Kodokan

What to know

Kodokan (弘道館, Kōdōkan) in central Mito was once a school for the children of local samurai during the final years of the feudal era in the mid-1800s. The complex is surrounded by a lovely garden with many plum trees that typically bloom around March.

The school was founded in 1841 by Tokugawa Nariaki, the 9th lord of Mito, who also established Kairakuen Garden. It taught subjects such as Confucianism and history, as well as martial arts like fencing and horseback riding. The school closed in 1872 with the introduction of the national school system, and later the complex served as a prefectural government office before opening to the public.

Visitors can freely explore the interior of the old school and see the traditional tatami rooms that once served as classrooms and study areas. Among the exhibits is an old edition of the Dai Nihonshi, one of the most important history book collections of pre-modern Japan, compiled by Mito's prominent second lord, Tokugawa Mitsukuni.

Kodokan is located on the former grounds of Mito Castle. Little remains of the castle today, but there is a reconstructed corner turret, a couple of gates, a visitor center, and markers explaining the former castle grounds, whose multiple citadels made good use of the hills in today's city center.

Kodokan is about a ten-minute walk from Mito Station.

How to get to and around Mito Hours 9:00 to 17:00 (until 16:30 from October 1 to February 19) Closed December 29 to 31 Admission 420 yen Questions? Ask in our forum .