“Gather Around, Elementary School Students!” Tsurajima Higashi Elementary School Edition (Broadcast January 31, 2026)～Views of the Mizushima Industrial Complex from the hilltop. An elementary school full of beautiful scenery and historic events.

“Gather Around! Elementary School Students” airs on FM Kurashiki every Saturday from 8 to 9 a.m.

Hosted by Asuka Abe, the program visits elementary schools in Kurashiki City to report on what makes each school and 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 January 31, 2026 (Saturday) broadcast featured Tsurajima Higashi Elementary School in Tsurajima, Kurashiki City.

Here are the lively voices of the children.

This article was contributed by FM Kurashiki Co., Ltd. The editorial team at Haretoco General Incorporated Association edited and published it.

The information presented was current when the article was published in March 2026. 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 to take a closer look at what makes their school special. It also features “school district pride,” introducing 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 move adults, too, 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 Tsurajima Higashi Elementary School in Tsurajima, Kurashiki City. The school district is full of local events, including poetry readings of Susukida Kyukin and the Chitose-raku festival, and the children are full of energy.

The children were eager to tell us what makes Tsurajima Higashi Elementary School special.

Tsurajima Higashi Elementary School

First to present was Shunpei Nishiyama. He introduced what makes Tsurajima Higashi Elementary School special in three points.

First is how close-knit the whole school is.
During breaks, students of all grades play energetically, whether dodgeball or tag. Once a month, during “cross-grade play,” the whole school enjoys games planned by sixth graders, and the school is said to ring with cheerful laughter.

Second is the beautiful school building and scenery.
Some people call the school building, with its beautiful shape, “Cinderella Castle.” Thanks to the children’s daily cleaning and local volunteers’ care of the flower beds, the school grounds are always kept beautiful. The school is also on high ground, so the view from the windows is said to be excellent. Students can enjoy the magnificent view of the Mizushima Industrial Complex, selected as one of the “100 Best Night Views.”

Third is the school building’s resilience to disasters.
There is very solid bedrock beneath the school building, and it is said to remain unshaken even during an earthquake. Its elevated location also means there is no risk of a tsunami. As a stronghold protecting the safety of the community, it is also designated as an evacuation site for nearby elementary and junior high schools in the event of a major earthquake.

Tsurajima Higashi Elementary School provides an environment where children can feel safe.

Nishiyama said, “I want to work hard to make the good things about our school even better.” The positive attitude of each student, like Nishiyama, is what makes Tsurajima Higashi Elementary School such a wonderful place.

Tsurajima Higashi Elementary School Students Share What Makes Their School and District Special

Next, we’ll introduce what the children are proud of about their school and school district.

Three children shared what makes Tsurajima Higashi Elementary School and its district special.

1. A school where the spirit of Meiji-era poet Susukida Kyukin lives on

The point of pride introduced by Nano Yamaoka was the poet Susukida Kyukin, who was active during the Meiji era. Susukida Kyukin’s birthplace is within the Tsurajima Higashi Elementary School district.

Susukida Kyukin left behind works so famous that they are included in high school textbooks, and is known as one of Japan’s leading poets.

Every October, Tsurajima Higashi Elementary School students reportedly read Susukida Kyukin’s poetry aloud. Representatives from grades five and six hold a poetry reading with representatives from nearby schools, carrying on the spirit of Susukida Kyukin, a distinguished local predecessor.

Being able to experience historic literature close to home seems to be a great source of pride for the children.

2. Exchange with dedicated local volunteers

Next, Miharu Hirama named the local volunteers who support school life as something she is proud of.

Local volunteers are very active and enthusiastically support the children’s learning and daily lives. For example, they help second- and third-graders with their studies during class on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and kindly teach them how to use sewing machines in home economics class. They provide attentive support for the children’s learning.

She also said that volunteers work for the school behind the scenes, maintaining the lawn and flower beds. Hirama expressed her gratitude for the support of these local volunteers and said she wants to convey her appreciation with cheerful greetings.

3. A spectacular Chitose-raku festival that brings the community together

Finally, Yuzuki Shimamura introduced the festival called “Chitose-raku,” in which portable shrines parade through the streets.

Chitose-raku refers to a festival float (something like a portable shrine), but Shimamura appears to have introduced it as the “common name for the festival.”

She said there are 23 portable shrines in total across the different districts, and the moment they all gather in one place is spectacular. Shimamura has taken part in Chitose-raku since she was little and loves singing together with everyone and beating the drums with all her strength.

This festival, where people from the community come together as one, is cherished by the children as an important event symbolizing the bonds within the school district.

Tsurajima Higashi Elementary School is full of appeal, from its beautiful school building and rich history to the warm support of the community. We hope the children will continue to enjoy a happy and carefree school life.

Thank you to everyone at Tsurajima Higashi Elementary School.

Children’s voices as they look to the future

After hearing all about what makes the school special, we also asked the children about their dreams for the future.

Eighteen children took part in the interviews this time.
They dream of becoming their favorite athletes, archaeologists, hairdressers, dietitians, and even food company presidents. It’s exciting to imagine what the future holds for them.

The children’s determination to pursue what they love gave us adults great courage and inspiration, too.

Thank you to everyone at Tsurajima Higashi Elementary School.

From the Writer

Through the voices of children, “Gather Around! Elementary School Students” will continue to share the appeal of schools and communities with everyone.

Every time we visit an elementary school, we see how the children grow each day with the warm support of their teachers and community members.

FM Kurashiki will continue to watch over the children in the community so they can grow up healthy and enjoy their lives.