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HOME > Japan’s Local Treasures > Yukusa Osumi Umi no Gakko
Stay at a former elementary school and enjoy Osumi’s delicious food and beautiful nature
Osumi Tourism and Regional Development
Perched on a hill overlooking Kinko Bay in the Osumi Peninsula, Kagoshima Prefecture, Yukusa Osumi Umi no Gakko is a lodging facility that offers guests a tranquil stay surrounded by stunning panoramic views.
“Umi no Gakko” means “school of the sea,” as the building was renovated from the former Sugawara Elementary School of Kanoya City, once known as “the school closest to the sea in Japan,” which closed in 2013 after 120 years of history. “Yukusa” is a Kagoshima word meaning “welcome.” Yukusa Osumi Umi no Gakko aims to be a place where visitors feel welcomed and at home while experiencing Osumi’s nature and local lifestyle.
Spend the night in one of the old-fashioned classrooms, which preserve the original school’s features, or enjoy camping with an ocean view. If you are up for an outdoor adventure, instructors will safely guide you through a range of fun activities, including SUP and sea kayaking on the calm waters of Kinko Bay. Or you can rent a bicycle and enjoy cycling along the beautiful coastline. After a day immersed in nature, taste delicious dishes using fish from Osumi Peninsula and Kagoshima Kurobuta pork at the restaurant or enjoy a BBQ in the open-air space. The former school building also hosts a bean-to-bar style chocolate factory, a hands-on workshop, and a co-working space.
A stay at Yukusa Osumi Umi no Gakko will allow you not only to enjoy slow living in a nostalgic, relaxed atmosphere, but also feel part of the people and nature of Osumi.
How to get there
90 minutes by car from Kagoshima Airport
3629-1 Tenjin-cho, Kanoya-shi, Kagoshima-ken
