Gakushūin

The Gakushūin, or Gakushuin School Corporation (学校法人学習院), historically known as the Peers' School, is a Japanese educational institution in Tokyo, originally established as Gakushūjo to educate the children of Japan's nobility. The original school expanded from its original mandate of educating the social elite and has since become a network of institutions which encompasses preschool through tertiary-level education.

History
The Peers' School was founded in 1847 by Emperor Ninkō in Kyoto and placed under the administration of the Imperial Household Agency. Its purpose was to educate the children of the Imperial aristocracy (kuge). Prior to the disestablishment of the Peerage in 1947, commoners had restricted access to Gakushuin, with limited slots only to the Elementary School and Middle School.

In 1947, with the American-mandated disestablishment of the peerage system, enrollment in Gakushuin was fully opened to the general public. At the same time, administration of the school was transferred to the Ministry of Education.

Precepts
Emperor Ninko had four maxims inscribed on the walls of the Gakushūin building, including
 * 1) Walk in the paths trodden by the feet of the great sages.
 * 2) Revere the righteous canons of the empire.
 * 3) He that has not learned the sacred doctrines, how can he govern himself?
 * 4) 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.

Timeline

 * 1847: founded as Peers' School
 * 1877: the school was established in Tokyo
 * 1884: Gakushūin became an Imperial institution.
 * 1885: Peeresses' School was created
 * 1947: Gakushūin became a private institution.

Gakushuin Corporation
The present-day Gakushuin School Corporation comprises the following institutions:
 * Gakushuin University
 * Gakushuin Women's College
 * Gakushuin Boys' Junior and Senior High School
 * Gakushuin Girls' Junior and Senior High School
 * Gakushuin Primary School
 * Gakushuin Kindergarten

Teachers

 * Kanō Jigorō—taught at Gakushūin
 * Inagaki Manjirō—taught briefly at Gakushūin

Alumni

 * For alumni of Gakushuin University, see: Gakushūin University


 * Imperial House of Japan
 * Yoshihito, Emperor Taishō - late 123rd Emperor of Japan
 * Hirohito, Emperor Shōwa - late 124th Emperor of Japan
 * Nagako, Empress Kōjun, late Empress Dowager of Japan
 * Emperor Akihito - Former 125th Emperor of Japan
 * Emperor Naruhito - Current 126th Emperor of Japan
 * Masahito, Prince Hitachi - brother of Emperor Akihito
 * Hanako, Princess Hitachi - wife of the Prince Hitachi
 * Fumihito, Prince Akishino - son of Emperor Akihito
 * Kiko, Princess Akishino - wife of the Prince Akishino
 * Kazuko, Princess Taka - sister of Emperor Akihito
 * Shigeko, Princess Teru - sister of Emperor Akihito
 * Atsuko, Princess Yori - sister of Emperor Akihito
 * Takako, Princess Suga - sister of Emperor Akihito
 * Sayako, Princess Nori - daughter of Emperor Akihito
 * Nobuhito, Prince Takamatsu - brother of Emperor Shōwa
 * Kikuko, Princess Takamatsu - wife of the Prince Takamatsu
 * Yasuhito, Prince Chichibu - brother of Emperor Shōwa
 * Takahito, Prince Mikasa - brother of Emperor Shōwa
 * Yuriko, Princess Mikasa - wife of the Prince Mikasa
 * Prince Tomohito of Mikasa - son of the Prince Mikasa
 * Princess Yasuko of Mikasa - daughter of the Prince Mikasa
 * Princess Masako of Mikasa - daughter of the Prince Mikasa
 * Princess Akiko of Mikasa - daughter of Prince Tomohito
 * Princess Yōko of Mikasa - daughter of Prince Tomohito
 * Norihito, Prince Takamado - son of the Prince Mikasa
 * Princess Tsuguko of Takamado - daughter of the Prince Takamado
 * Princess Noriko of Takamado - daughter of the Prince Takamado
 * Princess Ayako of Takamado - daughter of the Prince Takamado
 * Yoshihito, Prince Katsura - son of Prince Mikasa
 * Aiko, Princess Toshi - daughter of Emperor Naruhito


 * House of Yi
 * Lieutenant General Prince Imperial Ui Min
 * Prince Yi Geon of Korea
 * Prince Yi Gu of Korea
 * Prince Yi Kang of Korea
 * Prince Yi U of Korea
 * Princess Deokhye of Korea


 * Others
 * Princess Huisheng of Aisin Gioro (Qing ruling family of Imperial China)
 * Hayao Miyazaki, Director
 * Yoko Ono
 * Tarō Asō, former Prime Minister of Japan
 * Michihiko Kano
 * Yukio Mishima, Author
 * Shiono Nanami, Author
 * Marina Inoue
 * Tetsuya Kakihara
 * Yoshinobu Shimamura
 * Hisaoki Kamei
 * Akiko Kamei
 * Keiko Nagaoka
 * Yasuko Ikenobo
 * Yoshiki Kuroda
 * Tokugawa Tsunenari
 * Hiroyuki Namba
 * Akiko Kobayashi
 * Akira Yoshimura, Author
 * Yoshiki Tanaka, Author
 * Yoshihiko Funazaki, Author
 * Yuki Kawauchi, Runner
 * Kuniko Asagi
 * Mona Yamamoto
 * Satomi Ton
 * Toshiyuki Hosokawa
 * Masakazu Motoki
 * Kiyoshi Kodama

In fiction
In the novel Spring Snow by Yukio Mishima, set in the early 1910s, the characters Kiyoaki Matsugae and Shigekuni Honda attend the school.