"Gather Around! Elementary School Students" Amagi Elementary School Edition (Aired on November 15, 2025) ~ A Town Colored by Traditional Flavors and History! Students of Amagi Elementary School Talk About Their Local Pride

On FM Kurashiki, every Saturday from 8 AM to 9 AM, we broadcast "Gather! Elementary School Students".

The personality, Asuka Abe, visits elementary schools in Kurashiki City to interview children who talk about the charm of their schools and school districts, as well as their big dreams. Through the genuine voices of the children, we can once again feel the charm of the community.

In the broadcast on November 15, 2025 (Saturday), we introduced the situation at "Amaki Elementary School" located in Fujito-cho, Kurashiki City.

We will deliver the lively voices of the energetic children.

This article is a contributed piece by FM Kurashiki. It has been edited and published by the Haretoco General Incorporated Association editorial team.

FM Kurashiki "Gather! Elementary School Students"

In "Gather! Elementary School Students," we conduct direct interviews with 6th graders at the visited elementary schools, deeply exploring the charm of the schools everyone attends. Additionally, the "School District Pride" segment introduces the good and favorite aspects of the community from the perspective of elementary school students.

We will also share heartwarming interviews that make even adults' hearts swell, as children talk about their exciting future dreams and express gratitude to their families who are always by their side.

This time, we visited Amaki Elementary School located in Fujito-cho, Kurashiki City. The school district, rich in history, is filled with the bright and energetic voices of the children.

We immediately asked the children to talk about the charm of Amaki Elementary School.

About Amaki Elementary School

The first to introduce the school was Natsuki Kimura. With a bright voice, she shared three charms of Amaki Elementary School.

The first charm is the many events held throughout the year.
Starting with the "Welcoming First Graders" and "Sports Presentation" in the first term, followed by "School Trip" and "Cultural Presentation" in the second term, and "Sending Off 6th Graders" and "Graduation Ceremony" in the third term, there are many memorable events lined up.

By the way, Kimura is particularly looking forward to the school trip. She mentioned that she is working hard on tests and preparations, looking forward to drinking the water from the Otowa Falls at Kiyomizu-dera Temple.

The second charm is the ability to focus on cleaning.
Every Thursday is a special day for silent cleaning, where all students diligently engage in cleaning. Particularly hardworking students are introduced on TV as "Moku Moku MVP" by the beautification committee.

Finally, the charm she shared is active committee activities.
As a member of the broadcasting committee, Kimura shared that she works hard every day with her friends to deliver broadcasts that are easy for everyone to hear. Each committee actively engages for the benefit of the school, and it is clear that these efforts are making Amaki Elementary School a better place.

Amaki Elementary School is a vibrant school that fosters independence through cleaning and committee activities.

Children of Amaki Elementary School Talk About "School & School District Pride"

Next, we will introduce the "pride in their school and school district" that the children are proud of.

The charms of Amaki Elementary School were shared in a ranking format by three children.

3rd Place: Energetic Greetings Connecting with the Community

Towa Mouri introduced the 3rd place pride, which is "energetic greetings".

At Amaki Elementary School, a greeting campaign is conducted every Wednesday, led by the management committee, and a cute greeting character is also active.

During school hours, local people gather to watch over the safety of the children while exchanging bright greetings. Mouri shared that the energetic greetings in the morning create a positive feeling of "Let's do our best today."

Moreover, not only during school hours but also during lunch and after school, energetic greetings are a significant pride of Amaki Elementary School.

2nd Place: A Symbol of the City with a Rich History! The Red Moritsuna Bridge

Yume Ooshige introduced the 2nd place pride, which is "Moritsuna Bridge" (Moritsunabashi). This red bridge, spanning the Kurashiki River right next to the school, is very historic, having been built in 1647.

The bridge's name is derived from the warrior Moritsuna Sasaki, who was active during the Genpei War. There is also a magnificent statue of Moritsuna riding a horse on the bridge, making it a symbol of the region's history.

At Amaki Elementary School, students learn about the local history, including Moritsuna Sasaki, through their classes.

This bridge, which children cross daily on their way to and from school, is a unique historical pride of Amaki Elementary School that other schools do not have.

1st Place: The Traditional Taste Proudly Represented by Fujito Manju

The honorable 1st place is "Fujito Manju," shared by Gennosuke Fujimura.

Fujito Manju is a representative confection of Okayama Prefecture, with a history dating back to the time of the Genpei War. It is said that professional baseball player Keita Sano from Okayama, who plays for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, has also served this Fujito Manju to reporters.

The manju, wrapped in a thin skin with sweet red bean paste, is reputed to be "delicious" even among people from outside the prefecture. Fujimura recommended, "If you haven't tried it, please do!"

Having a confection with top-class recognition and history in Kurashiki and Okayama within the school district seems to be a great pride for the children.

Fujito Manju Honpo - A long-established store that has continued since the Heian period, preserving the Kurashiki specialty 'Fujito Manju'. Both the manju and the building are part of the oldest company in the Chugoku region with a rich history.

When you go sightseeing, choosing souvenirs is one of the pleasures, isn't it? When thinking about buying souvenirs, the local specialty sweets often come to mind. In Kurashiki, 'Murasuzume' is a famous sweet...

Voices of Children Looking Towards the Future

After learning about the charms of the school, we also asked everyone about their future dreams.

This time, 20 students answered the interview.
They shared fun dreams of becoming sports players, nursery teachers, emergency medical technicians, and school teachers. Imagining everyone's future selves is exciting!

The sight of children challenging themselves with "what they love" as their driving force gave us adults great courage and inspiration.

Thank you, everyone at Amaki Elementary School.

Conclusion

In "Gather! Elementary School Students," we will continue to deliver the charms of schools and communities through the voices of children.

Every time we visit an elementary school, we feel that the children are growing every day with the warm support of the teachers and the local community.

FM Kurashiki will continue to watch over the local children so that they can live healthily and happily.