Exploring Reimagined Former School Buildings: New Ways to Learn and Grow This Spring in Tokyo

In Japan, school comes to a close in late March, and a fresh start awaits each spring. In tune with the season, this is the perfect time to visit a number of former schools across Tokyo that have been reimagined into businesses showcasing new ways to learn, connect, play and even stay.

From shopping, hands-on workshops to immersive overnight stays in the mountains, these reimagined schools invite you to engage with Japan through revitalized spaces, inspiring environments and everyday moments, long after the bell has rung.

After School Fun, Reimagined and Exciting – HOME/WORK VILLAGE

Located a 10-minute walk from Ikejiri-Ohashi Station on the Tokyu Den-en-Toshi Line, HOME/WORK VILLAGE is a former junior high school that has since been reimagined into a creative campus. Holding its grand opening in July 2025, the former classrooms are now home to a growing mix of small shops, cafes and rentable workspaces.

At the entrance, visitors are greeted by a miniature book corner that also serves as an information point reminiscent of a Japanese school library. HOME/WORK VILLAGE is home to a variety of spaces, including a leather goods studio offering beautifully crafted book covers and other small leather items, a shop focused on fermentation and dietary fiber – with high-fiber foods, bento boxes for sale and occasional workshops – and a natural wine shop featuring on-site tastings.

The site is also home to After School Brewery, located in the former staff room. An original chalkboard remains in place, but where class schedules and school notices once appeared, you’ll now find lists highlighting community events and recommended craft beers.
Alongside the beer selection, the brewery also serves natural wines and non-alcoholic options, making it an engaging stop for everyone.
Inspired by student after-school clubs, the brewery aims to create a similar sense of belonging for adults. Led by a cheery head brewer and "club leader," it hosts events like beer runs, tasting sessions and casual study gatherings centered on craft beer.

Staying true to its roots, HOME/WORK VILLAGE now hosts a variety of events, including a marché where shops and cafes set up stall-style booths offering food and more, as well as a range of themed programs. The former school becomes a place where anyone can continue learning, gathering and connecting.

After-school vibes at a local craft brewery

Play, Create and Discover New Toys and More – Tokyo Toy Museum

The Tokyo Toy Museum, located a 7-minute walk from Yotsuya-Sanchome Station on the Tokyo Metro Marunochi Line, is an interactive museum focused on enjoying ways to play. Housed in an old elementary school building, visitors of all ages are encouraged to touch, try and play their way through the museum.

Inside, more than 10,000 toys from around the world, ranging from "koma" (traditional Japanese spinning tops) to toys collected through international exchanges, are available to play with, spanning generations, cultures and styles. This nostalgic atmosphere sparks a sense of wonder that invites adults to rediscover their inner child, turning play into a form of learning that feels intuitive.

Each room is characterized by subdued lighting and natural materials, while the aroma of fresh wood helps create a soothing environment that encourages you to slow down and relax. In spaces like the Toy Forest, you can take off your shoes and experience the texture and warmth of wood directly, evoking the quiet pleasure of a walk through the forest.

Before leaving, make sure to stop by the museum shop, where many of the sustainable wooden toys found inside are available for purchase. The museum is also supported by donations, with options to have your name displayed on a wall plaque or engraved on a wooden egg or acorn hidden within the Toy Forest, turning your act of support into a fun treasure hunt the next time you next visit.

Enjoy playing with traditional Japanese toys inside a former school building

An Old Rural School Transformed into Rustic Lodgings – Fujikura Schoolhouse Lodge

Tucked deep in the mountains of Hinohara Village in western Tokyo, Fujikura Schoolhouse Lodge is a former elementary school renovated into accommodations that is preserved like time stopped the day the last bell rang. Originally built in 1954, the wooden structure dates back to an era before roads and electricity reached the village. Trees from the surrounding mountains were cut by hand and sawn into planks, and today the school’s basic structure remains unchanged, right down to shelves and well-worn books from the Showa period (1926–89).

Traveling to Fujikura Schoolhouse Lodge is part of the experience. Reached by a local bus from JR Musashi-Itsukaichi Station followed by a short uphill walk, the journey itself sets the tone for your stay.

Once you arrive, step into everyday life from a bygone era in Japan’s rural mountainside. Sleep in former classrooms and spend the day outdoors, prepare your own meals over a wood fire or portable stove, splash in the nearby river or simply enjoy slowing down in nature.

Experiences like recreating traditional meals inspired by local mountain food culture can be arranged on request, offering an understanding of how locals once lived and prepared food through sustainable practices.
Rather than offering a fixed program, the staff will work closely with you to shape your stay. Whether you’re curious about living in rhythm with nature, traditional culinary culture or daily life without modern conveniences, spending time at this schoolhouse in nature is coordinated around what inspires your journey.

Fujikura Schoolhouse Lodge invites you to slow down, stay the night and learn through living and experiencing how life was lived in Tokyo back then.

Spend the night at a traditional Japanese school building

HOME/WORK VILLAGE

Address	2-4-5 Ikejiri, Setagaya City, Tokyo
URL	HOME/WORK VILLAGE (JPN)

Tokyo Toy Museum

Address	Yotsuya Hiroba, 4-20 Yotsuya, Shinjuku City, Tokyo
URL	Tokyo Toy Museum

Fujikura Schoolhouse Lodge (NPO Satoyama Gakkou Tokyo)

Address	4814 Fujiwara, Hinohara-mura, Nishitama-gun, Tokyo
URL	Fujikura Schoolhouse Lodge (NPO Satoyama Gakkou Tokyo)

For updated information on opening hours, days closed, prices, and more, please check the official website.