<p>Entrance gate of Bando POW Camp</p>

Entrance gate of Bando POW Camp (Photo: Takako Sakamoto)

Garden of Bart, Naruto, Tokushima

Movie set of 'Bart-no Gakuen' in the middle of nowhere!

Takako Sakamoto May 10, 2014 - ใช้เวลาอ่าน 1 นาที

<p>Entrance gate of Bando POW Camp</p>

<p>Liquor shop. In the movie, POWs brewed German beer and enjoyed drinking here</p>

<p>Administration office</p>

<p>Inside the director's office. This is where Ken Matsudaira, the famous Japanese actor who played the role of the camp director, Matsue Toyohisa, sat in the movie</p>

<p>Director's military cap and report about Japan-Germany War during World War I</p>

<p>The 1st Baracke (Barack)</p>

<p>Inside the 1st Baracke (Barack). Bunk beds line both sides</p>

<p>Officer's room. Different from soldiers' compartments, it's more lavishly decorated and there's even a doll displayed inside the glass box</p>

<p>In this Baracke (Barack), the original lumber which was used in the Bando POW Camp is used</p>

<p>Letters to POWs from their friends/family</p>

<p>Replica of a hand-made violin made by one of the POWs</p>

<p>Posters of various events held by POWs and some photos of them. Posters were designed, drawn, and printed by POWs in the camp</p>

<p>Replica of a hand-made bowling set. They are geniuses!</p>

<p>Replica of hand-made pins. I don't know why there are only 9 pins here</p>

<p>Outside washing place. If you saw the movie, you may remember POWs were washing their faces and brushing their teeth here</p>

After visiting the Naruto German House and the Bando POW Camp Site, 'Garden of Bart' is the place you should visit if you are a fan of the 2006 Japanese movie, 'Bart-no-Gakuen'. This movie set was first opened in March, 2006 for 2 years. But upon the strong request from local people, and because the number of visitors far exceeded the expectations (260,000!) of Naruto City, they moved the set to a different location, and now under the hands of an NPO, is again open to the public. Although the size has become smaller, you can enjoy seeing familiar things you see in the movie. There are very kind, enthusiastic local volunteers who guide you around the set (in Japanese, sorry!). It's open from 9:00 to 16:30 every day of the year!

Takako Sakamoto

Takako Sakamoto @takako.sakamoto

I was born in and grew up in Tokushima prefecture, and have lived in many places since then: Nishinomiya, Kyoto, Nara, Mie, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Fukuoka and Fukui. I am currently living in Yokohama City. All the places I lived, all the places I visited, I have loved dearly. The histor...