“Gather Around! Elementary School Students” Tsurajima Minami Elementary School Edition (Broadcast March 7, 2026)～ A School District Spanning Lotus Root Fields: Warm Exchange Between Tsurajima Minami Elementary School and Local Residents

“Gather Around! Elementary School Students” is broadcast 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 the schools and their districts 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 March 7, 2026 (Saturday) broadcast featured Tsurajima Minami Elementary School in Tsurajima-cho, 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 in this article is current as of its publication in April 2026. Please note that it may differ from current information.

FM Kurashiki’s “Gather Around! Elementary School Students”

On “Gather Around! Elementary School Students,” the hosts interview sixth graders at each school they visit, taking a closer look at what makes their school special. The program also features “District Pride,” where children share what they like and appreciate about their local area from an elementary school student’s perspective.

The program also brings you heartwarming interviews that may move even 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 Tsurajima Minami Elementary School in Tsurajima-cho, Kurashiki City.
The school has a long history, celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2025. It holds a variety of events in exchange with local residents.

We asked the children to tell us what makes Tsurajima Minami Elementary School special.

About Tsurajima Minami Elementary School

The first to introduce their school were Niwa Rion and Tanaka Satoru. The two gave a well-coordinated presentation.

When introducing Tsurajima Minami Elementary School, the local community is indispensable.

As part of their integrated studies, fifth graders hold a “Lotus Root Harvest Festival” in cooperation with local residents. They do more than grow and harvest lotus roots: they also try cooking them, create quizzes and stamps, and come up with ideas and run the event themselves. They also invite neighbors and local kindergartens to enjoy the festival together.

Creating an opportunity to connect with local residents became a memorable experience for the children.

They also said that the many events held throughout the year are another highlight.

The summer “Bon Dance Festival” is a fun event unique to Tsurajima Minami Elementary School, featuring stalls run by local residents, dance performances, and a dance set to an arrangement of the school song, performed by the children.

Other events include a water-gun festival, mochi-pounding, and community cleanups, giving the children plenty of opportunities to enjoy activities with local residents and teachers in their everyday lives.

Niwa and Tanaka told us, “Tsurajima Minami Elementary School is supported by the local community, so we’ll do our best to help the community too!”

Tsurajima Minami 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 district.

Three children shared what they love about Tsurajima Minami Elementary School and its district.

1. A delicious local treasure: Tsurajima Lotus Root

The first to speak was Nagata Naoki.

Nagata named Tsurajima Lotus Root, a local specialty, as something to be proud of. The district is dotted with vast lotus root fields, a feature of reclaimed land, and the Tsurajima Lotus Root grown there is delicious.

Events such as the Lotus Root Harvest Festival show how Tsurajima Lotus Root is cherished as an important local treasure.

2. A place for children to relax: the many well-equipped parks

Next, Tamiya Kaisei introduced the well-equipped parks.

There are many parks around the school that have been designed for safe play, and it seems each child has a favorite.

Tamiya introduced the park where he often plays and said, “It’s fun because there’s so much to do.” There are places for children to relax all around the area.

3. The joy of seeing the local community grow

The third speaker was Takeda Ayato.

Takeda said he was proud that the local population is growing. Housing development is progressing in Tsurajima, and the number of residents is increasing.

The streets are said to be filled with cheerful, energetic greetings, giving the whole community a lively feel. As the population grows, the area is sure to become even livelier. We hope it will continue to be a place that attracts more people.

Finally, Nakahama Hyuga brought the presentations to a close with a wonderful message.

“There are lots of good things about the district served by Tsurajima Minami Elementary School. It’s the district we’re proud of.”

It’s wonderful that the children love the town where they live. Along with its local specialties and well-equipped parks, the warm exchange with local residents may be what makes Tsurajima Minami Elementary School truly special.

Thank you to everyone at Tsurajima Minami 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.

Fourteen children answered our questions this time.
Some dream of becoming nursery school teachers or care workers, while others hope to be artists, voice actors, or programmers. It’s exciting to imagine what the future holds for them.

The children’s determination to take on challenges, driven by the things they love, gave us adults great courage and inspiration.

Thank you to everyone at Tsurajima Minami Elementary School.