Also referred to as the ‘Matsushiro Bunbu Gakko’ and ‘Old School for Literary and Military Arts’, the school was instituted in 1855 to educate the sons of high-status samurai in martial arts, traditional literature and arts along with Western medicine and military science.

Recently restored, the school is comprised of large grounds and nine buildings including the main school building and several ‘dojo’ for marital arts training make-up the school, which can be visited purely for sightseeing or to enjoy a range of samurai and traditional experiences. An interactive/digital shooting gallery will also soon be opened, allowing visitors to handle and use replica guns that students were also trained to use, including matchlock rifles.

Inside the main school building, a video can be self-activated including English subtitles. Playing through large ‘shoji’ (paper sliding doors), the film plays for less than 10 minutes, is well-made and provides good information about the school and its history.