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TALES FROM HISTORY
Reading, ‘Riting, and ‘Rithmatic — Effective Education in Edo
Japan’s high literacy rate is nothing new
The Edo Era (1603–1867) was a time of cultural flourishing in Japan. This is the era that gave us the great woodblock prints of Hokusai and Hiroshige, the kabuki and jyōruri puppet plays of Chikamatsu-Monzaemon, and the first popular novels for the masses.
There were no schools as we know them today and education was not compulsory until 1872, yet the literacy rate during the Edo Era was as high as 50% among males and 20% among women.
Terakoya Schools — Classrooms for All Children
Terakoya, 寺子屋, meaning temple schools, appeared in the early 17th century to educate the children of the masses. Rooted in the ancient practice of classrooms in temples, terakoya also referred to classes in private houses or anywhere children could be gathered for studies. They could be taught by Buddhist or Shinto priests, samurai, or educated commoners.
Children studied the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic — which they learned through mastery of the soroban, or abacus.
This literacy was put to good use in adulthood. Businessmen kept detailed records and accounts, temple priests kept the registration records of the people in their areas, and everyone seemed to enjoy reading novels and even writing letters to friends and relatives.
The number of terakoya increased drastically in the early 19th century, until there were 16,560 of these classrooms spread across the country.
Only one feudal province, or domain, opened an official school for commoners. The Shizutani School of Okayama, established in 1670.
Domain Schools — Training Samurai Sons
