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.902 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.584 views

Toyosato Elementary School after renovations in 2009. Nice new coat of paint makes the old school look almost brand new. MAP426 views

Toyosato manhole, Shiga Pref.398 views

Partially destroyed building. This was stopped via a court order.325 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.322 views

Scale model of old school.319 views

Toyosato Elementary School after renovations. A ceremony was held on May 30, 2009 to mark the completion of the renovations.317 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.303 views

From Toyosato Station to Toyosato Elementary School, statues of a tortoise and hare adorn the sidewalk.302 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.296 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.289 views

Toyosato Elementary School before renovations.287 views

Entrance hall. You have to take off your shoes and wear house slippers.276 views

Rear view of the old Toyosato Elementary School before renovations.272 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.254 views

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First-floor corridor.251 views

This is one of two rooms in the building which has been reconstructed as a classroom for display purposes.244 views

On the 2nd floor, this classroom has been reconstructed to look like what it was before.236 views

Anyone can now enter this old building and look around. Free admission. The school is Toyosato's symbol. 233 views

First floor corridor and stairway. Notice the rabbit sculpture.233 views

End stairway with wash basin.232 views

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Rabbit sculpture on the railing.224 views

On display are old photos of the school.223 views

The old library checkout counter.222 views

The new Toyosato Elementary School building.222 views

Children's playroom220 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.220 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.220 views

Protest signs.218 views

The turtle makes it way at its own, slow pace.217 views

Public library in old Toyosato Elementary School. The renovations are very impressive.216 views

View from the podium in the school auditorium. It looks like that they still use this auditorium.210 views

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In 2003, local citizens and former students staged protests against the destruction of the old school building.207 views

Rear view of the old Toyosato Elementary School before renovations.206 views

Weather vane on top of the main building.205 views

Stairway with turtle statue on railing.205 views

Inside public library which occupies former classrooms whose walls were removed.205 views

Toyosato Elementary School name plate at the front gate.204 views

This exhibition room is what you first see when you enter the front entrance.204 views

Inside school auditorium.204 views

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Old gallery corner in old school library. This corner space is now filled with K-ON stuff.201 views

This is one of two rooms in the building which has been reconstructed as a classroom for display purposes.200 views

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This rabbit sculpture and turtle sculpture represents the famous Aesop's fable, the race between the turtle and hare.198 views

2nd floor corridor198 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.195 views

Inside school auditorium.194 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.194 views

K-ON! fans have donated and dropped off numerous K-ON! merchandise like these figurines of the K-ON! characters.193 views

Exhibition panels explaining school's history.192 views

Telephone booth191 views

Second-floor corridor190 views

Little statue in the entrance hall.189 views

VIP room.189 views

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Study desks inside public library. They face a window with a view of the new Toyosato Elementary School building.188 views

What it looked like before the new school building was built.185 views

On the 2nd floor, this classroom has been reconstructed.184 views

K-ON! dolls. Too bad they don't sell any K-ON! merchandise.183 views

Entrance to new public library.182 views

Front entrance of the new Toyosato Elementary School building.181 views

Old telephone179 views

As the rabbit sleeps.179 views

This old school library is most interesting architecturally.179 views

Inside the old library which also has a local tourist information counter.178 views

School auditorium.176 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.176 views

Looking toward the school auditorium.175 views

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Cubby hole174 views

The school auditorium also has an upper level.174 views

Upper level of old school library.173 views

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Spiral staircase171 views

Another reconstructed classroom on the 2nd floor. This one was for homemaking.170 views

2nd floor corridor170 views

School auditorium.170 views

K-ON! fan's car.170 views

Classroom door169 views

On the second floor, a mural depicting a train station.169 views

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On the opposite side of the auditorium is the old library.169 views

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Stairway164 views

School auditorium entrance.164 views

Classroom windows as seen from the outside.163 views

Colorful and artistic K-ON! postcards written by fans.162 views

Old camera that was used to take the school pictures on display.161 views

The old school library.161 views

VIP room.158 views

Name plate for the old school library.157 views

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The old school library.153 views

On the third floor is the music room where live bands play on weekends.153 views

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Ohmi Railways Toyosato Station. MAP119 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. MAP96 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.

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

Built in 1935, a memorial for Itoh Chube'e in Kurenai Park. くれない園92 views

Bathroom sink91 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.85 views