Former Mitsukaido Elementary School Main Building
I visited the Ibaraki Prefectural History Museum in Mito City.
This facility combines the functions of a history museum and an archives, hosting permanent and special exhibitions on Ibaraki Prefecture’s history while collecting, preserving, and utilizing public documents and materials.
Several buildings have been relocated and restored on the grounds. This time, I introduce one of them: the former Mitsukaido Elementary School Main Building.
This school building was relocated from the Mitsukaido School, originally constructed in 1881 in Mitsukaido-eki Village (now part of Joso City).
To begin with the situation prior to the school building’s construction, based on the promulgation of the Education System in 1872, two schools—Bunkai and Kensui—were established at Mitsukaido-eki. However, due to low enrollment rates, these were consolidated in 1875 and named “Mitsukaido School.”
In 1877, the Shimotsuma Police Station’s Mitsukaido Branch was built as a three-story Western-style building. This apparently inspired the residents, fostering a growing enthusiasm to build their own elementary school.
Volunteer residents raised approximately 5,000 yen in funds, completing a two-story wooden school building with a tower in 1881.
The construction is said to have been overseen by local master carpenter Hada Jinzo (the same person who built the aforementioned police substation).
The exterior walls are now painted clapboard siding, but it is presumed they were originally plastered.
An explanatory plaque stands in front of the school building.
Reading this, it states that this building was relocated in 1921.
As the number of students increased and the school became cramped, a new school building was constructed on the new site (Sakaemachi, Mitsukaido Town) in 1919, and the school relocated there. It seems that this main building was also relocated afterward. At that time, the building’s shape was significantly altered.
The absence of the first-floor roof overhang gives the exterior a cleaner, more streamlined appearance. While the relocated structure has a stronger Western-style impression, I feel this has compromised its balance with the tower.
In 1954, Mitsukaido Town implemented city status, establishing Mitsukaido City. The school became Mitsukaido Municipal Mitsukaido Elementary School.
In 1958, the entrance section (main building) was designated a Prefectural Cultural Property.
Subsequently, in 1970, construction began on a new school building at a different location (the former Daishiyama Park). The work was divided into three phases, with all buildings completed in 1972.
Following the move to the new school building, the school building was donated by Mitsukaido City to the prefecture. The main building of the old school was relocated to become the Prefectural History Museum. Relocation work began in 1971. Restored to its original appearance at completion, the building opened to the public in 1974 alongside the opening of the History Museum.
Note that Mitsukaido City merged with other municipalities in 2006 to form Joso City; therefore, no municipality named Mitsukaido City currently exists.
I walked around the perimeter of the school building.
There was an entrance at the rear, complete with a balcony.
The semicircular section above the door was set with colored glass.
After circling around, I returned to the front.
Entering the main entrance, to the left were the night watchman’s room and the Imperial Portrait Room. The Imperial Portrait Shrine was the room where the Emperor’s portrait was kept.
A staircase runs through the center, but due to safety concerns, access to the second floor is restricted, limiting the tour to the first floor only. The first floor featured classrooms on both sides displaying historical materials.
The second floor is currently unused, but it too has been restored to its original appearance. Among the displayed materials was a building blueprint indicating the second floor originally housed four classrooms and a staff room.
Finally, let’s look at the layout of the old Mitsukaido Elementary School buildings in a 1961 aerial photograph taken before relocation.
The main building faced west, with two cenrtal school buildings connected to its rear. These were flanked by the North and South School Buildings, with an auditorium further to the north. The New Building and Newer Building were likely constructed later.
The tower on the main building is also visible in the aerial photograph.
[References] (all written in Japanese)
“Western-Style Buildings of the Meiji Era” (by Kato Yoshiyuki / Shinjinbutsu Oraisha / 1979)
“Japanese School Architecture: From Origins to the Present” (by Makoto Kanno and Yuzuru Sato / Bunkyo News Publishing / 1983)
“History of Mitsukaido City, Volume 2” (Mitsukaido City / 1985)
“Former Mitsukaido Elementary School Main Building” (Ibaraki Prefectural Museum of History website)