Draft:Ibaraki Junior and Senior High School

Ibaraki Junior and Senior High School (茨城中学校・高等学校, Ibaraki Chūgakkō Kōtōgakkō) is a private junior and senior high school located in Yahata Town, Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture. The school is often referred to by its abbreviations, Iba-Chū and Iba-Kō. It is the oldest private high school and junior high school in the prefecture, with a history tracing back to one of Japan's three major clan schools, the Kōdōkan. It is also the oldest integrated junior and senior high school in the prefecture, providing continuous education from junior high through high school.

The school is one of the few private schools that originated from a han school (Mito Domain’s Kōdōkan, 1841) and boasts a prestigious history.

Overview
Established in 1841 (12th year of Tenpō) as a han school by the Mito Domain, the school traces its origins to the Kōdōkan. After the Meiji Restoration, the Kōdōkan was closed in 1872, leading scholars who believed in the Mito School to establish several private academies. However, these academies repeatedly faced closure. In 1924 (13th year of Taishō), Jozaemon Iimura was approached to support the Mito Academy, the only surviving private academy continuing the Kōdōkan tradition. On February 5, 1927 (2nd year of Shōwa), Iimura used his personal fortune to establish the private Ibaraki Junior High School (predecessor school). The founding spirit is "Gratitude and Repayment," a principle that Iimura held dear throughout his life.

Following post-war education reform in 1948 (23rd year of Shōwa), the school was renamed Ibaraki High School (new system) and incorporated Ibaraki Junior High School (new system). This established the current Ibaraki High School and Junior High School structure.

Since its founding, the school has been an all-boys school. Transitioning to an integrated junior and senior high school education system in 1995 (7th year of Heisei), the school began admitting female students, initially comprising about 30% of the total student body, gradually reaching a nearly equal gender ratio by the 2010s.

In 2008, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology recognized the school as an official integrated junior and senior high school, allowing the school to implement a specially designed curriculum based on legal standards (though it continues to accept students exclusively into the high school as well).

Founding Spirit
The founding spirit of the school, derived from the philosophy of the founder Jozaemon Iimura, is "Gratitude and Repayment." This principle is encapsulated in the school's three guiding precepts.
 * Founding Spirit: "Gratitude and Repayment" (by founder Jozaemon Iimura)
 * Fostering individuals who are strong in both body and mind and who have a deep sense of social service and gratitude.

School Precepts

 * School Precepts
 * Love for Truth and Justice
 * Cultivation of a robust body and an indomitable spirit
 * Nurturing a strong sense of cooperation and friendship

Integrated Junior and Senior High School Education
Leveraging the advantages of integrated junior and senior high school education, the school aims to complete the prescribed curriculum in approximately five years, allowing students to focus on university entrance exam preparation in their final year. To achieve a systematic integrated education, the school has established three periods.

Students entering the school at the high school level are referred to as "high school entrants" (高入生), and are distinct from "integrated students" (一貫生) who progress from the junior high school. In the first and second years of high school, integrated students are placed in classes A to D, high school entrants in classes E to G (with the International Liberal Arts Course in class H). In the third year of high school, integrated and high school entrants are mixed to balance the differing educational speeds and progress of integrated and high school entrants. However, for some subjects, both groups take the same exams.


 * Early Period: Junior High School Years 1 and 2 - Development of Intellectual Curiosity
 * Middle Period: Junior High School Year 3 and High School Year 1 - Development and Integration of Knowledge
 * High School Year 1
 * High School Entrants - All students study the same subjects except for elective arts subjects (music, art, calligraphy).
 * Integrated Students
 * International Liberal Arts Course - Collaborates with prestigious universities both domestically and abroad through online joint learning.
 * Later Period: High School Years 2 and 3 - Completion of Knowledge and Skills
 * High School Year 2 - Introduction of elective courses for selecting subjects based on student progression.
 * High School Entrants - Students are divided into science and humanities tracks according to their future plans.
 * Integrated Students
 * International Liberal Arts Course - All students undertake a six-month overseas study program.


 * High School Year 3
 * All Students- Choose from four courses: "National Science," "National Humanities," "Private Science," or "Private Humanities."

School Life Policies

 * Students are expected to prioritize their studies and are generally prohibited from part-time jobs, obtaining driver’s licenses for cars or motorcycles.
 * Classes are held on Saturday mornings except for the second Saturday of the month, with occasional changes depending on public holidays.

Desired Student Characteristics
Ibaraki Junior and Senior High School seeks the following characteristics in students.
 * Students who resonate with the founding spirit of "Gratitude and Repayment" and strive to contribute to society and others.
 * Students with a desire for intellectual growth and rich personal development.
 * Students with a lifelong enthusiasm for learning.
 * Students who embrace diverse values and engage in creative activities through collaboration with peers.
 * Students who respect the school's history and traditions and aspire to embody the integrated practice of academics and martial arts inherited from the Kōdōkan.

School Culture
Ibaraki High School, along with Mito First High School and Hitachi First High School, is known for liberalizing its dress code in 1972 based on student demand. In 1995 (7th year of Heisei), coinciding with the introduction of the integrated junior and senior high school system, Ibaraki Junior High School introduced new uniforms, and Ibaraki High School reintroduced uniforms.

Curriculum
The school's curriculum differs in several ways from that of public junior and senior high schools to accommodate six years of integrated education.

Ibaraki Junior and Senior High School Brand Colors
Ibaraki High School has adopted blue, and Ibaraki Junior High School has adopted a darker shade of red as their brand colors. Both schools use a logo featuring a rounded star with "High" or "Junior High" inscribed in the center.

Products Featuring the Brand Colors

 * Graduation certificates
 * Neckties
 * School flag
 * Pamphlets

Ibaraki Junior and Senior High School Grade Colors
The school assigns colors based on the year of entry rather than the academic year. Details are as follows:

Products Featuring Grade Colors

 * Student handbook covers
 * PE uniforms (tracksuits)
 * Indoor shoes
 * Bicycle parking

permits

Uniforms
The school introduced uniforms in 1995. Starting from the 2024 academic year, the specifications for the girls' uniforms at Ibaraki Junior High School have been changed. Details are as follows:

Treatment of School Symbols on Uniforms
The crest on the left chest of the blazer is as follows:
 * A red circle with the gold letter "I" in Blackletter script.
 * A blue circle surrounds the red circle, with the words "IBARAKI JHS AND SHS" inscribed in gold along the edge. "JHS" stands for Junior High School, and "SHS" stands for Senior High School.
 * A crown is depicted within the circle.
 * Wheat motifs encircle the circle.
 * At the bottom is a green band with "EST-1927" inscribed, indicating the establishment year.

The emblem on the left chest of the uniform is as follows:
 * A shield-shaped outline with the letter "I" in Blackletter script.
 * Generally depicted with a light blue outline.

Facilities
As of 2024, Ibaraki Junior and Senior High School has the following facilities.

Cafeteria
Located semi-basement, the cafeteria is available to teachers and high school students during lunch hours. Open to the public during the cultural festival.

50th Anniversary Memorial Hall
Located southwest of the main school buildings, across the road, this facility was constructed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the old Ibaraki Junior High School in 1977. It has a wood structure with two floors and blueish gray exterior walls (commonly referred to as Russian Blue color). As of 2023, it is still used by cultural clubs such as the karuta club.

Audiovisual Hall
Accommodates up to 300 people.

Library
Holds approximately 60,000 volumes.

School Culture
Ibaraki Junior and Senior High School inherits the traditions of the Mito School, stemming from the han school Kōdōkan. The school library contains collections inherited from the Kōdōkan. After the Meiji Restoration, most of the Kōdōkan's collections became national property, and during the Great Mito Air Raid on August 2, 1945, most were lost. Consequently, the Ibaraki Junior and Senior High School holds many of the remaining materials. Currently, these materials are managed by the Ibaraki Prefectural History Museum.

Educational Programs

 * Medical Course (available

from the 3rd year of junior high)
 * Aimed at students aspiring to enter medical faculties, this course fosters the necessary academic abilities and ethical mindset to contribute as healthcare professionals in the future.


 * International Liberal Arts Course (available from the 1st year of high school)
 * Designed to cultivate global citizens with a strong sense of identity and flexibility to engage with diverse cultures, this course includes a mandatory six-month overseas study program.
 * Through this program, students enhance their English proficiency and develop independence and comprehensive human skills.
 * In Japan, collaborative inquiry activities foster communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and presentation skills.
 * In the 2nd year of high school, students undertake a six-month study program in New Zealand.

Holidays
The following are holidays, meaning days when there are no classes. Days when staff do not report to work are referred to as "school holidays."


 * Sundays
 * Second Saturday of each month
 * National Holidays
 * Ibaraki Prefecture Citizens' Day
 * Foundation Day
 * School start and end holidays
 * Summer vacation
 * Winter vacation
 * Term break holidays
 * Year-end holidays (commonly referred to as spring break)

Club Activities and Achievements
The following club activities and achievements are based on the school's website.

Existing Clubs

 * Ibaraki Junior High School
 * Softball Club
 * 2008 Mito District Summer Tournament Runner-Up
 * 2008 Mito District Rookie Tournament Runner-Up
 * 2009 Mito District Spring Tournament Champion
 * Soccer Club
 * Boys' Basketball Club
 * Girls' Basketball Club
 * Boys' Volleyball Club
 * Table Tennis Club
 * Official Tennis Club
 * Boys' Soft Tennis Club
 * Girls' Soft Tennis Club
 * Archery Club
 * Ibaraki High School
 * Baseball Club
 * Soccer Club
 * Boys' Basketball Club
 * Girls' Basketball Club
 * Boys' Volleyball Club
 * Table Tennis Club
 * April 2014, Kanto High School Mito District Qualifiers, Competed in Prefectural Tournament
 * Badminton Club
 * Hard Tennis Club
 * 2014 Newcomers' Championship, Boys' Team, Prefectural Runner-Up, Qualified for Kanto Selection
 * 2015 Newcomers' Championship, Boys' Team, Prefectural Third Place
 * 2016 Kanto Tournament Prefectural Qualifiers, Boys' Team, Ibaraki Prefectural Best 4
 * 2016 National Sports Festival Prefectural Qualifiers, Boys' Team, Ibaraki Prefectural Best 4
 * Archery Club
 * Broadcasting Club
 * JRC Club
 * Folk Music Club
 * Ibaraki Junior and Senior High School
 * Track and Field Club
 * Kendo Club
 * Swimming Club
 * Brass Band Club
 * All-Japan Band Competition Ibaraki Prefectural Contest, High School Division A, 25 Consecutive Gold Medals (1997–2023)
 * East Kanto Contest, High School Division A, 20 Participations
 * All-Japan High School Band Contest in Yokohama, 9 Consecutive Participations (2014–2023)
 * Art Club
 * Competitive Karuta Club
 * History Club
 * Biology Club
 * Chemistry Club
 * Go and Shogi Club
 * English Club
 * Manga Research Club
 * Computer Research Club

=== Defunct Clubs ===


 * Judo Club
 * Karate Club
 * Library Club

Annual Events
Listed in the order they occur, starting from April of the new academic year.
 * April
 * Opening Ceremony
 * New Teacher Welcome Ceremony
 * Entrance Ceremony (combined for junior and senior high, with existing students on temporary break)
 * Events for New Students (both junior and senior high)
 * Club Introductions
 * Welcome Ceremony
 * New Student Orientation
 * Excursion
 * Held every April. Destinations vary within the Kanto region, Fukushima Prefecture, and Tokyo.


 * Cross-cultural Training Camp (optional for 3rd-year junior high students)
 * Held every April, involving a training program at British Hills in Fukushima Prefecture.
 * May
 * First Semester Student Council Election
 * First Term Exams
 * June
 * Sports Festival (junior high)
 * Held annually on the first Sunday of June.
 * Second Term Exams (late June to early July, spanning four days)
 * Ibaraki Festival (senior high)
 * Annual cultural festival held on the first weekend of June. The common reading "Iba-sai" is becoming established, but the correct reading is "Ibara-sai."


 * July
 * Summer Camp (2nd-year junior high)
 * Held in late July, 2nd-year junior high students tour Mt. Bandai in Fukushima Prefecture (destinations vary by grade).
 * August
 * Summer Supplementary Classes
 * School Day (Founder’s Memorial)
 * Third Term Exams
 * September
 * First Semester Class Matches (all grades)
 * Junior high matches are held at school, senior high matches are held at Hitachinaka City General Sports Park.
 * Second Semester Opening Ceremony
 * Swimming Tournament (junior high)
 * October to December
 * Study Tours and School Trips (3rd-year junior high, 2nd-year senior high)
 * 3rd-year junior high students travel to Kyoto, 2nd-year senior high students can choose from Canada, Singapore, or Taiwan, with homestays offered.
 * Fourth Term Exams (junior high and 1st-year senior high students take exams 1-2 weeks after the junior high 3rd-year study tour; 2nd-year senior high students take exams before the study trip)
 * Second Semester Student Council Election


 * Arts Appreciation (all grades)
 * Held annually at the Ibaraki Prefectural Cultural Center. The Ibaraki High School Rakugo event has featured Koyuza Sanyūtei. Other performances include orchestral music.


 * December
 * Winter Supplementary Classes
 * January
 * Marathon (all grades)
 * Held at Hitachi Seaside Park. Junior high students run 6km, senior high students run 10km. Previously called "Founder’s Memorial Marathon" and held in November on the Founder’s Day, the event was moved to January in the 2020s due to climate change.
 * February
 * Speech Contest (2nd-year senior high)
 * March
 * Second Semester Class Matches (excluding 3rd-year students)
 * Held at school for both junior and senior high. On March 11, 2011 (the day of the Great East Japan Earthquake), the second semester class matches were in progress. The first tremor (14:46) occurred during the closing ceremony in the first gym, but there were no casualties.
 * Common Test Encouragement Meeting (senior high)
 * Held exclusively for 3rd-year senior high students and teachers.
 * Choral Contest (junior high)
 * Held annually on the morning before the graduation ceremony. The afternoon is reserved for setting up the venue. Suspended from 2019 to 2022 due to COVID-19, it resumed in 2023.
 * Farewell Ceremony and Graduation Ceremony
 * Science Training Camp (optional)
 * During spring break, students participate in a week-long nature study experience in places like Iriomote Island, Ogasawara Islands, and Yakushima.

Background
The school traces its lineage to the Kōdōkan, established by the Mito Domain in 1841 (12th year of Tenpō). Following the Meiji Restoration, supporters established the Jikyōsha, followed by the Kōdō Gakusha, Mito Juku, and Mito Academy, lasting until the Shōwa era. In 1927 (2nd year of Shōwa), political and business leader Jozaemon Iimura took over Mito Academy and established the old Ibaraki Junior High School.

Following World War II education reforms, in 1948 (23rd year of Shōwa), the old Ibaraki Junior High School was reorganized as the new Ibaraki High School and simultaneously established a new Ibaraki Junior High School.

The school corporation Ibaraki decided to introduce coeducation and integrated junior and senior high school education, making Ibaraki Junior High School coeducational in 1995 (7th year of Heisei) and Ibaraki High School coeducational in 1998 (10th year of Heisei).

=== Chronology ===
 * 1927 (2nd year of Shōwa) - Jozaemon Iimura establishes the Ibaraki Junior High School Foundation. The first-year intake included 160 students (100 originally planned), and 47 students (50 originally planned) transferred or joined the second year. On August 1927, Iimura passed away in a traffic accident in Ōtemachi, Tokyo. Archery Club established.


 * 1928 (3rd year of Shōwa) - Basketball Club and Tennis Club established.
 * 1931 (6th year of Shōwa) - Ibaraki Junior High School Support Association established.
 * 1932 (7th year of Shōwa) - Old school song created, lyrics by Principal Fumio Honda, and music by Takarazuka Revue’s head composer Yukio Tsukui.
 * 1933 (8th year of Shōwa) - Baseball Club established.
 * 1934 (9th year of Shōwa) - Swimming Club wins prefectural championship.
 * 1935 (10th year of Shōwa) - Basketball Club competes in the national tournament for the first time.
 * 1936 (11th year of Shōwa) - Basketball Club wins prefectural championship.
 * 1937 (12th year of Shōwa) - 10th anniversary celebration.
 * 1938 (13th year of Shōwa) - Baseball Club wins prefectural championship for the first time. First cheer song created. Athletic field expanded by borrowing a plum grove from Gion Temple in Mito.
 * 1939 (14th year of Shōwa) - Track and Field Club wins Kanto championship in 100m.
 * 1940 (15th year of Shōwa) - Swimming Club wins national championship.
 * 1941 (16th year of Shōwa) - Military training conducted every Tuesday morning. School buildings expanded, and athletic field enlarged.
 * 1942 (17th year of Shōwa) - Farmland reclamation and labor service.
 * 1945 (20th year of Shōwa) - Private schools in Ibaraki Prefecture closed, and schools turned into factories. Great Mito Air Raid occurs, but the school survives unscathed.
 * 1946 (21st year of Shōwa) - Tuition fees doubled.
 * 1948 (23rd year of Shōwa) - Old Ibaraki Junior High School reorganized as new Ibaraki High School, and new Ibaraki Junior High School established. Both schools recruited 50 new students each.
 * 1949 (24th year of Shōwa) - Last graduation ceremony of the old system. Student council constitution completed.
 * 1950 (25th year of Shōwa) - First cultural festival held.
 * 1951 (26th year of Shōwa) - First new system school trip.
 * 1955 (30th year of Shōwa) - Student council regulations revised, junior high student council becomes independent.
 * 1956 (31st year of Shōwa) - Baseball team wins the autumn Kanto High School Baseball Tournament. Wrestling, judo, and boxing clubs participate in the National Sports Festival. Junior high brass band formed.
 * 1957 (32nd year of Shōwa) - Current school song established, 30th anniversary celebration held.
 * 1962 (37th year of Shōwa) - Unveiling ceremony for the statue of Jozaemon Iimura.
 * 1965 (40th year of Shōwa) - Completion of the old junior high school building. Swimming team participates in consecutive National Sports Festivals.
 * 1966 (41st year of Shōwa) - Unveiling ceremony for the Youth Statue. Integrated junior and senior high school A Course (one class only) begins.
 * 1967 (42nd year of Shōwa) - National High School Boxing Championship, Light Middleweight Division Champion.
 * 1968 (43rd year of Shōwa) - Junior high and high school gymnastics team wins all-prefectural championship.
 * 1970 (45th year of Shōwa) - Gymnasium (current First Gym), archery range, and indoor pool completed.
 * 1972 (47th year of Shōwa) - Ibaraki High School liberalizes its dress code.
 * 1983 (58th year of Shōwa) - New flags for Ibaraki Junior and Senior High School established.
 * 1988 (63rd year of Shōwa) - Integrated junior and senior high school A Course suspended.
 * 1995 (7th year of Heisei) - Introduction of coeducation and integrated junior and senior high school education. Ibaraki Junior High School becomes coeducational, uniforms introduced for both schools.
 * 1997 (9th year of Heisei) - 70th-anniversary celebration held at the Ibaraki Prefectural Cultural Center. New buildings (Building 7, Second Gym, and indoor heated pool) completed.
 * 1998 (10th year of Heisei) - Ibaraki High School becomes coeducational.
 * 2003 (15th year of Heisei) - 150th anniversary of the birth of founder Jozaemon Iimura.
 * 2004 (16th year of Heisei) - All classrooms equipped with air conditioning and heating.
 * 2007 (19th year of Heisei) - 80th-anniversary celebration.
 * 2008 (20th year of Heisei) - As part of the anniversary project, renovation and earthquake-proofing of high school buildings begin. School becomes an officially recognized integrated junior and senior high school under Article 71 of the School Education Act.
 * 2011 (23rd year of Heisei) - New buildings (Building A and Building C) completed. Damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake, one gymnasium becomes unusable.
 * 2012 (24th year of Heisei) - Earthquake repair work on gymnasium completed.
 * 2019 (1st year of Reiwa) - Medical Course established based on the long-running Medical, Dental, and Pharmaceutical External Cooperation Program.
 * 2020 (2nd year of Reiwa)
 * International Liberal Arts Course established.
 * Partnership agreement with National Hospital Organization Mito Medical Center for the Medical Course.
 * Partnership agreement with University of California, Davis (UC Davis) International Education Center.
 * 2021 (3rd year of Reiwa) - Introduction of student PCs with ChromeOS under the GIGA School Program.
 * 2022 (4th year of Reiwa) - Partnership agreement with International University of Health and Welfare.

Presidents

 * First: Jozaemon Iimura (February 1927 - August 1927)
 * Second: Nao Naka (August 1927 - March 1942)
 * Third: Yu Iimura (April 1942 - December 1945)
 * Fourth: Kiyoshi Anazawa (January 1946 - March 1951)

Board Chairmen

 * First: Yūnosuke Takeuchi (March 1951 - July 1961)
 * Second: Shunsaburo Ouchi (December 1961 - April 1973)
 * Third: Shoji Hasegawa (May 1973 - March 1975)
 * Fourth: Junichi Otsu (June 1975 - March 1986)
 * Fifth: Kiyochi Shibata (April 1986 - March 1993)
 * Sixth: Isao Tategawa (April 1993 - March 2000)
 * Seventh: Mitsutaka Yokoyama (April 2000 - August 2001)
 * Eighth: Hideo Arakawa (September 2001 - August 2011)
 * Ninth: Makoto Taneda (September 2011 - March 2024)

Principals

 * First: Masahiro Ito (March 1927 - August 1931)
 * Second: Nao Naka (September 1931 - November 1931)
 * Third: Fumio Honda (December 1931 - March 1946)
 * Fourth: Jiro Tazawa (April 1946 - September 1946)
 * Fifth: Kagaki Nemoto (October 1946 - May 1948)
 * Sixth: Unosuke Kato (June 1948 - December 1952)
 * Seventh: Tetsu Oihara (January 1953 - February 1956)
 * Eighth: Jiro Iwagami (March 1956 - July 1972)
 * Ninth: Kiyochi Shibata (August 1972 - March 1977)
 * Tenth: Shoichi Umino (April 1977 - March 1980)
 * Eleventh: Hikoji Ishida (April 1980 - March 1983)
 * Twelfth: Takashige Nakamura (April 1983 - March 198

6)
 * Thirteenth: Shoichi Umino (April 1986 - March 1992)
 * Fourteenth: Michiaki Horie (April 1992 - March 1995)
 * Fifteenth: Atsushi Hamazaki (April 1995 - March 2000)
 * Sixteenth: Mitsuo Ouchi (April 2000 - June 2006)
 * Seventeenth: Norimitsu Okubo (April 2006 - March 2015)
 * Eighteenth: Masumi Otsuka (April 2015 - March 2018)
 * Nineteenth: Masato Kigata (April 2018 - March 2021)
 * Twentieth: Katsuji Kaji (April 2021 - )

Partner Schools

 * International University of Health and Welfare
 * University of California, Davis

Politics

 * Akira Otani (Mayor of Hitachinaka City)
 * Koichi Kato (Former Mayor of Mito City)

Access
Ibaraki Junior and Senior High School has two gates, "Suehiro Gate" and "Main Gate". Suehiro Gate is for student and staff commuting, while the Main Gate is for external visitors. The school extends east to west along National Route 118, with two nearest bus stops. The bus stop near Suehiro Gate is "Suehiro-cho 2-chome", and the bus stop near the Main Gate is "Ibaraki High School Entrance".

From Mito Station to the school:
 * By walking: About 50 minutes
 * By bicycle: About 20 minutes
 * By car (taxi): 15 minutes
 * By bus (nearest bus stops only):
 * Ibaraki Kotsu Bus "Mito Station (North Exit)" Platform 7 → "Ibaraki High School Entrance" or "Suehiro-cho 2-chome"
 * Takes about 20 minutes during rush hours and around 15 minutes during off-peak hours.
 * Ibaraki Kotsu Bus "Mito Station (North Exit)" Platform 4 → "Hachiman-gu Entrance" or "Sakae-cho 2-chome"
 * Using the city loop (inner loop), takes about 13 minutes from "Mito Station (North Exit)" to "Hachiman-gu Entrance" or "Sakae-cho 2-chome", and a 5-8 minute walk from the bus stop to the Main Gate.
 * Kanto Railway (Ibaraki Kotsu) Bus "Mito Station (North Exit)" → "Daiku-cho"
 * Takes about 13 minutes from "Mito Station (North Exit)" to "Daiku-cho" bus stop, followed by a 15-minute walk to the Main Gate.
 * From Akatsuka Station to the school:
 * By walking: About 60 minutes
 * By bicycle: About 25 minutes, with multiple routes including slopes.

Related Links

 * Ibaraki Junior and Senior High School