“Gather Around! Elementary School Students” Tsurajima Kita Elementary School Edition (Broadcast March 28, 2026) 〜 Tsurajima Kita Elementary School nurtures children through the whole community and offers learning that makes the most of its rich natural environment.

“Gather Around! Elementary School Students” airs on FM Kurashiki every Saturday from 8:00 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 school district special, and to hear from children who talk about their big dreams. Hearing directly from the children offers a fresh appreciation of the region’s appeal.

The March 28, 2026 (Saturday) broadcast featured “Tsurajima Kita Elementary School” in Tsurajima, Kurashiki City.

We bring you 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 May 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. Also worth watching is “What We’re Proud of About Our School District,” 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 move even adults, as children talk about their exciting dreams for the future or express gratitude to the family members who are always by their side.

This time, we visited Tsurajima Kita Elementary School in Tsurajima, Kurashiki City. The school makes the most of its small enrollment of 82 students by fostering exchange across grade levels every day. It is a school with a warm atmosphere.

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

About Tsurajima Kita Elementary School

First to introduce the school is Shuto Umano.

According to Umano, the greatest appeal of Tsurajima Kita Elementary School is that all the students get along extremely well, regardless of grade. He says that during breaks, students from first through sixth grade play dodgeball together and enjoy playing energetically as a group, regardless of their grade.

Their close relationships are supported by “mixed-grade group activities.” Students from first through sixth grade form a group to clean together or play as a group. These activities help all the students learn and remember one another’s faces.

Another appealing feature of Tsurajima Kita Elementary School is that the school is always filled with cheerful greetings. The students make a daily effort to greet others in a way that makes them feel good, and they aim to be elementary school students who greet people cheerfully not only at school, but also at home and around town.

Deep bonds made possible by the school’s small size, and cheerful greetings full of energy. The children of Tsurajima Kita Elementary School are working together to bring their community to life.

“What We’re Proud of About Our School and School District,” According to Tsurajima Kita Elementary School Students

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

We asked three children to share what makes Tsurajima Kita Elementary School and its school district special.

1. Rice Farming and Visits to Mandarin Orange Groves! The Rich Natural Surroundings of the School

The first thing Kokomi Sanaka told us she was proud of was the rich natural environment throughout the school district.

Fields and rice paddies stretch around the school building, and the Takahashi River flows nearby. The school makes use of this rich natural environment for unique learning activities, including rice-growing experiences and visits to mandarin orange groves.

For the rice-growing experience, the students borrowed a nearby rice paddy and tried planting rice in June and harvesting it in October. The experience of growing rice over a long period must have given them a sense of the rewards of farming.

Just behind the school is Ohirayama, affectionately known as “Mandarin Orange Mountain.” Third graders also visit the mandarin orange groves as part of their integrated studies. The area’s local specialty is close at hand, with an unmanned mandarin orange stand still operating today.

The opportunity to learn through hands-on experience in a school surrounded by nature seems to be a major attraction for the children.

2. A Variety of Events Organized by the Community

Next, Akuto Yamamoto told us about the many events organized by the community, with everyone working together.

Traditional festivals have been carefully preserved over the years, and people also work together on cleanup activities to keep the community clean. There are also events organized by parents, such as a Halloween festival and a roasted sweet potato gathering.

Yamamoto says his favorite is the summer festival. On the day, a giant “haunted maze” appears on the school playground. He told us it is a hugely popular maze every year, enjoyed not only by elementary school students but also by young children and junior high school students.

The many adults who work for the community and its children have created happy memories at Tsurajima Kita Elementary School.

3. The Warmth of the Community, Experienced Through Patrols and Volunteer Work

The last to speak was Mei Okuno. She told us about the warmth of the community, which she has experienced through interactions with local residents.

On their way to and from school, members of the neighborhood patrol watch over the children and cheerfully call out, “Have a good day!” and “Take care!” Okuno says that hearing these kind greetings gives her a positive start to the day, thinking, “I’ll do my best today, too!”

Many volunteers also support Tsurajima Kita Elementary School. From volunteers who pull weeds to help the flowers bloom beautifully around the school to reading volunteers who entertain the children with creative performances, local residents are essential to the children’s fulfilling school life.

It was clear that the entire community watches over and nurtures the children of Tsurajima Kita Elementary School. We hope they continue to grow up happily and healthily, surrounded by nature and interacting with many people.

Thank you to everyone at Tsurajima Kita Elementary School.

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.

Eleven children answered our questions this time.
It’s exciting to imagine their futures as professional athletes, theme park cast members, veterinarians, hairdressers, singers, and more.

The children’s determination to pursue their passions gave us adults great courage and moved us deeply.

Thank you to everyone at Tsurajima Kita Elementary School.