Japanese Social Education and Kominkan Practice: Focus on Residents’ Self‐Learning in Community

Abstract

AbstractThis article introduces Kominkan and its practice on Japanese social education and how it facilitates Japanese adult education and lifelong learning in local communities. Historically, social education was understood as all education that promotes social development and societal progress. Kominkan, as Japanese social education institutions for citizens, contribute to community development and resolve community issues and problems through self‐determined learning. Nowadays, Kominkan is declining mainly because of administration reasons. However, the need of restoring Kominkan is recognized and reconfirmed in practice. Through elaborating two practices in urban and rural areas in Nagano Prefecture in Japan, it is confirmed that, though Kominkan is under the administration of education bureau, the main idea of Kominkan has always centered on local residents’ self‐learning and encouraging residents’ self‐government on cultivating the community. The practice of Kominkan infuses new insights into empowering communities while promoting lifelong learning and a learning society at local level.