K-On!'s School Is a 1937 Vories Building in Shiga, and You Can Walk Its Halls

What you're looking at

The high school in K-On! (2009) closely resembles the old buildings of Toyosato Elementary School, designed by William Merrell Vories and finished in 1937, and they're recognized as its model. The auditorium is regarded as the model for the stage the light music club plays on.

The buildings aren't a school anymore, but they're far from empty: the town library, a childcare center and town offices all use them.

Getting there

From JR Kyoto Station, it's about an hour to JR Hikone, then about 13 minutes on the Ohmi Railway to Toyosato Station and a 10-minute walk. From JR Inae Station, a taxi takes about 10 minutes.

Before you go

• Hours changed this year. Since April 1, 2026, the buildings open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 17:00, and close on Mondays (or the day after a Monday holiday) and over New Year.
• Rental days close the building to sightseers. In late October 2026, that's the afternoon of October 28 and all of October 29 and 30.
• Hands off the equipment. The town has warned that unauthorized use of the auditorium's PA system and piano, and graffiti, could get the buildings closed to visitors. Graffiti can be prosecuted as property damage.
• No interior viewing at night during light-up events.

Also nearby

• Shutoku Memorial Hall, the former school library on the site, is now the tourist information office and a cafe, opened in response to fan visits.
• Satsuma Jihei Memorial Museum, the restored 1887 first school building, about 400 m north.
• Toyosato Light Music Koshien, a national high-school band contest held in the auditorium since 2011. It isn't an official K-On! tie-in, but it's very much in the spirit.