Going back to school at Hota Elementary.

The other day, our Japanese-language reporter Seii Nakazawa woke up, got dressed, brushed his teeth, and went to an elementary school. No, he hadn’t been called back for remedial classes. He was headed to a “road station,” or michi no eki, as they’re called in Japanese, a roadside rest stop that also offers a selection of locally produced products and foodstuffs.

This particular road station, though, is unique in that it’s housed inside a converted elementary school. Located in the town of Kyonan in Chiba Prefecture, Tokyo’s neighbor to the east, the road station even retains the school’s name, Hota Elementary School.

Kyonan has less than 7,500 residents, and the scenery is a mix of mountains, farm fields, and coastline. This suited Seiji just fine, reminding him of the rural town in southern Osaka Prefecture where he grew up and spent his own grade-school days.

Pulling into the rest area’s parking lot, Seiji could see that the facility has had some significant renovations, starting with the fact that it even has a parking lot in the first place.

Students and faculty alike tend to commute in Japan on foot, bicycle, or via public transportation, and so most schools have at most a handful of parking spots. It’s a different story for the Hota Elementary School road station, though, since it was specifically designed as a place for motorists to pull over and take a break from driving for a while.

The schoolgrounds have also been spruced up, with a garden and the gymnasium spruced up to house a farmer’s market.

But you can still see signs of Hota Elementary School’s actual school days. For example, step inside this cafe…

…and you’ll find school desks and chairs to sit at/on while you eat.

This space actually used to be the school’s teachers’ office before its conversion to a michi no eki.

▼ The menu consists of simple but appealing fare like karaage (Japanese-style fried chicken), soba noodles, and tempura.

▼ The school’s drinking fountain looks to be preserved from how it was in the old days.

But if you’re looking to really rest at this rest stop, you can actually spend the night at Hota Elementary School!

The overnight guest rooms are located on the second floor, converted from old classrooms. As such, they’re pretty spacious, and affordably priced too, with a per-person rate of 4,200 yen (US$26.25) for rooms for groups of two to four travelers, and 3,600 yen for in the largest-size room, which can accommodate between five and 15 people.

▼ Cubbies, desks, and even a chalkboard

The second-floor hallway also gives a glimpse of what the classrooms used to be like…

…and if you want to get the “commuting to school by bike” experience, the facility also offers rental bicycles at rates of 1,000 per hour or 2,000 yen for four, so you can hop on one and ride over to the nearby Hota Preschool, which has now been converted into a restaurant row.

All in all, Hota Elementary School makes for a great place to relax, stretch your legs, and take a nostalgic look back to a more carefree time when you were a kid, especially since it never gives out homework.

Location information
Michi no Eki Hota Elementary School / 道の駅 保田小学校
Address: Chiba-ken, Awa-gun, Kyonanmachi Hota 724
住所　千葉県安房郡鋸南町保田724
Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Website

Photos ©SoraNews24
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