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.909 views
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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.596 views
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Toyosato Elementary School after renovations in 2009. Nice new coat of paint makes the old school look almost brand new. MAP433 views
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Toyosato manhole, Shiga Pref.410 views
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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.328 views
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Partially destroyed building. This was stopped via a court order.328 views
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Scale model of old school.324 views
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Toyosato Elementary School after renovations. A ceremony was held on May 30, 2009 to mark the completion of the renovations.321 views
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From Toyosato Station to Toyosato Elementary School, statues of a tortoise and hare adorn the sidewalk.312 views
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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.308 views
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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.302 views
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Toyosato Elementary School before renovations.295 views
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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.295 views
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Entrance hall. You have to take off your shoes and wear house slippers.282 views
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Rear view of the old Toyosato Elementary School before renovations.278 views
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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.262 views
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First-floor corridor.259 views
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This is one of two rooms in the building which has been reconstructed as a classroom for display purposes.254 views
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End stairway with wash basin.243 views
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On the 2nd floor, this classroom has been reconstructed to look like what it was before.242 views
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Anyone can now enter this old building and look around. Free admission. The school is Toyosato's symbol. 240 views
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First floor corridor and stairway. Notice the rabbit sculpture.238 views
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234 views
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231 views
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The new Toyosato Elementary School building.231 views
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The old library checkout counter.230 views
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Public library in old Toyosato Elementary School. The renovations are very impressive.230 views
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Rabbit sculpture on the railing.229 views
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On display are old photos of the school.228 views
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Children's playroom225 views
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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
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Protest signs.224 views
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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.224 views
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The turtle makes it way at its own, slow pace.223 views
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View from the podium in the school auditorium. It looks like that they still use this auditorium.219 views
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Stairway with turtle statue on railing.214 views
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In 2003, local citizens and former students staged protests against the destruction of the old school building.213 views
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Rear view of the old Toyosato Elementary School before renovations.213 views
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Weather vane on top of the main building.212 views
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Inside public library which occupies former classrooms whose walls were removed.212 views
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Toyosato Elementary School name plate at the front gate.211 views
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This exhibition room is what you first see when you enter the front entrance.211 views
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210 views
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This is one of two rooms in the building which has been reconstructed as a classroom for display purposes.209 views
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Inside school auditorium.209 views
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208 views
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Old gallery corner in old school library. This corner space is now filled with K-ON stuff.207 views
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This rabbit sculpture and turtle sculpture represents the famous Aesop's fable, the race between the turtle and hare.206 views
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2nd floor corridor204 views
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Inside school auditorium.202 views
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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.202 views
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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.201 views
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Exhibition panels explaining school's history.200 views
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Little statue in the entrance hall.198 views
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Study desks inside public library. They face a window with a view of the new Toyosato Elementary School building.197 views
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K-ON! fans have donated and dropped off numerous K-ON! merchandise like these figurines of the K-ON! characters.197 views
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Second-floor corridor196 views
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Telephone booth195 views
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192 views
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VIP room.192 views
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On the 2nd floor, this classroom has been reconstructed.191 views
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What it looked like before the new school building was built.190 views
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Front entrance of the new Toyosato Elementary School building.188 views
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K-ON! dolls. Too bad they don't sell any K-ON! merchandise.188 views
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This old school library is most interesting architecturally.187 views
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Entrance to new public library.187 views
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As the rabbit sleeps.186 views
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Old telephone185 views
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Inside the old library which also has a local tourist information counter.183 views
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Looking toward the school auditorium.182 views
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Before the new Toyosato Elementary School building was completed, the school held classes in this temporary structure in front of the old school building.181 views
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Cubby hole180 views
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179 views
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School auditorium.179 views
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The school auditorium also has an upper level.178 views
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178 views
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On the second floor, a mural depicting a train station.177 views
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Spiral staircase176 views
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175 views
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School auditorium.175 views
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Upper level of old school library.175 views
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K-ON! fan's car.175 views
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Classroom door174 views
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2nd floor corridor174 views
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174 views
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On the opposite side of the auditorium is the old library.174 views
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Another reconstructed classroom on the 2nd floor. This one was for homemaking.173 views
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School auditorium entrance.172 views
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Old camera that was used to take the school pictures on display.171 views
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170 views
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Classroom windows as seen from the outside.168 views
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Stairway167 views
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Colorful and artistic K-ON! postcards written by fans.167 views
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The old school library.166 views
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163 views
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VIP room.161 views
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Name plate for the old school library.161 views
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The old school library.157 views
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On the third floor is the music room where live bands play on weekends.157 views
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155 views
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Ohmi Railways Toyosato Station. MAP124 views
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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.
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Bathroom sink97 views
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Built in 1935, a memorial for Itoh Chube'e in Kurenai Park. くれない園95 views
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Butsudan Buddhist altar in a butsuma (Buddhist altar room).94 views
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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.87 views
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Kitchen85 views
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Shopkeeper's desk79 views
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Kitchen75 views
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Tokonoma alcove and scroll. 奥の間74 views
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74 views
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Front garden73 views
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Maid's room73 views
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Western-style bath from the early 20th century. Very unusual at the time. 西洋風バスルーム73 views
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Entrance to Itoh Chube'e Memorial House72 views
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Shopkeeper's desk71 views
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Inside entrance. The house was occupied by Itochu company founder Itoh Chube'e and his son, Chube'e II.70 views
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Shopkeeper's desk70 views
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Entrance to Itoh Chube'e Memorial House69 views
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Stove 炊事場69 views
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Exhibits of Itoh Chube'e II, the son of the founder Chube'e (1842-1903).68 views
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In 1998, the house was donated to a local foundation. In 2002, the house was opened to the public.68 views
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Toyosato Station platform.67 views
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Bust of Itoh Chube'e II (1886-1973), his walking sticks, bag, and shoes.66 views
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Front garden65 views
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Inside Toyosato Station.61 views
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