Most viewed - JAPAN PHOTOS by Philbert Ono

Most viewed - Toyosato 豊郷町

Old school library is now a K-ON gallery, event space, and cafe. Fans of the popular manga/anime called K-ON! gather here on weekends.905 views

Designed by William Merrell Vories, the old Toyosato Elementary School building was built in 1937. This picture was taken in 2007, before renovations. This is the front gate.589 views

Toyosato Elementary School after renovations in 2009. Nice new coat of paint makes the old school look almost brand new. MAP432 views

Toyosato manhole, Shiga Pref.407 views

Partially destroyed building. This was stopped via a court order.327 views

Toyosato Elementary School before renovations. During 1999-2002, Toyosato gained national attention when this old elementary school building was going to be torn down by the mayor in opposition to activists who wanted to preserve the building.325 views

Scale model of old school.323 views

Toyosato Elementary School after renovations. A ceremony was held on May 30, 2009 to mark the completion of the renovations.319 views

From Toyosato Station to Toyosato Elementary School, statues of a tortoise and hare adorn the sidewalk.309 views

The K-ON! manga artist used Toyosato Elementary School as the artistic backdrop in K-ON!. However, the K-ON school's name and place are different.306 views

Toyosato Elementary School after renovations. At a total cost of 650 million yen, the old building was repainted, reinforced against earthquakes, installed with an elevator, and preserved as much as possible.299 views

Map of the old school. The first floor has a public library, exhibition room, children's playroom, meeting rooms, and local board of education office.294 views

Toyosato Elementary School before renovations.292 views

Entrance hall. You have to take off your shoes and wear house slippers.279 views

Rear view of the old Toyosato Elementary School before renovations.276 views

Statue of Furukawa Tetsujiro, the man who donated his own money to build the school in 1937. He donated 600,000 yen which is equivalent to today's value of a few billion yen.259 views

First-floor corridor.258 views

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This is one of two rooms in the building which has been reconstructed as a classroom for display purposes.250 views

On the 2nd floor, this classroom has been reconstructed to look like what it was before.240 views

Anyone can now enter this old building and look around. Free admission. The school is Toyosato's symbol. 238 views

End stairway with wash basin.238 views

First floor corridor and stairway. Notice the rabbit sculpture.237 views

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On display are old photos of the school.227 views

Rabbit sculpture on the railing.226 views

The old library checkout counter.226 views

The new Toyosato Elementary School building.226 views

K-ON Gallery. Guitars, life-size cutouts, dolls, manga books, figurines, and all kinds of K-ON merchandise donated and left here by fans are displayed.225 views

Children's playroom224 views

Public library in old Toyosato Elementary School. The renovations are very impressive.224 views

Protest signs.223 views

K-ON stands for kei-ongaku (軽音楽) meaning light music or casual/informal music. The manga/anime is about a group of five junior high school girls in the Light Music Club.222 views

The turtle makes it way at its own, slow pace.220 views

View from the podium in the school auditorium. It looks like that they still use this auditorium.215 views

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In 2003, local citizens and former students staged protests against the destruction of the old school building.212 views

Rear view of the old Toyosato Elementary School before renovations.212 views

Stairway with turtle statue on railing.210 views

Inside public library which occupies former classrooms whose walls were removed.210 views

Weather vane on top of the main building.209 views

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This exhibition room is what you first see when you enter the front entrance.209 views

Inside school auditorium.209 views

Toyosato Elementary School name plate at the front gate.207 views

This is one of two rooms in the building which has been reconstructed as a classroom for display purposes.206 views

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Old gallery corner in old school library. This corner space is now filled with K-ON stuff.204 views

This rabbit sculpture and turtle sculpture represents the famous Aesop's fable, the race between the turtle and hare.203 views

2nd floor corridor202 views

Inside school auditorium.200 views

This part is a cafe where K-ON! fans sit and gather. In the rear is a gallery space that is now a showcase of K-ON! memorabilia donated by fans.199 views

The local mayor Ono Wasaburo was forced to stop his plans to destroy the building. He was later ousted from office, but later re-elected.198 views

Little statue in the entrance hall.195 views

Exhibition panels explaining school's history.195 views

Second-floor corridor195 views

K-ON! fans have donated and dropped off numerous K-ON! merchandise like these figurines of the K-ON! characters.195 views

Telephone booth194 views

Study desks inside public library. They face a window with a view of the new Toyosato Elementary School building.193 views

VIP room.191 views

What it looked like before the new school building was built.190 views

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On the 2nd floor, this classroom has been reconstructed.187 views

Entrance to new public library.186 views

K-ON! dolls. Too bad they don't sell any K-ON! merchandise.185 views

Front entrance of the new Toyosato Elementary School building.184 views

This old school library is most interesting architecturally.183 views

As the rabbit sleeps.182 views

Inside the old library which also has a local tourist information counter.182 views

Old telephone181 views

Before the new Toyosato Elementary School building was completed, the school held classes in this temporary structure in front of the old school building.180 views

School auditorium.179 views

Cubby hole178 views

Looking toward the school auditorium.178 views

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The school auditorium also has an upper level.177 views

Spiral staircase175 views

Upper level of old school library.175 views

On the second floor, a mural depicting a train station.174 views

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2nd floor corridor173 views

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School auditorium.173 views

K-ON! fan's car.173 views

Classroom door172 views

Another reconstructed classroom on the 2nd floor. This one was for homemaking.172 views

On the opposite side of the auditorium is the old library.172 views

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School auditorium entrance.169 views

Old camera that was used to take the school pictures on display.167 views

Classroom windows as seen from the outside.167 views

Stairway167 views

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The old school library.165 views

Colorful and artistic K-ON! postcards written by fans.165 views

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VIP room.161 views

Name plate for the old school library.160 views

The old school library.157 views

On the third floor is the music room where live bands play on weekends.155 views

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Ohmi Railways Toyosato Station. MAP122 views

Itoh Chube'e Memorial House (Itoh Chube'e Ki'nenkan). Itoh Chube'e (1842-1903) was the founder of Itochu Corporation and Marubeni, two of Japan's largest trading companies, in 1858. MAP97 viewsThis house displays his former residence and some of his possessions. A short walk from Toyosato Station, the house is open to the public on Tue., Thu., and Sat. Free admission.

Bathroom sink95 views

Built in 1935, a memorial for Itoh Chube'e in Kurenai Park. くれない園95 views

Butsudan Buddhist altar in a butsuma (Buddhist altar room).94 views

Memorial marking Itoh Chobe'e's house, right near Itoh Chube'e's house. Chobe'e was Chube'e's older brother and co-founder of Marubeni Corporation.86 views