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In 1670, during the early Edo period, a public school for commoners was established by Ikeda Mitsumasa, the lord of the Okayama domain. Aimed at cultivating local leaders, the school allowed not only samurai but also commoners' children to enroll and study. By 1701, the vassal Tsuda Nagatomo spent over 30 years completing the "Hall of Learning," which still retains its original appearance today.
The lecture hall, designated as a national treasure, is a representative building of the old Shizutani School. Its large gabled roof and decorative windows present an impressive and unique appearance; the original thatched roof has been renovated with Bizen tiles. Inside the spacious hall, supported by ten zelkova wood columns, visitors can sit on the floor and experience the atmosphere of studying the Analects at that time.
In the Confucian temple dedicated to "the ancestor of Confucianism, Confucius," there is a statue of Confucius that shines with a golden glow, which is only open to the public for a few days each year. Standing majestically in front of the temple are two trees of the species Lanjinmu, transplanted from the Confucian Forest in Qufu, Shandong, China; they turn red and yellow during the autumn foliage season.
In addition to the shrine honoring the founder Ikeda Mitsumasa, the school building constructed in 1902 (Meiji 38) has been transformed into a museum, where many valuable materials can be viewed.
