Kuimaru Elementary School

Kuimaru Elementary School

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.

Venue Details

Venue Details
Websitehttps://www.facebook.com/kuimarusho
Contact

0241-57-2124

Best SeasonAll Year
Opening Hours

Open Wednesday through Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Monday and Tuesday

ParkingFree
Access Details
Access〒968-0212 Fukushima, Onuma District, Showa, Kuimaru, 宮前１３７４
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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.)

Nearby

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Kannon-numa Forest Park

Kannon-numa Forest Park (観音沼森林公園) is a picturesque natural area in the Minamiaizu District of Southern Fukushima Prefecture.A wide variety of vegetation, flowers, and birds can be found at Kannon-numa Forest Park. There are nine walking trails, each offering unique sights. The main trail covers about 1.2 km and goes around the Kannon-numa swamp, which is one of the main highlights of the park. The park becomes transformed in each season, with cherry blossoms in spring and hydrangeas in the summer, and it is particularly popular with visitors during the autumn. The colorful trees reflected on the swamp’s waters make for a lovely sight, making it one of the main autumn attractions in the area. The best time to visit to see the autumn foliage is typically from late October to early November. There is also a shrine, Dake Kannondo, believed to have been built over 1,000 years ago.Located about 35 minutes from Ouchi-juku by car, this park is the perfect place to bask in the natural wonders of Shimogo Town. 
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Hanitsu Shrine

This shrine is dedicated to Masayuki Hoshina, who founded the Aizu Domain during the first half of the Edo Period. During the early Edo Period, Hoshima Masanobu – an ancestor of feudal lords from the Aizu Domain – was enshrined at Hanitsu Shrine. The grounds exude a holy atmosphere that can be felt throughout the shrine precincts. The 400 years of history held by this shrine, starting from the Edo Period, will surely be of interest to history enthusiasts and fans of the Aizu Domain alike. During the autumn, the grounds are covered with a gorgeous carpet of bright red leaves. Many tourists and photographers come to visit Hanitsu Shrine in Autumn to capture this scene in their photos.

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Nanokamachi-dori Street

Nanokamachi-dori Street is a quaint shopping street with an olde-worlde atmosphere, located in central Aizu-Wakamatsu City. There is a mix of western-style buildings, and traditional Japanese architecture, including Japanese-style storehouses and wooden town houses, from the Taisho Period (1912-1926). This street is home to a number of shops selling local products such as Aizu lacquerware and Aizu momen (cotton made in the Aizu area). Nanokamachi-dori Street is a great spot to grab a bite to eat, and is also useful as a base to explore Aizu-Wakamatsu City. Suehiro Sake Brewery and Suzuzen lacquerware shop are just two of the esteemed businesses located close to this shopping street.

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