At an elementary school in Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture, which is scheduled to close in March due to population decline due to the effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake, local residents discussed how to use the school in the future.
Municipal Yazawa Elementary School, located about 2 kilometers off the coast of Minamisoma City, was closed in March due to the Great East Japan Earthquake 13 years ago, when a tsunami hit parts of the area, causing many people to leave their hometown, and also due to the declining birthrate. It has been decided that the school will be closed.
On the 9th, 40 people, including local residents and children, gathered to discuss ways to continue to utilize the school, which has been in operation for 150 years since its opening in the Meiji era, as the core of the community.
During the event, a video of children's ideas such as ``I want to turn the closed school into an inn'' was introduced, and participants also said ``I want to serve pickles and local traditional food at the inn,'' and ``Because it's a place with beautiful nature.'' "We want it to be a place where we can invite artists to shoot music videos," one commenter said.
A 5th grade elementary school girl who participated said, ``Even though the school will be closed, I'm glad that I was able to talk to people in the community today and have hope.''
A woman in her 60s who is a graduate of this school said, ``It's sad that the school that my grandfather and my children attended is closing, but I want to cherish the memories and pass it on to the next generation.'' I have also set a goal of wanting to be involved in future revitalization."