“Gather Around, Elementary School Students!” Kurese Elementary School Edition (Aired April 4, 2026) 〜 What makes Kurese Elementary School special? The Dankin Club serves matcha during safety patrols and at the Dankin Festival.

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

Hosted by Asuka Abe, the program visits elementary schools in Kurashiki City to explore what makes each school and school district special, and interview children about their big dreams. Hearing directly from the children offers a fresh appreciation of the region’s appeal.

The April 4, 2026 (Saturday) broadcast featured “Kurese Elementary School” in Mabi, 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 was accurate when it was published in May 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 “What We Love About Our School District,” where children share what they like about their local area from their own perspective.

The program also brings you heartwarming interviews that may move adults as well, 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, the program visited Kurese Elementary School in Mabi, Kurashiki City. The school has 71 students in total. Surrounded by nature, it has a calm and welcoming atmosphere characteristic of a small school.

The children were quick to share what makes Kurese Elementary School special.

About Kurese Elementary School

First to introduce the school was Yamabe Mahiro. She told us all about what makes Kurese Elementary School special.

Although Kurese Elementary School has just 71 students, everyone gets along very well, regardless of grade, and they all play together during recess. The school is surrounded by abundant nature—so much so that Yamabe said, “The air is so fresh.”

The children also cherish local traditions.
Every October, the “Dankin Festival” is held at Kotohiki Rock, where Lord Kibi no Makibi, a historical figure from Mabi, is said to have played the koto. Kurese Elementary School has a Dankin Club that serves tea at the festival, and the students sometimes serve tea to the mayor.

The opportunity to have valuable experiences deeply connected to the community is another point of pride unique to Kurese Elementary School.

Kurese 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 students shared what they love about Kurese Elementary School and its district.

1. Safety patrol volunteers who walk to and from school with the children

The first thing Imoto Narumi told us she was proud of was the safety patrol run by local residents.

As a unique initiative at Kurese Elementary School, adults don’t simply watch over the children from the school route; they accompany the school groups and walk with them all the way to school. Thanks to this attentive support, she told us, “I can go to school feeling safe every day.”

For the children, the safety patrol volunteers are familiar and reassuring, almost like members of their school groups.

2. The close bonds among students across all grades

Next, Inada Ria said she was proud of how close all the students are.

It’s a small school, so everyone is close, and students from first through sixth grade invite one another to play. The playground is lively during recess, with children of every grade playing energetically together.

The warm atmosphere that comes from everyone knowing one another by face filled Kurese Elementary School.

3. The Kurese Elementary School–unique “Dankin Club”

The last student to speak was Mano Shizuka.
She introduced the activities of the “Dankin Club,” which cherishes local traditions.

The club members learn tea ceremony etiquette from scratch in preparation for the annual Dankin Festival. On the day of the festival, they demonstrate the tea-making techniques they have learned and prepare delicious matcha using the proper etiquette.

Learning formal tea ceremony etiquette is no easy task, but experiencing the region’s historic culture must be a valuable experience. The etiquette and culture they learn will surely serve them well even as adults.

Kurese Elementary School was a warm school, with the welcoming feel of a small community and abundant nature. We hope to continue supporting efforts such as the Dankin Club, which passes local traditions on to the next generation.

Thank you to everyone at Kurese 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.

Eleven children took part in the interviews. Some talked about dreams of becoming athletes or animal caretakers, while others said they wanted to become “people who contribute to society” or “kind people,” or that they wanted to “live a long life.” 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 moved us deeply.

Thank you to everyone at Kurese Elementary School.

From the Writer

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

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

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