Enshiro at Kangien in Hita

Japan Guide

Enshiro is a small, two-story building built in 1849 as a study. It is one of only two buildings remaining from the Edo Period privatye school in Hita known as Kangien. The other building is the older, larger former residence known as Shufuan which I recently posted about.

It is said that Enshiro was the favorite study of the founder of Kangien, Hirose Tanso, during his later years.

Hirose Tanso (1782 - 1856) was born in Hita, the eldest son of a wealthy merchant family in the town. However, being a sickly child, the family business was taken over by his younger brother and he devoted himself to study.

He studies under the Neo-Confucian scholar, Nanmei Kamei, in Fukuoka before returning home to Hta and opening his own academy.

His academy, which he renamed Kangien in 1817, became very popular and drew students from all over japan, and at times had 200 students, including a few females, studying and staying in large dormitories.

Kangien continued operating after Hirose Tanso's death, and eventually closed down in 1897. Its most famous graduates include Chouei Takano, Masujiro Omira, Hikoma Ueno, Shigyoku Nagshima, and Sanshu Chou.

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