The Otaki School is located in Nagano Prefecture at the foot of a large mountain. There's a pleasant smell of wood in the building, recently rebuilt using abundant lumber, and around it are fields of vegetables. There's only one class per grade, so the 129 students all know each like brothers and sisters.

Otaki Elementary and Middle School

Where we're located, our history, and the kind of facilities we have

Located at the southeastern foot of Mt. Ontake, an active volcano rising 3,067 meters above sea level, the village of Otaki in Nagano Prefecture is blessed with natural beauty. Villagers enjoy skiing in the winter and camping and fishing in the summer. Because the air is so clean, the view of the star-lit nighttime sky is dazzling, earning Otaki the nickname, "Milky Way Village."

 
In September 1984 a big earthquake damaged many buildings in the village, including those at the school, and a lot of people were displaced from their homes. Traffic was cut off for a month, and villagers' daily lives were disrupted.

 


Although many difficulties were encountered along the way, a new school building was finally completed about 10 years ago. It's spacious and strong, allowing it to serve as a shelter for local residents in the event of an emergency. The floors, walls, and ceilings use abundant lumber, and there is a pleasant smell of wood when walking through the halls or entering a classroom.

 

Around the school are fields of tomatoes, corn, and other vegetables, and there is also a rice paddy around the size of four tennis courts. During the summer, the school kids help grow these crops.

The Otaki School is attended by 129 children. Since there is only one class per grade, the students all know each like brothers and sisters. It has a unique program whereby children from urban areas are invited to the school to spend a year or more in natural surroundings. It also has an exchange program with an Australian school.

 
When asked what they do for fun, the kids at the Otaki School say they go skiing every weekend in the winter; go hiking in the mountains, where you can swim in the clean rivers; and grow vegetables in the backyard. You can always discover new things when you live so close to nature, and going to school in such surroundings can be great fun!.