Shimizudani High School
Overview. Shimizudani is one of the oldest high schools in Osaka with a history of over 100 years. The school was founded in 1900, and named as Osaka Prefectural First Girls’ High School (traditional Japanese: 大阪府第一高等女學校). "Shimizudani" was named from a place of Shimizu (清水, which means "pure water" or "clear stream") and Tani (Dani) (谷, which means 'valley'), which means the place that the clear stream flows through. Shimizudani High School is located on the northern part of "Uemachi Plateau" that is the center of Osaka from ancient times, and the South-West of Osaka Castle , and the south side of the Naniwa Palace. Therefore, it is said that there's "Suzaku Avenue" under the Shimizudani. In former times, Shimizudani was the elite school, and place of the cultivation of many an upper class young lady. For example, famous graduates of this school include Kawashima Itoko (grandmother of Princess Akishino; great-grandmother of Prince Hisahito of Akishino), Tanizaki Matsuko (wife of Jun'ichirō Tanizaki, and a model in Tanizaki's novel "The Makioka Sisters (novel)"—portrait of the daily life of the upper class of Kansai). The number of Shimizudani graduates is more than 30,000 people. Shimizudani is  the origin school of the "School uniform" in Osaka. The Sailor suit style uniform is called "Shimizudani blue", and designed with three line of bright white by a light blue collar cover. "Shimizudani blue" is very popular in Japan, and appeared in the TV drama Asadora ("Morning Drama") on NHK (Japan's National Broadcasting Corporation) many times. Miho Kanno, Juri Ueno, Satomi Ishihara wore "Shimizudani blue". Shimizudani is famous for not only the entrance into a school of higher grade to the famous university, but also the Classroom (Homeroom) and Club activities, like the Chorus Club, the Orchestra Ensemble Club , etc. History. Brief history. Shimizudani took a role as the symbol of "the girl's education" in Japan. The early days of "The (1868–1912 ; Japan started its modernization) , Japan's "the girl's education" was a low level, insufficient at degree to give necessary "Sewing and Cooking" for real life. It would be changed by "the girls' high school law" in February, 1899. The Shimizudani was decided to undergo the opening of a school by Ministry of Education notification 194 as the Osaka prefectural management first girls' high school. The site of Shimizudani was a construction site of the Japan  Women's University by Jinzoh Naruse, at first. Therefore, the passion of the educational front for Shimizudani as the Osaka's first girls' high school was hot. The placement of the teacher was regarded as important, too. Ōmura Chujiro described as "the incarnation of the girl education in Japan" took office as Shimizudani's first principal. What you should mention specially is Nagai Koji who started for its new post as a music department teacher. Even music education brought up Shimizudani in the palace, but "the girl music textbook" which he edited as the teaching materials came to be used  as a standard book in girls' high schools in Japan. Nagai will found "Osaka music school" (Osaka College of Music) later. Japanese Celebrities cooperated from the various fields to raise culture and the judgment of the Shimizudani's student and gave a lecture. Including Ōkuma Shigenobu (the 8th and 17th Prime Minister of Japan) and Shibusawa Eiichi ( known as the "father of Japanese capitalism"), more than 120 visit the Shimizudani just to win through up to a record of 20 years after foundation ( Refer to the following chronological). In addition, Prime minister Prince Kinmochi Saionji wrote to the Shimizudani's  alumnus Hall "Saibikan" to show the thought of "the serious consideration to the girl education". Because, Saionji interchanged with Naruse ( = a friend of Omura, the Shimizudani's principal) and supported it as an establishment promoter of Naruse's "Japan Women's University". Therefore, popularity of Shimizudani was too very high, and the students who were not able to enter it appeared one after another. So Shimizudani's alumnus organization "Seiyukai" founded a sister school "Seiyu high School" in Yao, Osaka.