Former Kyokuto Kindergarten Building

The Former Kyokuto Kindergarten Building: A Whimsical Octagonal Schoolhouse from Meiji-Era Japan

Tucked away on the grounds of the Okayama City Central Library in Okayama Prefecture stands one of the most charming and unusual buildings in modern Japanese architecture: the Former Kyokuto Kindergarten Building, affectionately known as the "Hakkaku Ensha" or "Octagonal Pavilion." Completed in 1908 during the late Meiji era, this single-story wooden structure features a distinctive plan in which a perfectly octagonal central playroom is flanked on four sides by classrooms that radiate outward like the petals of a plum blossom. It is an enchanting fusion of Japanese carpentry and Western design vocabulary, and in 2007 it became the first kindergarten building in Japan ever to be designated an Important Cultural Property of the nation.

A Brief History of the Building

The building was originally constructed at the eastern end of the Shinkyo Bridge in what is today the Naka Ward of Okayama City, where it served as the kindergarten attached to Kyokuto Ordinary Elementary School. It opened its doors on June 30, 1908, and went on to nurture generations of Okayama's youngest learners for an extraordinary seventy-two years.

By the late 1970s, however, the wooden structure had aged considerably, and a decision was made in the winter of 1979 to replace the schoolhouse. Recognizing its historical and architectural significance, the city carefully dismantled the building and preserved its original timbers and architectural records. In 1998, those preserved materials were used to faithfully reconstruct the kindergarten on its current site at the Okayama City Central Library, restoring it to approximately its appearance in the late Meiji period.

Today, visitors can step inside this remarkable structure and experience a rare surviving example of an early modern Japanese educational facility, virtually as it would have appeared to the children who attended classes here over a century ago.

Why Was It Designated an Important Cultural Property?

On June 18, 2007, the Former Kyokuto Kindergarten Building was designated an Important Cultural Property by the national government, along with the Aishu Kindergarten in Osaka. This was a landmark moment in Japanese heritage protection, as these two buildings were the very first kindergarten facilities ever to receive this prestigious designation.

The Kyokuto building was recognized for its singular place in the history of early childhood education architecture in Japan. Its plan, known as the "umebachi-gata" or "plum-blossom plan," features an octagonal central playroom surrounded by classrooms on four sides. This was the first kindergarten in the country to adopt this innovative layout, and it became the prototype for many similar octagonal kindergartens built across Okayama Prefecture from the late Meiji period into the Taisho era.

The building also embodies the educational philosophy of its time. By placing the playroom at the heart of the floor plan, the design ensured that teachers could maintain visual contact with children at all times, reflecting a then-novel emphasis on indoor, supervised early childhood care. For both architectural historians and historians of education, the building offers an irreplaceable window onto how Meiji-era Japan reimagined the very experience of growing up.

Architectural Highlights

The building is the work of Egawa Saburohachi (1860–1939), an architect-engineer of remarkable background and skill. Born into a samurai family in Aizu-Wakamatsu in Fukushima Prefecture, Egawa trained first as a traditional temple and shrine carpenter before becoming a building technician for Fukushima Prefecture in 1887. He studied Western architecture under prominent figures of the Meiji architectural establishment, including Yamaguchi Hanroku and Tsumaki Yorinaka, and from 1902 served as the sole official architect of Okayama Prefecture. The body of work he left behind across both prefectures became known as "Egawa-style" pseudo-Western architecture, and the kindergarten in Okayama is one of his masterpieces.

Visiting the Octagonal Pavilion

The building is open to the public free of charge, and the interior may be viewed during regular opening hours. The Okayama City Central Library, on whose grounds the building sits, makes for an enjoyable extended visit. Throughout the year, the city organizes seasonal events for children and families inside the kindergarten, keeping the spirit of its original purpose alive.

Visitors driving to the site may use the third parking lot of the Okayama City Library. By bus, take an Okaden Bus or Ryobi Bus toward Konan Operations Office, alight at "Konan Eigyosho," and walk approximately fifteen minutes.

Things to Do Nearby

The Hakkaku Ensha is conveniently located within the cultural and recreational heart of Okayama City. Within walking distance, visitors can explore Korakuen, one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan and a designated Special Place of Scenic Beauty, with its meticulously landscaped lawns, ponds, and tea houses. Adjacent to Korakuen stands the iconic black-walled Okayama Castle, sometimes called "Crow Castle." For those interested in modern culture, the Hayashibara Museum of Art and the Yumeji Art Museum, dedicated to the Taisho-era painter Takehisa Yumeji, are also nearby. A leisurely day in this area can easily blend a visit to one of Japan's most unusual schoolhouses with the city's broader heritage of art and gardens.