also: きょうがく
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.
In the Edo period, village schools were established in various places, providing education for commoners.
This museum recreates the atmosphere of a former village school.
Standard kanji form; reading ごうがく is the most common for this term.
Alternate reading; less common and may be encountered in historical or regional contexts.
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.