"Gather Around! Elementary School Students" Kure Sister School Edition (Aired on April 4, 2026) ~ The unique charm of Kure Sister School, featuring the Dan琴 Club serving matcha during the Safety Patrol and "Dan琴 Festival"

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 April 4, 2026 (Saturday), we introduced the situation at "Kurese Elementary School" located in Mabi, Kurashiki City.

We will share the lively voices of the children.

This article is a contributed piece by FM Kurashiki Co., Ltd. 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 sixth graders at the visited elementary schools, delving deeply into the charm of the schools everyone attends. Additionally, we highlight the "School District Pride," where children share the good and favorite aspects of their community from their perspective.

They talk about their exciting future dreams and express gratitude to their families who are always with them... We will also present heartwarming interviews that will surely touch the hearts of adults.

This time, we visited Kurese Elementary School located in Mabi, Kurashiki City. The total number of students is 71. It is a small school wrapped in a calm and warm atmosphere, surrounded by rich nature.

The charm of Kurese Elementary School was shared by the children right away.

About Kurese Elementary School

The first to introduce the school is Mahiro Yamabe. She shared a lot about the charm of Kurese Elementary School.

Despite having only 71 students, everyone is very close regardless of their grade, and during recess, they all play together. Yamabe said, "The air is very fresh," highlighting the rich nature surrounding the school.

Additionally, the children seem to value the traditions of the community.
Every October, at the Koto-hon Rock, where the great person of Mabi, Kibi no Makibi, is said to have played the koto, the "Dankin Festival" is held. Kurese Elementary School has a Dankin Club that serves tea at the festival, and they sometimes serve tea to the mayor.

Having valuable experiences deeply connected to the community is also a unique pride of Kurese Elementary School.

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

Next, we will introduce the "strong points of the school and school district" that the children are proud of.

Three children presented the charms of Kurese Elementary School and its district.

1. The presence of safety patrols that walk with us to and from school

The first pride shared by Narumi Imoto was the Safety Patrol by the local people.

As a unique initiative of Kurese Elementary School, adults do not just watch over the school route, but accompany the school groups and walk with them to school. Thanks to this thorough supervision, she shared, "I can go to school safely every day."

The safety patrol is a close and reassuring presence for the children, like a member of their school group.

2. The close relationships among all students across grades

Next, Ria Inada mentioned as her pride the closeness among all students.

Although it is a small school, the distance between everyone is close, and students from first to sixth grade invite each other to play. The playground during recess is lively, with everyone playing energetically regardless of their grade.

The warm atmosphere that arises from being able to see each individual’s face envelops Kurese Elementary School.

3. The unique "Dankin Club" of Kurese Elementary School

Finally, Shizuka Mano presented her pride.
She introduced the activities of the "Dankin Club," which values the traditions of the community.

In the club, the children learn the tea ceremony from scratch in preparation for the Dankin Festival held once a year. On the day of the festival, they showcase their skills and prepare delicious matcha using the techniques they have learned.

While mastering the formal techniques is challenging, experiencing the historically rich culture of the community is surely a valuable experience. The techniques and culture learned will surely be useful even when they grow up.

Kurese Elementary School is a warm school with the charm of a small, homely environment and rich nature. We hope to continue supporting initiatives like the Dankin Club that connect the traditions of the community to the next generation.

Thank you, everyone at Kurese Elementary School.

Voices of Children Looking Toward the Future

After learning a lot about the charm of the school, we also asked everyone about their future dreams.

The 11 children who answered the interview shared dreams of becoming athletes or animal caretakers, while others expressed a desire to be "people who can contribute to society," "kind people," or simply "wanting to live long." Imagining everyone's future selves is exciting.

The sight of children challenging themselves with "what they love" gives us adults great courage and inspiration.

Thank you, everyone at Kurese Elementary School.