Tragedy struck Neyagawa City in 2015, casting a long shadow over Nakakida Junior High School. This incident, known as the “Neyagawa Junior High Double Murder Case,” deeply affected the community. Let’s explore the story of Nakakida Junior High School, remembering both its everyday life and this somber chapter.
Nakakida Junior High School opened in 1984. It was the twelfth city junior high school established in Neyagawa. The school was built on the former grounds of Nakakida Elementary School. Initially, it served as a combined split school for students from the first and seventh junior high schools. The school began with a sizable student body of 982, consisting of 529 boys and 453 girls.
Over the years, Nakakida Junior High developed a vibrant student life with a range of extracurricular activities. Sports were popular, with boys’ and girls’ tennis clubs, a boys’ soccer club, girls’ volleyball and basketball clubs, and a boys’ basketball club. For students with other interests, there were brass band, land, and soccer clubs. Cultural pursuits were also catered for with music, art, home economics, and computer clubs. Uniquely, a swimming club took advantage of off-campus swimming facilities. The school established its unique song in 1985. The school grounds were beautifully landscaped, with cherry trees, plum trees, Japanese snowball trees, and azaleas planted around the school building.
Now, let’s talk about the tragic event of 2015. On August 13th, two first-year students, a girl (A) and a boy (B), went missing. B told his mother he was “going to A’s place.” Security camera footage captured them walking through a shopping street near Neyagawa Station on August 13th. Sadly, A’s body was found on August 14th in a parking lot in Takaishi City. B’s body was discovered on August 21st in a bamboo forest in Kashiwara City. This devastating incident shocked the community and brought Nakakida Junior High School into the national spotlight for the saddest of reasons. This event serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of community vigilance. Nakakida Junior High School continues to educate the youth of Neyagawa, bearing the weight of this tragedy while striving to create a safe and nurturing environment.