class or social status. Whether you were a samurai, peasant, artisan or merchant, you could enter this school. This was revolutionary for a society that was rigidly divided by hierarchy!

The ruins are preserved as a national historical site.

The site isn't large. There are a few of the original buildings or the foundations where the building stood, and a museum, which was free! 

Walking around with Hannah was nice as she could translate things, also she has a lot of knowledge of the history of education in Japan.

Hannah on the path to the museum

Information about the site

The museum

One of the original buildings

A well outside the original building

The well again

Part of the kitchen

The pot on the left is to cook rice, fire was built underneath the stones. It must have been hard work!

Across Japan, 3 other sites belong to the "Educational Heritage of Early-Modern Japan"; it would be nice to see all of them!

That was the first hour or so of our trip. 

I'll write the next part tomorrow!

Also, I think Hannah has more photos, so I'll do a post of more photos later this week!