The Gakushūin (学習院) or Peers School (Gakushūin School Corporation), also known as Gakushūjo, is a Japanese educational institution originally established to educate the children of Japan's nobility.
The Peers' School was founded in 1847 by Emperor Ninkō in Kyoto. Its purpose was to educate the children of the Imperial aristocracy (kuge).
Emperor Ninko had four maxims inscribed on the walls of the Gakushūin building, including
- Walk in the paths trodden by the feet of the great sages.
- Revere the righteous canons of the empire.
- He that has not learned the sacred doctrines, how can he govern himself?
- 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.
1847: founded as Peers' School1877: the school was established in Tokyo1884: Gakushūin became an Imperial institution.1885: Peeress' School was created1947: Gakushūin became a private institution.Kanō Jigorō—taught at GakushūinInagaki Manjirō—taught briefly at GakushūinFor alumni of Gakushuin University, see: Gakushūin University#Notable alumniImperial House of JapanYoshihito, Emperor Taishō - 123rd Emperor of JapanHirohito, Emperor Shōwa - late 124th Emperor of JapanNagako, Empress Kōjun, late Empress Dowager of JapanEmperor Akihito - current 125th Emperor of JapanCrown Prince Naruhito - eldest son and heir of Emperor AkihitoMasahito, Prince Hitachi - brother of Emperor AkihitoHanako, Princess Hitachi - wife of the Prince HitachiFumihito, Prince Akishino - son of Emperor AkihitoKiko, Princess Akishino - wife of the Prince AkishinoKazuko, Princess Taka - sister of Emperor AkihitoShigeko, Princess Teru - sister of Emperor AkihitoAtsuko, Princess Yori - sister of Emperor AkihitoTakako, Princess Suga - sister of Emperor AkihitoSayako, Princess Nori - daughter of Emperor AkihitoNobuhito, Prince Takamatsu - brother of Emperor ShōwaKikuko, Princess Takamatsu - wife of the Prince TakamatsuYasuhito, Prince Chichibu - brother of Emperor ShōwaTakahito, Prince Mikasa - brother of Emperor ShōwaYuriko, Princess Mikasa - wife of the Prince MikasaPrince Tomohito of Mikasa - son of the Prince MikasaPrincess Yasuko of Mikasa - daughter of the Prince MikasaPrincess Masako of Mikasa - daughter of the Prince MikasaPrincess Akiko of Mikasa - daughter of Prince TomohitoPrincess Yōko of Mikasa - daughter of Prince TomohitoNorihito, Prince Takamado - son of the Prince MikasaPrincess Tsuguko of Takamado - daughter of the Prince TakamadoPrincess Noriko of Takamado - daughter of the Prince TakamadoPrincess Ayako of Takamado - daughter of the Prince TakamadoYoshihito, Prince Katsura - son of Prince MikasaAiko, Princess Toshi - daughter of Crown Prince NaruhitoOthersPrincess Huisheng of Aisin Gioro (Qing ruling family of Imperial China)Prince Yi Gu of KoreaHayao Miyazaki, DirectorYoko OnoTarō Asō, former Prime Minister of JapanMichihiko KanoYukio MishimaShiono Nanami, AuthorMarina InoueTetsuya KakiharaYoshinobu ShimamuraHisaoki KameiAkiko KameiKeiko NagaokaYasuko IkenoboYoshiki KurodaTokugawa TsunenariHiroyuki NambaAkiko KobayashiAkira Yoshimura, AuthorYoshiki Tanaka, AuthorYoshihiko Funazaki, AuthorYuki Kawauchi, RunnerKuniko AsagiMona YamamotoSatomi TonToshiyuki HosokawaMasakazu MotokiKiyoshi KodamaIn the novel Spring Snow by Yukio Mishima, set in the early 1910s, the characters Kiyoaki Matsugae and Shigekuni Honda attend the school.
