Gakushūin


The Gakushūin or Peers School, also known as Gakushūjo, is a Japanese educational institution in Tokyo, originally established to educate the children of Japan's nobility.
Gakushuin is composed of Kindergarten, Elementary School, Middle School, High School, and University.

History

The Peers' School was founded in 1847 by Emperor Ninkō in Kyoto. Its purpose was to educate the children of the Imperial aristocracy.
Prior to the disestablishment of the Peerage in 1947, commoners had restricted access to Gakushuin, with limited slots only to the Elementary School and Middle School. In 1947, with the US mandated disestablishment of the Kazoku system, enrollment in Gakushuin was fully opened up to the general public. The Administration of the School was transferred to the Ministry of Education at this time. Previous to 1947, Gakushuin was administered by the Imperial Household Agency.

Precepts

Emperor Ninko had four maxims inscribed on the walls of the Gakushūin building, including
  1. Walk in the paths trodden by the feet of the great sages.
  2. Revere the righteous canons of the empire.
  3. He that has not learned the sacred doctrines, how can he govern himself?
  4. He that is ignorant of the classics, how can he regulate his own conduct?
The school was moved to Tokyo in 1877. Its new purpose was to educate the children of the modern aristocracy. Members of the Imperial Family continue to study at Gakushūin.

Timeline

Notable alumni and faculty members

Teachers

; Imperial House of Japan
; Others
In the novel Spring Snow by Yukio Mishima, set in the early 1910s, the characters Kiyoaki Matsugae and Shigekuni Honda attend the school.