Hagi: Castle Town That Nurtured Bakumatsu Patriots and Shokasonjuku Academy

Hagi: The Castle Town That Became the Driving Force of the Meiji Restoration

Hagi City in Yamaguchi Prefecture is the castle town of the Choshu domain that produced many Meiji Restoration patriots including Ito Hirobumi, Yamagata Aritomo, and Takasugi Shinsaku. In 2015, it was registered as a World Heritage Site as part of "Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution."

Shokasonjuku Academy and Yoshida Shoin

The "Shokasonjuku Academy" presided over by Yoshida Shoin, a Bakumatsu-era thinker and educator, nurtured many talents including Ito Hirobumi, Yamagata Aritomo, and Kusaka Genzui in just two and a half years. It is now preserved within the grounds of Shoin Shrine and designated as a national historic site.

Hagi Castle Town and Samurai Residences

Hagi's castle town is a precious area where the urban structure of the Edo period remains almost completely intact. Buildings of samurai and merchant families, including the Kikuya Family Residence (Important National Cultural Property) and the Former Yukawa Family Residence, line the streets, allowing enjoyable town walks with a feeling of time travel. Only the castle tower platform remains at the castle ruins (Hagijo Site).

Hagi Ware and Local Industries

Hagi ware, praised by tea masters as "first Raku, second Hagi, third Karatsu," originated with potters brought from Korea. It is characterized by changes called "Hagi's Seven Transformations" where the flavor deepens with use.

Access

Since Hagi City has poor transportation access, traveling by car is recommended. Highway buses from Shin-Yamaguchi Station also operate.