Akita, Japan | Lake Tazawa Attractions | Omoide no Katabunko | A Beautifully Preserved Nostalgic Japanese Elementary School

Beside Lake Tazawa in Akita Prefecture, aside from the famous Statue of Tatsuko and Gozanoishi Shrine, did you know there is a beautifully preserved Japanese elementary school hidden in the forest by the lakeshore? Stepping into Omoide no Katabunko feels like traveling back in time, immersing yourself in school life of days gone by, back inside an old-fashioned Japanese elementary school.

📜 Information

• Address: Ichinowatashi-222-8 Tazawakokata, Semboku, Akita 014-1203
• Opening hours: 09:00 - 16:00 (closed Tuesdays)
• Admission:
• Individual: adults ¥300, children ¥150
• Groups of 20 or more: adults ¥200, children ¥100
• Official website：http://www.city.semboku.akita.jp/sightseeing/spot/04_katabunko.html

🚃 Getting There

Omoide no Katabunko sits beside Lake Tazawa in Akita Prefecture, nestled in lush green forest. Access is not particularly convenient — you can only get there by car or by bus.

• From JR Tazawako Station, take the Ugo Kotsu bus "Tazawako Ikki Line," get off at "Uedanoki" stop and walk 15 minutes
• About a 20-minute drive from JR Tazawako Station

There is a large open lot in front of Omoide no Katabunko where you can park for free, so if you're driving there's no need to worry about parking.

🏞️ Inside the School

You must change into slippers to enter

Omoide no Katabunko, also known as the Kata Branch School of Obonai Elementary School, has a long history, founded in 1882 (Meiji 15). Back then it was a branch campus of Tazawako Town's Obonai Elementary School, nurturing the growth of many local children.

But times changed, and in 1974 the school's educational mission came to an end. For a full thirty years it stood abandoned and alone in the dense forest. It was not until restoration work in 2004 that the school reopened to the public and became a sightseeing spot.

Admission fees

Today there are no longer any students at Omoide no Katabunko, yet it still retains its original appearance completely intact.

Omoide no Katabunko has two floors. Although the space isn't large, it still houses classrooms for lower, middle and upper grades, plus a gymnasium. This wooden Japanese-style building exudes a nostalgic atmosphere, with display cases showing books and school supplies from the era, letting visitors wander at leisure and slowly capture those lovely moments.

Stationery and school supplies from the era on display

You're free to flip through these old textbooks

The sunlight streaming in creates beautiful light and shadow

Group photos of the whole school from each year hang on the wall

The second floor holds the two classrooms for middle and upper grades

It feels like time has stopped

On the other side of the ground-floor classrooms are the gymnasium and restrooms. The gym is small and even has a stage — it looks just like the kind of Japanese elementary school scene you'd see in a J-drama or anime.

Standing inside, it feels like passing through a time tunnel, and you can sense what a rural Japanese elementary school was once like. The lush green forest surrounding it adds a layer of tranquility and grace, making this school in the woods all the more charming.

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I stumbled across Omoide no Katabunko while searching online, and found that quite a few people had visited, all saying the interior is full of nostalgia and very photogenic. The site isn't big overall — taking it slowly, you can see everything in under half an hour — but it's very well preserved and thoughtfully arranged. If you're visiting Lake Tazawa, it's worth setting aside an hour to swing by and explore this old Japanese elementary school.

More Lake Tazawa attractions:Akita, Japan | Lake Tazawa (Tazawako) Attractions | Statue of Tatsuko | Kansa-gu (Ukigi Shrine) | Gozanoishi Shrine | Omoide no Katabunko

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