“What does ‘Ichiharashi Yawatashimo 428’ mean to you?” I ask. It is the former address of Ichiharashi Yawatashihigashi Junior High School. This school once stood proudly in Chiba Prefecture.
Ichiharashi Yawatashihigashi Junior High School had a clear mission. It aimed to nurture students. Its goal was to help them learn with rich hearts and big dreams.
Established in 1981 the school served its community for many years. Sadly it closed on March 31 2023. Over its lifetime Ichiharashi Yawatashihigashi Junior High School saw 4033 students graduate.
The school was located in the northern part of Ichihara City. It was founded because of a growing student population. These students mainly came from the Wakamiya housing complex. Ichiharashi Yawatashihigashi Junior High School was separated from Ichiharashi Yawatashihigashi Junior High School.
Interestingly Ichiharashi Yawatashihigashi Junior High School had the smallest school district in Ichihara City. This was true from its opening until its closure. Upon closing the title of smallest school district went to Ichiharashi Anegasaki Junior High School.
The final graduation ceremony was held on March 10 2023. Twenty-six students graduated that day. A closing ceremony followed on March 18 2023. After that Ichiharashi Yawatashihigashi Junior High School was integrated into Ichiharashi Yawatashihigashi Junior High School.
Before its closure Ichiharashi Yawatashihigashi Junior High School had 77 students. These students were spread across five classes. The school area covered just 0.997 square kilometers.
The school badge featured the characters for “East Junior High”. The school also had a school song. Students wore blue-based jerseys. The jerseys had thick white stripes on the sleeves. The physical education uniform included white shirts with blue lines. There were also blue half pants with white lines.
The school grounds covered 33586 square meters. Buildings included school buildings a gymnasium and storage sheds. The main school buildings were built in 1981. They totaled 3821 square meters. A newer gymnasium was added in 1989.
Ichiharashi Yawatashihigashi Junior High School played an important role. It addressed the need for school consolidation. Student numbers had fallen. There was a nearby junior high school. Part of the school land was not city-owned. These factors led to the decision to consolidate.