Deep in the mountains of Bibai, Hokkaido, Japan, a hauntingly beautiful sight has captured the imagination of thousands: an abandoned elementary school, completely engulfed by the forest, evoking memories of Ghibli’s Castle in the Sky.
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Japanese amateur photographer Kyohei Noguchi stumbled upon this surreal scene during one of his photo trips. Nestled in the woods, he found the crumbling remains of a perfectly circular structure—the former Mibai Numata Elementary School, built in 1906.
Back then, the area was a thriving mining town, buzzing with workers and their families. At its peak, the school had as many as 1,570 students. But when the local mining industry collapsed, people began moving away. Eventually, the school was forced to shut down—and over the last 47 years, nature slowly reclaimed what was once hers.
Noguchi had first photographed the school in 2013 from the ground, but the recent return with a drone allowed him to capture its full majesty from above. The aerial shots reveal a building almost completely consumed by the forest, looking less like a ruin and more like a secret garden forgotten by time.
Due to the fragile and decaying condition of the structure, Noguchi didn’t risk entering. Instead, he focused on capturing sweeping views from the sky, revealing just how deeply embedded the building is in the wild landscape. The photos he shared on his Twitter account @kyo_K4 quickly went viral, drawing praise and wonder from thousands online.
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“It looks like a scene straight out of a Studio Ghibli movie,”
“So mysterious… I’d love to visit this place,”
“I actually went to this school!”
“The forest looks dangerous—almost like bears could appear at any moment!”
The tweet has since received over 82,000 likes and continues to be widely shared across social media, with many people expressing curiosity and nostalgia over this eerie, magical place.
If you’re drawn to hidden gems, forgotten places, or dreamlike scenery that blurs the line between man-made and natural, this abandoned school in Hokkaido might just be your next adventure—if you dare to venture into the forest that swallowed it whole.
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Tip for explorers: Always respect the local area, and be cautious—this is bear country, after all.
