Takayama, Gifu is a pretty big place, but it's only one of 4 municipalities in the Hida region of Gifu. In the Hida region, there's Hida City, Takayama City, Shirakawa Village, and Gero City. Hida City is directly north of Takayama City. And it too! had a governmental restructuring in recent years.

In 2004, the towns of Furukawa and Kamioka joined with the villages of Kawai and Miyagawa to form Hida City. There aren't too many schools, either. There are 2 junior high schools, and 4 elementary. There's also a combined junior high and elementary. So, really, technically, there's 3 and 5.

However, like most of Japan, there used to be more. Much more! After the formation of Hida City, they closed a couple of schools and had those students filter into the larger ones.

One such school is the following: Yamada elementary in Hida City.

This school is really easy to find. I didn't even know it was here until I drove by it on the way to Kamioka. It's directly on the side of the road in the middle of the Yamada neighborhood of Kamioka Town.

I'm guessing that it closed within the last 10 years, though. The building isn't really falling apart. Looking through the windows, there's plenty of crap piled up, and some things were simply left there without any thought.

The gym is still in use. In fact, the plaque in front now states Yamada School Gym, rather than Yamada Elementary. The school yard was still being used for baseball practice, too.