I headed out for another beautiful, sunny day of exploring. It's always nice when I find the places I start out looking for. The city tour maps they give at the hotel list all the schools, which seems weird. At least I knew I was headed in the right direction though, when I heard the kids in this schoolyard:
I got passed up as I turned the corner, by a classroom heading the same direction I was. To the Kodokan. I was actually glad for them, as I could watch the teacher tell the children what to do and then I could do the same. It was the first time I didn't feel totally lame, like I was probably breaking a hundred rules. This is the main gate. The guide booklet said it has bullet marks of the civil war of 1868, but I didn't see them:
Kodokan was built by Nariaki Tokugawa (1800-1860), the ninth Lord of Mito Clan (Han) in 1841. In those days the Mito Clan was facing the fear of crumbling of the baku-han system (centralized shogunate relationship with provincial clans) and the threat from the foreign colonial powers. Nariaki had initiated a reform of the han (clan) administration. As a part of this, he aimed at higher education of his clansmen, and he built Kodokan in this context.
The school's curricula included kangaku (Chinese studies), kokugaku (National Learning), military arts, music, astonomy, geography, mathematics and medicine. Both the size and scope indicate how great an importance the Mito Clan attached to education.
The mottos of Kodokan, described in Kodokan-ki were the harmony of Shinto (religion of the imperial family) and Confucianism (doctrine adhered to by the samurai or warrior class, and the concurrence of scholastic and military arts. These new conceps, which could be applied to creating the national unity crowned with the emperor, greatly influenced not only the Mito clansmen but also many loyalists of the Restoration period born in other provinces.
Corridor of Seicho neatly covered with tatamis, where the sun shines in through paper sliding doors:
Tournament Field (ground for military arts) where military accomplishments were exhibited in front of the lord:
Seicho was used as a large examination hall:
Another corridor view:
Plum Blossoms are important symbols as the harbingers of a new era:
View from one section to another:
I liked the smooth bark and curvy branches:
Random views:
The word "Kodo" was taken from the Analects of Confucius. which means spreading the ultimate principle of cosmic reason. The Master said, "It is Man who is capable of broadening the Way. It is not the Way that is capable of broadening Man." Confucius, The Analects, Book XV. Now, you know everything I know about this tourist stop. I did have to take my shoes off inside, and was especially glad the children went in first, so I knew to do so.
After the Kodokan, I went to see the Mito Castle Ruins. Here they are. Yep, that sign's about it. There were signposts along the way that said where parts of the castle used to be. Now there's a school, a guarded building, and a college on the spot. Kept on walking.
Then I sat on a bench, which turned out to be at a bus stop, so the bus driver got mad at me and tried to make me get on the bus. I kept saying no. Anyway, below is a mailman. I saw them coming out of the Post Office earlier, one after another. Very cute on their little motorbikes. 
Then I went back towards the hotel for some lunch.
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