Interview with Tetsuya Kataoka, representative of Chikurin no Schole
We spoke with Tetsuya Kataoka, executive director of the NPO Kounosato, which runs Chikurin no Schole, about what inspired him to open the school and his thoughts on its activities.
We wanted to create a place where people could laugh together in nature
What inspired you to start Chikurin no Schole?
Kataoka (honorific omitted)
It began when the NPO Kounosato started growing vegetables using natural farming methods in 2021. We cleared abandoned farmland and grew vegetables, distributing them to pregnant women and new mothers in the community, and recruiting volunteers to help with farm work.
Mothers with young children often came, too, and planted seeds and weeded alongside us.
I had a chance to talk with children who came to help on weekdays, and saw firsthand what school education was like during the COVID-19 pandemic. Masks and silent lunches were strictly enforced, and children were unable to move around freely even during breaks. Some could no longer go to school, while others had lost their smiles.
I’m also a nurse, and I strongly felt that “for children to grow up healthy, they need a place in nature where they can interact with friends and laugh together.”
So, with the help of a former elementary school teacher who was part of our group, we started Chikurin no Schole as a place to protect children’s lives and learning.
The significance of alternative schools
What do you see as the differences between regular schools and alternative schools?
Kataoka
At regular schools, the main approach is for teachers to tell students, “Do this,” and proceed according to textbooks and examples. I think that kind of learning is important, too.
On the other hand, it can be difficult to find time to use your imagination or immerse yourself in your own interests, so at Chikurin no Schole, we prioritize that kind of time.
That said, now that I’ve actually run a free school, I’ve often come to appreciate how impressive and convenient the public school curriculum is.
I don’t think one is better or worse than the other; they’re just different styles.
Starting from nothing opens up endless possibilities for learning
What do you value most at Chikurin no Schole?
Kataoka
Our guiding concept is “nurturing the ability to live in harmony with nature.”
Among the things we value most are “food,” “experience,” “room to breathe,” and “tolerance.”
First, could you tell us about “food”?
Kataoka
We want children to learn about the source of life by eating rice and vegetables they’ve grown themselves.
We live in an age when food is readily available for purchase, but we want this to be a place where children can feel their connection to nature and the cycle of life through the experience of growing food.
What kinds of things do you emphasize when it comes to “experience”?
Kataoka
Experiences where they think things through and make things themselves, starting from nothing.
For example, there’s a child on the handicrafts team who’s good at knitting and said, “I want us to make our own yarn from scratch.” A staff member happened to have cotton seeds, so that led to an activity where they grew cotton, spun it into yarn, and knitted with it.
The Japanese cooking team is talking not only about making manju, but also about “growing azuki beans ourselves.” We’ve planted sugarcane, too, so it would be fun if we could make our own sugar.
Even something as simple as making yarn can lead to learning about agriculture, processing, the backgrounds of producing countries, and more. Learning keeps expanding.
I think there’s great value in learning not just from texts, but through experiences like tilling the soil and learning through its smell and feel.
The word “room to breathe” is striking, too.
Kataoka
The name “Schole” comes from the Greek word “schole (leisure).”
It’s said that schools began when people with leisure time gathered and started saying, “Let’s teach each other interesting things” and “Let’s try doing them together.” I believe that “room to breathe,” which emerges from a secure and comfortable life, is the soil that nurtures new learning and interests.
There’s value even in trying something and realizing, “It’s not for me.”
Finally, could you tell us about “tolerance”?
Kataoka
When people take initiative, disagreements are bound to happen. That’s why it’s important to have the “tolerance” to recognize one another through dialogue.
I feel that schools today keep adding more and more rules, and I think one reason may be that connections between people have grown weaker.
For example, in the past, if children were playing in a rice paddy, a neighbor would speak to them directly and resolve the issue by talking with their parents. But now, people may contact the school instead of speaking to them directly, and as a result, more “prohibitive rules” are added.
In a society where communication is declining and people rely on systems, I feel that communities today need a degree of “ambiguity” and “flexibility” based on mutual agreement.
We want to create a “Sukovillage”
What are your plans for the future?
Kataoka
Our major goal for the future is to create a “Sukovillage.”
Sukovillage is an initiative to create a hub centered around Chikurin no Schole where adults and children can make “agriculture that sustains the cycle of life” part of their everyday lives.
Government support for alternative schools has improved compared with the past, but they still need to operate using their own funds alone. We therefore want to establish a revenue base through agriculture at Sukovillage and create a system that can operate without relying on public subsidies.
We also want to expand and improve more abandoned farmland, creating more opportunities for children to learn through agriculture. Some initiatives are already underway, such as beekeeping with Japanese honeybees, and we hope to create an environment where children can see, play, and take on challenges firsthand.
We are currently working toward making Sukovillage a reality and are also running a crowdfunding campaign through May 31, 2026.
I feel that if Sukovillage becomes a place where not only children but also a wide range of adults gather, it will give children the opportunity to find role models by watching the adults around them.
From the Writer
Kataoka says, “Each child who comes to Chikurin no Schole shows us a distinct personality.”
How can we connect children’s ideas to a diverse range of experiences while respecting their thoughts? This interview gave us an opportunity to reconsider that question.
Living alongside nature and developing the ability to grow our own food.
Chikurin no Schole continues its journey as a place that nurtures “the ability to live in harmony with nature.”
Konosato Nonprofit Organization Information
| Organization Name | Konosato Nonprofit Organization |
|---|---|
| Industry | Free school services |
| Representative | Kataoka Tetsuya |
| Year Established | 2021 |
| Address | 2970 Tamashima Sue, Kurashiki City (Chikurin no Schole) |
| Contact | Email: info@konosato.org |
| Website | Chikurin no Schole |
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