Visiting the K-ON! School – Toyosato Elementary Tour
Welcome to Toyosato Elementary School! This building became world-famous thanks to the anime K-ON! Have you watched “K-ON!” ? Please let me know in the comments. In this video, I would like to take you on a tour through the historic building and follow in the footsteps of K-ON! The architect of the old Toyosato Elementary School was William Merrell Vories (1880–1964), an American architect and missionary who designed many Western-style buildings in Japan. The old Toyosato Elementary School was completed in 1937. Today, the former Toyosato Elementary School serves as a museum and cultural center, attracting visitors for its historical significance and as a popular pilgrimage site for K-On! fans, while also hosting local events and community activities. Lets take a look inside this nostalgic building! You have to take off your shoes first,… …place them on the shelf,… …and grab some slippers. You just don’t find this kind of attention to detail anymore. 2nd floor Did you notice the markings on the floor in front of the doors? Back then, students often ran through the hallways despite the rules, so these floor markings were added to show the swing area of doors and prevent accidents. This reflects Vories’ style, as he often incorporated Western ideas of safety and comfort that were rare in Japan at the time. These markings weren’t just functional but showed how thoughtfully the building was designed for the students’ daily lives, even their restless behavior. picture: in front of the club room. music room K-ON! club room The name “K-On!” actually comes from the Japanese word “軽音楽部” (Keiongaku-bu), which means “light music club”. In the anime, the club members always drank tea and ate cake here instead of practicing. Yui’s harmonica, castanets, and Azusa’s pink cup are on the table here. Toyosato is located in the Japanese countryside in Shiga prefecture. Some historical machine. In a small adjacent building there is a cafe, a souvenir shop and a K-on fan corner. Everything displayed here was donated by K-ON! fans.
Join me as I explore Toyosato Elementary School – the real-life setting that inspired the school in the beloved anime K-ON!.
This historic school in Shiga, Japan, has become a pilgrimage spot for anime fans around the world. In this video, we’ll take a look inside its preserved classrooms, hallways, and music room – and see why it feels like stepping straight into the world of K-ON!.
If you’re a fan of anime, Japanese culture, or just love unique travel spots, this tour is for you!
Would you visit the K-ON! school yourself? Let me know in the comments!
📍 Location: Toyosato, Shiga | my map: https://bit.ly/4jSiqzP
images:
[1] https://mikehattsu.blogspot.com/2019/06/k-on-school-outside.html
[2] https://k-on.fandom.com/wiki/No_Club_Room!?file=Waiting_for_Sawako.png
[3] https://infinitemirai.wordpress.com/category/japanese-animation/anime-reflections/k-on/
[4] https://k-on.fandom.com/wiki/New_Club_Member!?file=Azusa_dismisses_worry.png