Kuimaru Elementary School is a historic Japanese school that was built during the Showa era of Japan, making it over 80 years old!
In the 1980s, a modern elementary school was built nearby, leaving this old school house abandoned. Fortunately, this building was preserved and converted into a museum. It happens to be one of only a handful of old fashioned schools left standing in Japan!
Here you can explore the old school grounds including a large ginkgo tree that is over 100 years old. A long standing symbol of the school. In Autumn (early to mid-November) the leaves turn a beautiful golden yellow, and when they fall, the school yard is carpeted in these golden leaves.
The school building has undergone some light renovations, but the charm of this old building has been beautifully preserved. Inside the building you can wander through the halls and explore the classrooms, you can sit at the little wooden desks, page through some old textbooks and imagine what it would have been like to be a student here around 80 years ago!
Fun fact: The school building was once used as a filming location for the 2013 movie Hameln (ハーメルン).
After you explore the school if you are feeling a bit hungry, there is a café next door called “Soba Café SCHOLA” that serves 100% buckwheat noodles (soba noodles) as well as other dishes created with 100% buckwheat (soba) flour. These dishes are naturally gluten-free and delicious.
| Website | https://www.facebook.com/kuimarusho |
|---|---|
| Contact |
0241-57-2124 kankou@vill.showa.fukushima.jp |
| Best Season | All Year |
| Estimated Visit Time | |
| Opening Hours |
Open Wednesday through Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday and Tuesday |
| Parking | Free |
| Access | 〒968-0212 Fukushima, Onuma District, Showa, Kuimaru, 宮前１３７４ View directions |
|---|---|
| Getting there | By Car: From Aizu-Wakamatsu you will drive along scenic mountain roads for a little over an hour to reach the historic Kuimaru Elementary School. By Public Transportation: From Aizu-Wakamatsu Station you can ride the train along the JR Tadami Line which turns into the scenic Aizu Local Train Line after a few stops. There is no transfer, so you will stay on the train until you reach Aizu-Kawaguchi Station. When you exit the train, locate the Oashi Line (大芦線) bus bound for Oashi (大芦), then ride the bus to the Kuimarushimo stop. From here it is about a 3-minute walk to the historic Kuimaru Elementary School. (You can buy a ticket at Aizu-Wakamatsu station, I recommend purchasing a discounted Aizu area combination train and bus pass for a day or two so that you can explore the area. For more information on what deals are running during your visit: please contact us by email or through our social media platforms, or ask the staff when you arrive at Aizu-Wakamatsu station.) |
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