Meirinkan

Meirinkan (明倫館^?) was a han school located in the Chōshū Domain of Japan. The school was one of the three major educational institutions in Japan, along with the Kōdōkan in Mito Domain and Shizutani School in Okayama Domain.

The school was established in 1718 by the 6th Chōshū Domain daimyō Mōri Yoshimoto, located in the sannomaru (third bailey) of Hagi Castle, and covered an area of 940 tsubo (approx 3,102 square meters). It was later moved to the lower Hagi Castle area (part of current Hagi, Yamaguchi) by the 14th daimyō Mōri Takachika in accordance with han reforms, where it covered a total area of 15,184 tsubo (50,107 m²). 3,020 tsubo (9,966 m²) of the area were used as military training grounds. The han office was moved to Yamaguchi in 1863, and renamed Yamaguchi Kōdo, a school founded there by Hōyō Ueda, as Yamaguchi Meirinkan, creating two Meirikan schools located in Yamaguchi and Hagi.

Meiji Restoration intellects Yoshida Shōin and Takasugi Shinsaku were both students at the Meirinkan. Other distinguished graduates include Japanese Imperial Army officer Miura Gorō, diplomat Aoki Shūzō and Kido Takayoshi, Meiji Restoration hero and Meiji statesman.

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