Yokohama Nishi Ward

Description

The “Monument to the teacher Tanko Kimura” stands in Sengen Shako-mae Park in front of the West Sports Center near the Kofukuji Temple.
In 1914, Mr. Kimura left the school when he was principal of Katabira Elementary School before reaching to his retirement age. With his retirement money, he established a small Terakoya (small private school) in present-day Minamisengencho. At the time, there were many poor households around the area, so he made his school tuition for free.
Three years after the opening, the school was formally approved and Rintoku Elementary School was officially opened in a one-story wooden building with four classrooms, two teachers and around 60 students.
Six years later, during the Great Kanto Earthquake, his house near the school collapsed and he lost his lives. Many people mourned his death. This is the monument to remember that he devoted his entire life to the education of poor children without ever getting married and drunk alcohol.
When I was in the third grade at Nishimae Elementary School, I was drawing a school building in the art class and my teacher Yamada came up to me and praised my drawing. I still remember the teacher who inspired me to draw landscape paintings.

Title, picture and writing by Taro Suzuki
※This is a sketch and writing published in Yokohama Public Relation Nishi ward edition since June 2013. Please be noted that there’s a possibility that information in the article may be changed.

(Published in December 2022)