Former Taguchi Elementary School Building (1)
Taguchi Elementary School in Saku City, Nagano Prefecture, was closed in March 2023 due to the consolidation of four elementary schools in the city.
I visited the school in April after its closure to see the cherry blossoms and observe the exterior of the school building.
After that, Saku City announced that it would transfer the equipment of the old elementary school to the citizens free of charge in August. I was informed that we could tour the school building during the transfer fair, so I decided to visit the former Taguchi Elementary School again.
To avoid crowds, the number of visitors was limited at each hour. I told them that I was only going to watch the school and waited in front of the entrance.
I am late in writing this blog, but all the photos were taken in August.
According to the plan of Saku City announced in 2021, the demolition and removal of the school building and gymnasium of the former Taguchi Elementary School will start in 2023, but I don’t check the current status of the school building.
When the time came, I entered the school building. Both equipment transfer applicants and visitors were required to fill in their name and address (district name) at the reception desk.
First, I went to the south school building through the crossing corridor on the first floor. The photo shows the courtyard on the west side of the building from the corridor.
The hallway on the first floor of the south building. The gymnasium can be seen behind the window glass on the left.
Inside a classroom. A stove is still there.
I went to the gymnasium from the south building. There were some people on the stage, so I chose a direction where there were no people and took a photo.
I went back to the south school building again. Up the stairs to the second floor. There was a sink and a water heater in the middle of the stairs.
The hallway on the second floor.
Looking down from the window, I saw a pond in the courtyard. The shape of the pond is also pentagonal.
This is the second floor corridor. This is the passageway to the north school building.
On the windowpanes, there are still messages such as “Thank you Taguchi Elementary School" and “I will never forget you" written by the children when the school was probably closed.
I came to the library on the west side of the school building.
Backing to the hallway. I saw the labels of arts and crafts preparation room, the consultation room, and the arts and crafts room.
The room at the end of the east side of the building was the music room.
Returning to the hallway, I went up the stairs in the central part of the building. From here, we can go up to the roof.
I am now on the rooftop.
The “Odaidokoro" can be seen from the rooftop.
The corridor and the south school building seen from the rooftop.
Going down the stairs to the first floor. This is the staff room.
There is a blackboard with words on it.
“March 30, 2023, 17:00
Taguchi Elementary School closes after 149 years of education.
Despite our sadness, we pray for the great growth of the children at the new school, we close the locks today.
Staff of Taguchi Elementary School"
I think this sentence was written with the blackboard in the staff room of the former Osawa Elementary School, also in Saku City, in mind.
The former Osawa Elementary School, which closed in March 1983, still retains its main building, and the blackboard in the staff room still has the words that were written there when the school was closed.
The only difference is that the Taguchi Elementary School building is scheduled to be demolished.
Since the number of photos has increased, I will end here and continue in the next article.
[Related blog article]
'Cherry blossoms at the former Taguchi Elementary School' (2023/04/15)