West Classroom

Here, they taught civilities and manners for samurais and Oriental and Western medical sciences. This two-storied building forms a pair with the East Classroom.
Reflecting the state of Japanese society toward the end of the Tokugawa shogunate, the Matsushiro Domain made an about-face to stress martial arts, deciding that the classroom would be transformed into a spear hall even before the school was opened. Within only one year after the opening, the West Classroom was rebuilt into South Spear Hall.
As part of this process, they removed the south-side walls to make it one large hall and removed closets, stairs, and ceilings. Having undergone multiple extensions and reconstructions for use as a martial arts practice hall and a music room, this place lost its original shape until it regained the appearance of its opening day, complete with a second story, during the major repair.