What comes to mind when you think of Boy Scout activities?
You may picture them wearing uniforms, camping, and lighting fires.
The Boy Scouts are an organization with members around the world. They take part in activities that help them build friendships in nature, learn leadership, and develop the ability to think and act for themselves.
There is also a group active in Mizushima, Kurashiki City: Boy Scouts of Japan Okayama Council Kurashiki Troop 14.
Here, we introduce the activities of Boy Scouts of Japan Okayama Council Kurashiki Troop 14, with examples of what they do.
The information presented here was current when this article was published in July 2024. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What Are the Boy Scouts?
The Boy Scouts take part in fun learning activities with their peers, such as camping and hiking in nature.
Through these activities, they aim to develop cooperation, leadership, and the ability to think for themselves and make their way in life. Events and programs vary by age group.
More than 57 million people are involved in Boy Scout activities in 174 countries and regions around the world.
The Beginnings of the Boy Scouts
The Boy Scout movement was conceived in Britain in 1907, after World War I, by military officer Robert Baden-Powell.
Robert Baden-Powell, who survived World War I, was a very famous hero in Britain.
Robert Baden-Powell thought that educating boys through military-style training and programs that encouraged a greater sense of adventure and respect for discipline could contribute to their development.
He wrote and published a book called Scouting for Boys. It became a huge bestseller, and Boy Scout organizations sprang up around the world and continued to spread.
The Boy Scouts in Japan
In Japan, the Boy Scouts of Japan was founded in 1922 and officially joined the World Organization of the Scout Movement.
As of March 2024, Japan had 80,000 members and 29 staff members.
You may wonder whether that is too few staff members, but most leaders are volunteers.
Boy Scouts in Okayama Prefecture
As of March 2024, there were 18 Boy Scout groups in Okayama Prefecture, with 501 Scouts and 169 leaders.
Four Boy Scout groups are active in Kurashiki City.
- Boy Scouts of Japan Okayama Council Kurashiki Troop 14
- Boy Scouts of Japan Okayama Council Kurashiki Troop 16
- Boy Scouts of Japan Okayama Council Kojima Troop 1
- Boy Scouts of Japan Okayama Council Tamashima Troop 5
About Boy Scouts of Japan Okayama Council Kurashiki Troop 14
Boy Scouts of Japan Okayama Council Kurashiki Troop 14 (hereafter, “Kurashiki Troop 14”) was founded in 1979 by Keisho Kanbara, the head priest of Mizushima-ji Temple in Mizushima, Kurashiki City.
Mizushima-ji Temple and Jiai Kindergarten are on the same grounds, and the Boy Scouts mainly meet in the temple precincts and the kindergarten playground.
The current group committee chair is Kanbara Shonin, the head priest of Mizushima-ji Temple and also the chair of Jiai Kindergarten. As of June 2024, Kurashiki Troop 14 had 33 children, boys and girls aged 4 to 18, and 13 leaders.
Kurashiki Troop 14 has four Boy Scout sections, each with its own age group. They meet twice a month, mainly on alternate Sundays.
The group serves the Mizushima area of Kurashiki City, but some children commute from Okayama.
Many of the leaders are parents, and some continue volunteering even after their children graduate.
Boy Scout Activities
Kurashiki Troop 14 has four sections (Scout age groups), each with its own goals.
Leaders plan activities that help the children achieve their goals. Activities are generally held by section, but the whole group also gets together several times a year to deepen their connections.
Let’s take a look at the activities of each section in Kurashiki Troop 14.
Beaver Scout Activities
The Beaver Scout section is for children aged 4 through second grade of elementary school.
The goal of Kurashiki Troop 14’s Beaver Scouts is to “enjoy nature and get along with friends.”
Here they are sliding down a grassy slope at Sakazu Park. You can see how much fun they’re having.
They also went on an adventure to the Bikan Historical Area, riding the Mizushima Rinkai Railway.
For a kite-flying activity, the children did more than just fly kites. They started by drawing pictures on paper, then gradually bent bamboo strips after heating them over a candle flame.
They attached the paper to the bamboo strips with tape, tied on the string, and finished the kites. Since each one is handmade from start to finish, flying them makes for a memorable experience.
On a cycling trip in Soja, the children learned traffic rules through a flag-signaling game and learned about history at Komorizuka Kofun, enjoying activities that made learning fun.
Cub Scout Activities
The Cub Scout section is for children in third through fifth grade of elementary school.
The goals of Kurashiki Troop 14’s Cub Scouts are to “follow the rules and cooperate with others, take care of themselves, and do good things of their own accord.”
Cleaning the grounds of Mizushima-ji Temple and the playground of Jiai Kindergarten, which they use regularly, is also one of their activities.
They cooked bamboo shoots outdoors using ones they had harvested themselves. They divided into teams, shared the work, and cooperated to clean up afterward.
At the Boy Scout festival, where the whole group gathered, the Cub Scouts tried their hand at Indian cooking. They were nervous using unfamiliar knives, but with help from their parents, they apparently made delicious Indian food.
Activities of Boy Scouts and Venture Scouts
Boy Scouts are students from sixth grade through the third year of junior high school, while Venture Scouts are high school students.
The goals of Kurashiki Troop 14 are as follows: Boy Scouts aim to “serve God (or Buddha) and their country with sincerity, always help others, and cultivate virtue.”
Venture Scouts aim to “plan their own activities and, as older members, guide younger children and set an example.”
At Kurashiki Troop 14, Boy Scouts and Venture Scouts take part in activities together.
On a hike from Jiai Kindergarten to Hetori Shrine, they searched for a triangulation point on Kameshima-yama, practiced pace counting at the shrine, and tried their hand at ropework in the park.
At the Boy Scout Festival, the Boy Scout troop cooked fried rice outdoors, while the Venture Scout troop grilled yakitori and frankfurters over charcoal and made toasted sandwiches using a gas cooker.
The toasted sandwiches had sweet fillings, and their original recipe with marshmallows, bananas, and chocolate was very popular.
On hikes focused on map reading and compass use, they practice finding a route using back bearing and recording the course they have walked.
Back bearing
Proceed while recording directions, distances, and times, then use those records when retracing your route.
At the spring camp held during Golden Week, the scouts pitched tents in their patrols, did outdoor crafts, and made and ate gapao rice for dinner.
More challenging outdoor activities, including summer camps and cold-weather camps, are planned for the future.
Among the other events is the World Scout Jamboree, held every four years and bringing together Boy Scouts from around the world. At the event held in South Korea in August 2023, three high school students from Kurashiki Troop 14 took part and deepened their exchange with people from various countries.
By enjoying events planned throughout the year by their leaders, the Boy Scouts steadily expand what they can do on their own, take on the challenge of acquiring knowledge, and continue to grow.
The more you learn about Boy Scouts, the more fascinating their activities become.
We spoke with Kanbara Jun, a leader with the Boy Scouts of Japan Okayama Council, Kurashiki Troop 14, and the troop leader for the Boy Scouts and Venture Scouts, to learn about scouting.
Interview with Kanbara Jun, Troop Leader of Boy Scouts of Japan Okayama Council, Kurashiki Troop 14
Boy Scouts of Japan Okayama Council, Kurashiki Troop 14 holds its activities at Suishoji Temple and Jiai Kindergarten in Mizushima, Kurashiki City.
We spoke with troop leader Kanbara Jun about scouting activities and what led him to become a troop leader.
What led you to become a Boy Scout troop leader
Why did you decide to become a Boy Scout troop leader?
Kanbara (honorific omitted)
I had been involved in Boy Scouts since I was five years old.
When I was a university student, I registered as a Boy Scout leader, but I went to university in the Kansai region, so I only helped when I returned home—probably about once a year.
However, after I started working and returned to Okayama, I decided to take on a full-time leadership role.
I had always been interested in education, and having studied in the Faculty of Education was another reason.
Education is actually a broad field, encompassing education at school, education at home, education in the community, and perhaps even more.
School education is limited by subjects and curricula, but I thought that volunteer outdoor education activities might allow me to engage with education that addresses the essence of being human.
What makes Boy Scouts appealing
I see. What do you find appealing about Boy Scouts?
Kanbara
At Boy Scouts of Japan, Kurashiki Troop 14, children from ages four to 18 take part in activities together. I think this is a valuable experience.
In the Showa era, it was commonplace for children of different ages to play together outdoors, but that has become difficult in modern Japan. It is also common for play and learning to take place entirely inside the home or on smartphones.
Children’s brains are designed to develop through interaction with nature. When children go outside, they seem to have a wonderful time playing.
Through outdoor activities, Boy Scouts learn important things for life, such as deepening friendships with their peers.
The Boy Scout advancement system
It’s wonderful that they can learn things they need in life. I heard there are ways to encourage children to do their best. What are they?
Kanbara
Boy Scout activities include an advancement system in which scouts earn badges and patches through individual effort. It is a system for personal growth that lets children enjoy acquiring skills and knowledge.
After earning the highest Venture Scout rank, the “Fuji Scout Award,” a representative is given the opportunity to pay a courtesy visit to the Emperor.
Boy Scout leaders create age-appropriate plans to help children achieve their goals and support them as they work toward them.
For children and parents considering joining
Finally, could you share a message for those considering joining?
Kanbara
At Kurashiki Troop 14, children of various ages enjoy taking part in activities together in nature.
There are also many dependable leaders, so I think children can learn a variety of skills and gain valuable experiences that will serve them throughout their lives, including leadership and teamwork.
Kurashiki Troop 14 is accepting new members at any time, so if you are interested, please contact them through the Scout Association of Japan Okayama Council website.
From the Writer
When the writer visited, they happened to be holding a birthday celebration for Reverend Kanbara Shonin.
Children from the lower grades of elementary school through high school formed mixed-age teams and took part in a walking rally. The weather was unfortunate that day, with rain falling, but the children put on their rain gear and energetically made their way around the checkpoints.
Seeing elementary, middle, and high school students chatting together and working as a team to reach their goals is an irreplaceable experience. I think the Boy Scouts’ activities are wonderful: they greatly support children’s growth and create many happy memories.
I felt that I wanted more people to learn about activities like these.
Boy Scouts of Japan Okayama Council Kurashiki Troop 14 Information
| Name | Boy Scouts of Japan Okayama Council Kurashiki Troop 14 |
|---|---|
| Held | Twice a month, usually every other Sunday For inquiries, contact the Boy Scouts of Japan Okayama Council |
| Location | 1-9 Mizushima Minamiyuki-cho, Kurashiki City, inside Jiai Kindergarten |
| Website | Boy Scouts of Japan Okayama Council Kurashiki Troop 14 (Facebook) |
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