Former Shiga Elementary School Tour & Cleanup Event
Former Shiga Elementary School is a closed elementary school located in Saku City, Nagano Prefecture.
I participated for the first time in the “Former Shiga Elementary School Tour & Cleanup Event” held on November 9th. It was an event organized by the “Volunteer Group for the Preservation and Utilization of Former Shiga Elementary School,” and I believe this was probably the third time it was held.
The entrance to the Former Shiga Elementary School was open, and the light bulb under the eaves was lit.
Since I was taking personal photos, I won’t post any pictures showing people, but there were about 50 participants that day, ranging from children to adults.
A city curator gave an explanation of the school buildings that day, and I walked inside the South Building for the first time.
I also learned for the first time that day that the South Building wasn’t actually built in its current form when it was first constructed.
Among the materials we received was a school building layout diagram published in the “History of Higashi Village.” The following diagram is a simplified version based on that.
The South Building was completed in 1901. Since the North Building was completed in 1924, this layout diagram likely dates from the late Meiji period to the early Taisho period.
Looking at the diagram, there was an gymnasium on the west side of the school building. The cream-colored sections are what remain today. The large room on the east side was originally the auditorium.
The storage shed on the north side of the school building was likely relocated from the old Shijin School building, so I painted it cream-colored.
Now, let’s tour the interior of the school building.
This is the entrance hall. Before the North Building was constructed, both students and faculty likely used this space.
The hallway has high ceilings.
Materials from the Saku City Cultural Properties Division are still stored in the hallways and classrooms. This means the school building is still in use as a “storage facility” today.
The door at the end leads to the room that was the library before the school closed.
Turning right down the hallway, stacks of materials line the wall. The room at the end was the old auditorium. Before the school closed, it was the music room.
The ceiling decoration in the auditorium. Originally, a chandelier hung here.
The ceiling boards were added later; apparently, the original ceiling was made of layered Japanese paper.
The decorative trim where the wall meets the ceiling.
Inside the old auditorium, steel shelves were installed for storing materials. I peeked into other rooms as well; similarly, shelves were packed full of materials.
After the tour, it was time to clean the school building. I was allowed to help clean with a rag.
After cleaning, we moved to the North Building for a mop race. Participants raced down this hallway pushing mops, competing for the fastest time. Both children and adults participated, creating a lively atmosphere.
Later, they went upstairs for an event where participants competed to see how far their paper airplanes could fly.
Finally, they moved to the community hall across from the school grounds for the awards ceremony and luncheon. I declined to attend that part.
The last photo shows the connecting corridor and the south building, viewed from the second floor of the north building.
Since the former Shiga Elementary School closed in 1990, even the first graders from that time are now over 40. Among today’s participants, not only the children but also some parents likely have no personal experience of life at this school.
Even those who never spent their school days in this building can experience the old schoolhouse by participating in community events and using the space, gradually making it a part of their own lives. That’s why I always believe buildings should be used.
Though not an alumnus myself, I’ve gained another experience with this schoolhouse. I want to support the Volunteer Group for the Preservation and Utilization striving to create such opportunities.
[Related articles]
"Preservation and utilization of the former Shiga Elementary School“ (2024-09-21)
"Former Shiga Elementary School (2025)“ (2025-04-24)