Kaitokudō
Encyclopedia
The Kaitokudō was a style of Rangaku
, located in Osaka, Japan during the Tokugawa Era. Although it opened its doors in 1724, it was founded officially in 1726 by Nakai Shūan and Ogata Kōan. This school lasted officially until 1868, although there have been revivals since. This school was significant during the time for permitting merchants to participate freely in higher education
at a time when they were not expected to. The samurai
class was permitted to attend the lectures as well and sit at the very front of the class, although the lectures were aimed at the merchant class. Later Nakai Shūan's son, Nakai Chikuzan
, eliminated samurai seating privileges altogether.
At the time when there was no official public education system in Japan, students of the upper class
would attend prep schools in preparation for university within Japan, as well as studying abroad in the Netherlands
, the only country with which trade was permitted at the time. These schools were called Rangaku
, or Dutch Studies. This school would teach the Dutch language
as well as science, business, and ethics. Kaikokudō also offered lectures in religion, philosophy, and the arts.
With the end of the Tokugawa Bakufu in 1868, the Kaikokudō also closed its gates to further instruction.
The academy was revived in 1910 based on a publication called the Kaitoku, which sponsored lectures and meetings in the spirit of the Kaitokudō from funds contributed by Sumitomo and other commercial Osaka operations. The academy building was also renovated at that time; however it was burned down in the fire bombings of the following Pacific War
. The library, much of it in Dutch, has survived, however, and is housed at Osaka University
as Kaitokudō Bunkan.
Rangaku
Rangaku is a body of knowledge developed by Japan through its contacts with the Dutch enclave of Dejima, which allowed Japan to keep abreast of Western technology and medicine in the period when the country was closed to foreigners, 1641–1853, because of the Tokugawa shogunate’s policy of national...
, located in Osaka, Japan during the Tokugawa Era. Although it opened its doors in 1724, it was founded officially in 1726 by Nakai Shūan and Ogata Kōan. This school lasted officially until 1868, although there have been revivals since. This school was significant during the time for permitting merchants to participate freely in higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
at a time when they were not expected to. The samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
class was permitted to attend the lectures as well and sit at the very front of the class, although the lectures were aimed at the merchant class. Later Nakai Shūan's son, Nakai Chikuzan
Nakai Chikuzan
Nakai, Chikuzan was the son of Nakai Shuan , one of the Kaitokudo's two founders. He became the administrative head of the Kaitokudo in 1797 during the Tokugawa era in Japan. An extrovert known for his bureaucratic skills and his firm precise Kanji, Chikuzan was vastly different from his brother...
, eliminated samurai seating privileges altogether.
At the time when there was no official public education system in Japan, students of the upper class
Upper class
In social science, the "upper class" is the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. Members of an upper class may have great power over the allocation of resources and governmental policy in their area.- Historical meaning :...
would attend prep schools in preparation for university within Japan, as well as studying abroad in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, the only country with which trade was permitted at the time. These schools were called Rangaku
Rangaku
Rangaku is a body of knowledge developed by Japan through its contacts with the Dutch enclave of Dejima, which allowed Japan to keep abreast of Western technology and medicine in the period when the country was closed to foreigners, 1641–1853, because of the Tokugawa shogunate’s policy of national...
, or Dutch Studies. This school would teach the Dutch language
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
as well as science, business, and ethics. Kaikokudō also offered lectures in religion, philosophy, and the arts.
With the end of the Tokugawa Bakufu in 1868, the Kaikokudō also closed its gates to further instruction.
The academy was revived in 1910 based on a publication called the Kaitoku, which sponsored lectures and meetings in the spirit of the Kaitokudō from funds contributed by Sumitomo and other commercial Osaka operations. The academy building was also renovated at that time; however it was burned down in the fire bombings of the following Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
. The library, much of it in Dutch, has survived, however, and is housed at Osaka University
Osaka University
, or , is a major national university located in Osaka, Japan. It is the sixth oldest university in Japan as the Osaka Prefectural Medical College, and formerly one of the Imperial Universities of Japan...
as Kaitokudō Bunkan.