“What secrets lie beneath our feet?” That’s a question you might ask yourself standing here at Tanashi Elementary School. This school in Nishitōkyō, Tokyo, isn’t just a place of learning. It has a past that’s quite surprising.
Tanashi Elementary School first opened its doors in 1873. The school then moved to this location in 1925. For many years it was just like other schools. Then, World War II changed everything.
Nearby factories supported the war effort. One was run by Nakajima Aircraft Company. Tanashi Elementary School was close to the action. However, the biggest surprise came many years later.
In July 2018 construction workers made an incredible discovery. They unearthed a large cache of World War II-era weapons buried on the school grounds. These weapons were only 1 to 2 meters underground. Workers found around 1,400 firearms and 1,200 swords. Grenades, bullets, and cannon shells were also found.
Experts believe the Imperial Japanese Army hid the weapons at the end of the war. Perhaps they wanted to keep them out of enemy hands. Or maybe they simply discarded them. The recovery work took weeks. It finally ended in August 2018.
Nishitōkyō city officials disposed of the swords and guns. Specialists from the Japan Self-Defense Forces handled the ammunition and explosives. In total, they found around 300 bullets, shells, and grenades. Many news articles mentioned “swords”. However, images suggest they were likely Type 30 bayonets.
Today Tanashi Elementary School continues its work as a place of learning. But the story of the buried weapons adds a unique chapter to its history. Next time you walk by, remember what lies beneath. It is a reminder of a turbulent past. A past now part of the very ground on which Tanashi Elementary School stands.