“Gather Around! Elementary School Students” airs on FM Kurashiki every Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Hosted by Asuka Abe, the program visits elementary schools in Kurashiki City to report on what makes each school and its school district special, and to hear children talk about their big dreams. Hearing directly from the children offers a fresh appreciation of the region’s appeal.
The October 18, 2025 (Saturday) broadcast featured Midorigaoka Elementary School in Kojima, Kurashiki City.
Here are the lively voices of the children.
This article was contributed by FM Kurashiki Co., Ltd. It was edited and published by the Haretoco General Incorporated Association editorial team.
The information presented is current as of the article’s publication in December 2025. Please note that it may differ from current information.
FM Kurashiki’s “Gather Around! Elementary School Students”
“Gather Around! Elementary School Students” interviews sixth graders at the schools it visits, taking an in-depth look at what makes their school special. Also worth noting is “School District Pride,” which introduces the good things about the area and what the children like about it, from an elementary school student’s perspective.
The program also features heartwarming interviews that may even move adults, as children talk about their exciting dreams for the future and express gratitude to the family members who are always by their side.
This time, the program visited Midorigaoka Elementary School in Kojima, Kurashiki City. Established in 1972, the school celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022. It is surrounded by abundant nature.
The children were eager to talk about what makes Midorigaoka Elementary School special.
About Midorigaoka Elementary School
Katayama Yuki introduced the school. Despite being the first to speak, he confidently shared what makes the school special.
As its name suggests, Midorigaoka Elementary School is a lively school surrounded by lush greenery. It has about 189 students across 11 classes.
Mountains rise to the north of the school building, and because the area is so rich in nature, animals occasionally appear in the schoolyard, looking as if they are saying, “Excuse me for dropping by.”
Another attraction of Midorigaoka Elementary School is its excellent facilities. The playground, full of play equipment, is spacious enough to easily accommodate the entire student body. There are also many special-purpose classrooms, including a library, art room, two music rooms, a science room, a home economics room, a sewing room, a student council room, and a computer room.
A new school lunch center was reportedly built in the second term of 2025. It’s wonderful to be able to enjoy delicious school lunches every day.
Midorigaoka Elementary School celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022. Seismic retrofitting was also carried out that year, creating a safe and secure environment for the children.
Finally, Katayama told us, “This is the only elementary school in Kurashiki City with the character ‘green’ in its name.” This is proof of how richly blessed Midorigaoka Elementary School is with nature.
It is a school full of appeal, with a nature-rich setting, excellent facilities, and safety measures.
“What We Love About Our School and School District,” According to Midorigaoka Elementary School Students
Next, we’ll introduce what the children are proud of: their school and school district.
Three elementary school students told us what makes their school and school district special.
1. Support from Warmhearted Local Residents
The first to speak was Katayama Naoya. He talked about the warm support of local residents.
For example, thanks to someone patiently teaching him multiplication during recess, Katayama became so proficient that math is now one of his favorite subjects. He also said that during sewing machine lessons in home economics, they kindly teach students “so they won’t have trouble later on.”
Beyond the classroom, local residents are very active volunteers, helping with activities such as reading aloud and the school safety patrol. Katayama expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the way they support the children’s safe and secure school life every day.
I imagine that the warm exchange with local residents will surely be etched into the children’s memories.
2. Seasonal Festivals for the Whole Community
Next, Yamashita Haruto introduced the local festivals held in each season.
The spring Cherry Blossom Festival is especially lively, with performances by Midorigaoka Elementary School’s wadaiko (Japanese drumming) club and dances by local residents. Yamashita said this Cherry Blossom Festival, with its many food stalls, is his favorite.
The wadaiko club also apparently performs at the autumn festival, making it clear that they are in high demand at local festivals. In addition, the summer festival features a ring-crawling ritual, while the winter festival includes a karate demonstration and a drone show.
The festivals themselves are fun, of course, but I thought it was wonderful that they give local residents a chance to come together.
3. Mizushima Rinkai Railway’s Initiatives to Bring Smiles to the Community
The last to speak was Nagayama Shino. She said that the natural surroundings are what she is most proud of about Midorigaoka Elementary School.
What Nagayama especially likes is Hieda Sakura Park, which also serves as the venue for the Cherry Blossom Festival.
As its name suggests, beautiful cherry blossoms bloom in profusion there in spring, making it an ideal place for hanami (cherry blossom viewing), she recommended. Kurashiki City has many cherry blossom viewing spots, but hearing that Hieda Sakura Park is also a place where children can relax made me want to visit.
At Midorigaoka Elementary School, nature is so close that wild animals even come into the schoolyard. I hope the children can learn and grow freely in this rich environment, where they can experience the changing seasons.
Children’s Voices as They Look to the Future
After hearing all about what makes the school special, we also asked about everyone’s dreams for the future.
Twenty students answered our questions this time.
They shared a diverse range of dreams, including becoming athletes who compete on the world stage, carpenters, hairdressers, crane operators, chefs, and stationery shop owners. It’s exciting to imagine what the future holds for them.
The children’s determination to pursue their passions gave us adults great courage and moved us deeply.
Thank you, everyone at Midorigaoka Elementary School.
From the Writer
Through the voices of children, “Gather Around! Elementary School Students” will continue to share what makes schools and local communities special.
With every school visit, we have seen how children grow each day with the warm support of their teachers and local residents.
FM Kurashiki will continue to watch over the children in the community, hoping they can grow up healthy and enjoy their lives.
Articles About FM Kurashiki
FM Kurashiki “Gather Around! Elementary School Students” Information
| Name | FM Kurashiki “Gather Around! Elementary School Students” |
|---|---|
| Address | 520-28 Hakurakucho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-430-0828 |
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You can also listen to “Gather Round! Elementary School Students” on the FM Kurashiki website.