About Koudoukan
The historical Koudoukan was a place of scholarship, in many ways way similar to a modern-day private university. It was established by Minagawa Kien (1734-1807), a Confucianist and an important Kyoto figure during the mid-Edo period. Kien has developed his own esoteric learning called “Kaibutsu gaku”. Also known as a refined poet and calligrapher, his ink paintings have been compared to those of the famous artist Maruyama Okyo.
Kien has had many connections in the cultural world and has been called as a teacher to different provinces throughout Japan. He is said to have had some 3000 disciples.
The present-day Koudoukan is named after a stone monument commemorating the historical Kodkan, which was found on the present grounds. The name Yuuhisai comes from one of the pen names of Minagawa Kien.
Being deeply rooted in the beauty and wisdom of traditional Japanese culture, we are aiming to create a high-level training system, giving birth to new concepts for the future of Kyoto and Japan. In order to achieve this, we are receiving support from many different people.
You can visit our historical building upon reservation. We also provide on demand cultural events. For more information and reservations, please contact us.
