Mitogaku

It refers to the unique academic style cultivated in the Mito Domain in the early modern period, and was called "Mitogaku," "Tenpogaku," "Mitogaku," and other names mainly by people outside the Mito Domain from the Tenpo period (1830-44) to the end of the Edo period, but the name Mitogaku only became widespread after the Meiji period. There are various theories about the history of Mitogaku, but the general one is that the academic style that was formed among the many scholars who were involved in the history-making project of the second domain lord, Tokugawa Mitsukuni, is called early Mitogaku, and the academic style that was perfected during the domain government reforms during the Tenpo period by the ninth domain lord, Tokugawa Nariaki, is called late Mitogaku. However, if we focus on the point of a systematic and unique academic style, the so-called later academic style would be called Mitogaku, and the earlier period would be considered the origin of Mitogaku. In any case, the academic style that developed around Mitsukuni's project of compiling history was characterized by respect for history, elevation of the national polity, and the idea of ​​revering the Emperor and expelling the barbarians. In the later period, it cannot be denied that the unique academic style was formed based on a sense of crisis about the internal and external threats caused by the advance of Western countries and the instability of the shogunate and feudal domain system, as seen in the approach of foreign ships in the late 18th century. In this context, the starting point for the development of Mitogaku was Fujita Yukoku's theory of the national polity and the idea of ​​expelling foreigners. It was inherited and developed by Aizawa Seishisai and Fujita Toko, members of the Fujita faction who promoted Nariaki's Tenpo Reforms, and is thought to have been concentrated in the Kodokanki, which was published under Nariaki's name. Sonno Joi theory, which is considered to be the pillar of political movements at the end of the Edo period, is considered to be the core of this Mitogaku.

[Yoshihiko Seya]

"Imai Usaburo, Seya Yoshihiko, and Bito Masahide (eds.), "Japanese Thought Series 53: Mitogaku" (1973, Iwanami Shoten) " "Ito Tasaburo, Bito Masahide, and Suzuki Eiichi (eds.), "The Development of Mitogaku and the Sonno Joi Theory" (included in "Mito City History Volume 2 (3)" (1976, Mito City Hall)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

近世水戸藩に醸成された独得の学風を意味し、その名称は天保(てんぽう)時代（1830～44）から幕末にかけて、「水府（之）学」「天保学」「水戸学」などと、主として水戸藩以外の人々からよばれたもので、広く水戸学の名称が普及したのは明治以後である。水戸学の沿革については種々の説があるが、一般的なものは、2代藩主徳川光圀(みつくに)の修史事業に携わった多くの学者らの間に形成された学風を前期水戸学と称し、9代藩主徳川斉昭(なりあき)の天保期の藩政改革のなかで大成された学風を後期水戸学と称するものである。しかし体系的な独得の学風という点を重視すれば、いわゆる後期の学風を水戸学と称し、前期のそれを水戸学の淵源(えんげん)とすることになる。いずれにしても光圀による修史事業を中心に展開した学風では、歴史尊重と国体観の高揚と尊王賤覇(せんぱ)の思想などに特色がある。後期では、18世紀後半の異国船の接近にみられる西洋諸国の進出と幕藩制の動揺による内憂外患に対する危機意識が、独得の学風形成の根底にあったことは否めない。こうしたなかで水戸学大成の端緒となったのが藤田幽谷(ゆうこく)の国体論と攘夷(じょうい)思想である。それは、斉昭の天保改革を推進した藤田派の会沢正志斎(あいざわせいしさい)や藤田東湖(とうこ)らによって継承発展させられ、斉昭の名で公表された『弘道館記(こうどうかんき)』に結集されたとみられる。幕末の政治運動の支柱とされる尊王攘夷論は、この水戸学の中核をなすものと考えられる。

［瀬谷義彦］

『今井宇三郎・瀬谷義彦・尾藤正英編『日本思想大系 53　水戸学』（1973・岩波書店）』▽『伊東多三郎・尾藤正英・鈴木暎一編「水戸学の発展と尊王攘夷論」（『水戸市史　中巻（三）』所収・1976・水戸市役所）』

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