This guide covers the lecture hall, the Confucius statue, the kai trees, the stone wall and the practical details for reaching Shizutani School from Yoshinaga.
The sound of trainees reciting the Analects aloud echoes in the valley of Shizutani School.
Quick Facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Adult admission (high school students and above) | 450 yen |
| Gate hours | 9:00 to 17:00 |
| Closed days | December 29 to 31 |
| Bizen City municipal bus fare per ride for adults | 200 yen |
The Lecture Hall and Its Lacquered Floor
The lacquered floor of the lecture hall is polished and softly reflects the light entering through the fire-lamp windows. The corridor is the part of the lecture hall that visitors can enter.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Round zelkova pillars supporting the interior of the lecture hall | 10 |
The Confucius Statue and the Sekisai Ceremony
The Confucius statue is a gilt-bronze statue cast by a master craftsman of Kyoto. The statue, seated on a chair, is enshrined in a vermilion-lacquered octagonal shrine. At the Sekisai ceremony, Chinese poems are recited in front of the gilt-bronze Confucius statue enshrined in the Taiseiden.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Height of the Confucius statue | 90 cm |
Kai Trees and the Autumn Colours
The kai trees, the maples and various other trees turn red and golden in autumn. In front of the mausoleum stand the kai trees, grown from seeds brought back from Qufu in China. The kai trees and the lecture hall are lit with LED lights during the light-up.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Welcome to Autumn-coloured Shizutani event | November 7 to November 23 |
| Light-up of the kai trees and the lecture hall | November 7 to November 15, lit until 20:00 |
| Admission during the light-up for junior high school students and younger | 100 yen |
| Admission during the light-up for high school students and older | 450 yen |
The Stone Wall and the Bizen Roof Tiles
The stone wall surrounding the whole school creates a distinctive scenery together with the Bizen roof tiles. Yabu-tsubaki camellias are planted on Tsubaki-yama.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Length of the stone wall around the school | 765 m |
| Yabu-tsubaki camellias planted on Tsubaki-yama | About 400 |
Admission, Parking and Payment
The table below lists the figures for each item.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Admission for elementary and junior high school students | 100 yen |
| Admission for visitors aged 65 and over | 230 yen |
| Group admission for adults (30 people or more) | 360 yen |
| Accepted payment methods | Cash, credit cards and electronic money, excluding Rakuten Edy and nanaco |
| Free parking for passenger cars at the first lot | About 200 cars |
Visitors who prefer to join a tour can browse tours around Bizen.
Getting to Shizutani School from Yoshinaga
The routes to Shizutani School run from Yoshinaga, Bizen Katakami and the expressway.
- Take the bus from Yoshinaga Station on the JR Sanyo Line to Shizutani School, which takes 10 minutes.
- Pay the Bizen City municipal bus fare of 200 yen per ride for adults.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Walk from the Sebato bus stop to Shizutani School | About 10 minutes |
| Taxi from Yoshinaga Station to Shizutani School | 8 minutes |
| Taxi from Bizen Katakami Station on the JR Akou Line to Shizutani School | 15 minutes |
| Bus from Bizen Katakami Station on the JR Akou Line to Shizutani School | 10 minutes |
| Drive from the Bizen Interchange on the Sanyo Expressway to Shizutani School | 15 minutes |
| Drive from the Wake Interchange on the Sanyo Expressway to Shizutani School | 10 minutes |
Where to stay
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.