On October 13, 2025, a sunny day, I visited the Former Toyosato Elementary School Building in Toyosato, Japan, the setting of the anime K-ON!.

How to Get to Toyosato

The nearest station to the school is Toyosato Station, which can be reached via the Ohmi Railway Kotohiko Omi Line.

A typical plan is to stay in Kyoto the night before, then take the Biwako Line from Kyoto Station to Hikone Station, and transfer to the Ohmi Railway to Toyosato Station.

Note that as of the publication of this article, the Ohmi Railway does not accept IC cards; only cash is accepted.

If you are only traveling round trip from Hikone Station, since Hikone Station is a staffed station where you can settle the fare, you may not need to prepare exact change. However, for travel convenience, it is advisable to have some change on hand to improve efficiency.

When returning from Toyosato Station to Hikone Station, remember to take a numbered ticket when boarding, as the final fare is calculated based on that ticket. If you forget to take one, it may cause trouble.

Additionally, the Ohmi Railway has limited services, so be sure to check the schedule before your trip.

About the Former Toyosato Elementary School Building

Toyosato Elementary School was founded in 1873 (Meiji 6), initially as a joint school for several villages. In 1937 (Showa 12), local merchant Tetsujiro Furukawa donated funds to build a new school building, designed by architect William Merrell Vories. The building, made of reinforced concrete with a symmetrical layout and Western style, was extremely advanced for its time and was hailed as the "White Educational Palace" and "The Best Elementary School in the East."
Entering the Heisei period, Toyosato's population gradually declined, leading to a decrease in student numbers. To address safety and space issues with the aging school building, Toyosato decided in 1999 to build a new campus. In March 2002 (Heisei 14), Toyosato Elementary School officially moved to the new campus, and the old building ceased to be used as an educational facility.
At that time, the town government planned to demolish the old building, which sparked strong opposition from residents and cultural preservation advocates. Local residents, alumni, and architectural historians formed a preservation movement, arguing to save the valuable building designed by Vories. After several years of debate and administrative coordination, it was decided in 2007 to preserve and restore the old building.
The renovation took two years and was completed in 2009 (Heisei 21). The restored old building was named the "Former Toyosato Elementary School Building" and opened to the public. The building now houses public facilities such as the Toyosato Town Library and a Childcare Support Center, while some classrooms and the auditorium are preserved in their original state for visitors.
In 2013 (Heisei 25), the old building was officially registered as a "Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building)" by the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs, recognizing its importance in educational and architectural history.

The school is currently open to the public from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, closed on Mondays and year-end/New Year holidays (if a holiday falls on Monday, it is closed the following day).

Be sure to check the closing days before visiting!

Station

The station sign at Toyosato Station features a railway girl design, perfectly fitting the pilgrimage theme!

The decorative board inside the station has weathered over time, gradually transforming from cute to abstract art.

A panoramic view.

Along the Way

Small shops along the way also have posters related to the anime.

Unfortunately, the cafe Luce Calma near the station, which was filled with anime decorations, has closed down.

The bakery next door was open, but it seemed to be closed that day due to a holiday.

Outside the School

After about a 10-minute walk, I arrived at the destination: the Former Toyosato Elementary School Building.

The fountain statue in the middle seems different from the anime.

Inside the School

Corridor

Why are there so many rabbits and turtles?

On the stair railings of the Former Toyosato Elementary School Building, there are statues based on the Aesop's Fable "The Tortoise and the Hare." There is an interesting story behind these statues.
The original statues from the school's founding were confiscated by the military during the Pacific War. The current statues were rebuilt in 1951 (Showa 26).
To provide local children with a first-class learning environment, Tetsujiro told Vories about his childhood stories during the construction of the school building.
"When I was in elementary school, I was often bullied for being slow. At that time, my teacher said to me: 'Like the story of The Tortoise and the Hare, keep trying even when no one is watching. Even if you walk slowly, take one step at a time.' I believed those words and kept working hard. That's why I was able to build this elementary school. I hope the children will also keep striving."
Vories was deeply moved by Tetsujiro's story and wanted to convey that sentiment to the children in some form. So he turned Tetsujiro's "wish" into a statue.
In front of the sleeping rabbit, facing the light, still shining, is the figure of the tortoise.
The statue of The Tortoise and the Hare, imbued with Tetsujiro's wish, not only teaches children but also reminds visiting adults of important lessons in life.

Panoramic views of various places.

Light Music Club Room

Came to the original of the Light Music Club room on the 3rd floor.

The club room is much bigger than I imagined!

The screenshots on the whiteboard are very interesting.

There are even screenshots with Chinese subtitles.

Super faithful reproduction of the Light Music Club's afternoon tea!

The food models are very realistic, almost indistinguishable from the real thing.

Azu-nyan's cup is so cute!

Messages on the blackboard.

The sheet music on the piano is "Fuwa Fuwa Time".

Let's reminisce about this song.

Next door is a small room for preparing afternoon tea.

The decoration is very thoughtful!

They even thoughtfully placed an afternoon tea set that's being prepared.

Music Room

Toyosato Town Tourist Information Center

I didn't expect the Toyosato Town Tourist Information Center to be inside the school!

Merchandise Sales Area

After all, it's a work that ended long ago.

There aren't many K-ON! related merchandise.

The only merchandise available seems to be coasters and metal keychains.

You can also get various K-ON! related commemorative stamps here.

1st Floor Exhibition Area

The exhibition area completely exceeded my expectations.

It's a true culmination—I couldn't stop taking photos!

2nd Floor Exhibition Area

There's even a second floor!

K-ON! Exhibition Area

I couldn't stop taking photos.

It's truly a K-ON! paradise!

Other Works Exhibition Area

Actually, it's not just K-ON! Many other Japanese dramas have also used this school as a filming location.

For example, in the live-action adaptation of Ace Attorney, there's a scene that used the room on the first floor that was full of K-ON! decorations (of course, the decorations were temporarily removed) as a small courtroom 🤣.

Conclusion

That's all for this pilgrimage to the sacred site.

I never expected that so many years after the series ended, I could still find memories of K-ON! at the former Toyosato Elementary School.

Everything felt like it brought me back to the spring of 2009.