On June 6th, the cafe "Ooyo Uzawazawa Club" (TEL 017-752-0410) opened for a limited time at the site of the Karaizawa Elementary School (Namioka Town, Aomori City) in Aomori.

The school was closed in 2006. In 2008, the "Aomori NPO Support Center" (Aomori City) borrowed to hold workshops and concerts as part of regional promotion. “I was looking for a place to hold an event in the suburbs,” said Masami Saito of the center. The building that will be the cafe was refurbished in 2011 in a physical education warehouse in order to make it a modern version of Toge no Chaya.

This is the 4th year of cafe sales. According to Satoshi Nakamura, who likes the school and serves as the store manager, work will be started towards the opening in early May when the snow melts. The Wangyo Uosawa district is located at an altitude of about 150 meters, and it has a large amount of snow in Aomori Prefecture. Although the snow melted earlier this year, Nakamura says, “I start with repairing the building every year” as the building deteriorates and the weight of snow deteriorates year by year.

Yuko Hasegawa and Naho Kushibiki, staff members of the cafe, work as volunteers because they like the atmosphere of this school. “Getting your children to play here all day while you are in the shop. You can use it in a luxurious way,” he says with a smile.

The menu includes curry Ooyuzawa curry (900 yen), drink set (1,200 yen), BLT sandwich (900 yen), various drinks (400 yen). Oyo Yuusawa curry has started selling on the Internet this year. The feature is that it uses vegetable water and yogurt without using water, and many people visit for curry every year.

“We are waiting for the use of school at any time,” says Saito. It can also be used for barbecues in the schoolyard and parties at cafes. "Someone and many repeaters like this school and we want to keep it in the future. We hope that it will lead to revitalization of the local community and new business by utilizing the closed school."

Business hours are Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from 11:00 to 17:00. Until late November.