“Gather Around! Elementary School Students” Honjo Elementary School Edition (Aired April 18, 2026) 〜 What is Honjo Elementary School doing to foster bonds with the local community, guided by the belief “You can do it if you try”?

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 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 April 18, 2026 (Saturday) episode featured Honjo Elementary School in Kojima, 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 here is current as of the article’s publication in June 2026. Please note that it may differ from current information.

FM Kurashiki: “Gather Round, Elementary School Students!”

“Gather Around! Elementary School Students” interviews sixth graders at the schools it visits, taking an in-depth look at what makes their school special. Also featured is “District Pride,” which introduces the good things about the area and what children like about it, from an elementary school student’s perspective.

The program also features heartwarming interviews that may even move adults, as children talk about their exciting dreams for the future and express their gratitude to the family members who are always by their side.

This time, we visited Honjo Elementary School in Kojima, Kurashiki City. The school focuses on its own initiatives that teach children the joy of making steady efforts.

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

About Honjo Elementary School

First to introduce the school was Moriwake Nonoka. She spoke clearly and confidently, showing no sign of nervousness.

Honjo Elementary School has a project called “The We Did It by Trying Hard and Saying Thank You Campaign,” which encourages children to make steady efforts and connect through gratitude.

Inspired by the fable “The Tortoise and the Hare,” this initiative values the spirit of persevering and taking on challenges like the tortoise, as well as expressing “thank you” to those who offered advice and to oneself for making the effort.

The activity is simple: children write about their growth and gratitude on special cards and put them in a school mailbox. The submissions are shared with the whole school during the lunchtime broadcast. The school’s mascot, Kotsukame-kun, sometimes hands out “I Did It by Trying” cards, and nearly 500 cards have been collected so far.

Moriwake shared some of the cards submitted so far.

They describe small everyday efforts, such as a fourth grader’s gratitude that “I was able to play the xylophone thanks to my friend,” and the joy of “jumping rope with first and second graders and managing 122 jumps.”

The greatest feature of Honjo Elementary School is its children, who can steadily work toward even the smallest everyday goals like the tortoise. With the motto “If we try again tomorrow, we can do it together on the count of ‘ready, set,’” the children were continuing to take on challenges today.

“What We’re Proud of About Our School and District,” as Told by Honjo Elementary School Students

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

We asked three children to tell us what makes Honjo Elementary School and its district special.

1. The Becha Festival, held for around 400 years

The first to share a point of pride was Fujita Hiroto. He spoke about the traditional event “Becha Festival,” which has been held in the Honjo district for about 400 years.

The Becha Festival is held every year on the third Saturday and Sunday of October. It is said to have begun when people received a deity from a shrine in Fukuyama City after an epidemic broke out in Shionasu.

A highlight of the Becha Festival is the unique tradition of a tengu carrying bamboo leaves and striking children with them. It is said that the spot struck by the tengu will be blessed with good health. A mikoshi (portable shrine) also appears at night, and the entire town of Shionasu becomes very lively.

“Please come visit Shionasu,” Fujita said enthusiastically, sharing the appeal of this festival that the whole community enjoys together.

2. Greeting Campaign with Local Residents

Next, Tanimoto Chako introduced the daily “Greeting Campaign.” It is not just the students and teachers who take part; local residents also participate actively.

Tanimoto said that exchanging greetings “makes for a pleasant day.” Through greetings, children naturally grow closer to local residents, creating a cheerful atmosphere. These small daily efforts seem to bring energy not only to the school but to the entire community.

3. Warm Bonds with Local Residents

The last to present was Furukawa Kaho. She said she was proud of the “close relationships with local residents.”

At Honjo Elementary School, local residents play an active role in all kinds of aspects of school life.

For example, in addition to “Calculation Dojo” and “Traditional Games Day,” fifth graders plant and harvest rice together with local residents. Every Friday morning, reading volunteers also come to read entertaining picture books. The wide range of exchange—from learning and play to agricultural experiences—is a great source of pride for Honjo Elementary School.

An environment where children can learn many things from adults other than their teachers and family supports the rich development of Honjo’s children.

The children of Honjo Elementary School lead energetic lives with the spirit of “If you try, you can do it.” Supported by their teachers and, of course, local residents, we look forward to seeing them continue to grow.

Thank you to everyone at Honjo 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.

Five children answered our questions this time.
Imagining their futures as aquarium keepers, chocolatiers, chefs, childcare workers, and police officers is exciting.

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

Thank you to everyone at Honjo Elementary School.

From the Writer

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

With every visit to an elementary school, we have seen how children grow day by day with the warm support of teachers and local residents.

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