In the mountains of Shikoku, Japan, a man named Yohei Aoki (also known as ‘Yo Chan’) has taken an abandoned elementary school into his possession, living there alone, and transforming it into a building with limitless possibilities.
Though abandoned, the school is in great shape, and serves as a building with numerous purposes. On the first floor, Aoki runs a café. He spends every morning roasting fresh coffee beans and perfecting his ‘coffee technique’, stating that the warmer months of the year get quite busy.
In addition to the café, Aoki has made space for ‘recordings and jam sessions’ with a studio, as well as a lounge for his bandmates to relax in. Furthermore, Aoki usually runs out a hostel for guests to spend nights in the school.
Aoki told Tokyo Lens that the area comprising the school has been distinguished as an ‘unexplored zone’ and that he was eager to ‘make something to discover and enjoy in this area’. There are even tourist attractions near the school, including the Kazura Bridge.
Tokyo Lens describes the drive up to the school: ‘The views are nothing short of distracting… one second you’re driving through a mountain forest surrounded by green, and the next, the school just appears in front of you’.
Check out the video below.
