郷ごう学がく

also: きょうがく

ご

う

が

く

Meanings

village school

Historical term for a local school in Edo-period Japan, and also used for similar institutions in ancient Korea and China. Not a modern school type.

江え戸ど時じ代だいには、各かく地ちに郷ごう学がくが設もうけられ、庶しょ民みんの教きょう育いくが行おこなわれた。
In the Edo period, village schools were established in various places, providing education for commoners.
この資し料りょう館かんでは、かつての郷ごう学がくの様よう子すを再さい現げんしている。
This museum recreates the atmosphere of a former village school.

Kanji

郷home town, village, native place
学study, learning, science

Related words

寺てら子こ屋や
寺子屋 were private elementary schools often run by temples, while 郷学 were more formal local schools sometimes supported by the domain or village.
藩はん校こう
藩校 were domain schools for samurai children, whereas 郷学 were village schools for commoners.

Written forms

郷学Usage100%
- ごうがく
  Standard kanji form; reading ごうがく is the most common for this term.
- きょうがく
  Alternate reading; less common and may be encountered in historical or regional contexts.
きょうがく

Etymology

From 郷 (village, hometown) + 学 (learning, school). The term originated in China and was adopted in Japan and Korea to refer to local educational institutions.