“Gather Around, Elementary School Students!” Daiyon Fukuda Elementary School Edition (Broadcast September 5, 2026) 〜 The alma mater of Hoshino Senichi! Daiyon Fukuda Elementary School, filled with heartwarming community exchange and smiles

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

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

The September 5, 2026 (Saturday) broadcast featured Daiyon Fukuda Elementary School in Kitase, Kurashiki City.

Here are the lively voices of the children.

This article was contributed by FM Kurashiki Co., Ltd. The Haretoco General Incorporated Association editorial team edited and published it.

The information in this article was accurate when it was published in September 2026. Please note that it may differ from current information.

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

On “Gather Around! Elementary School Students,” we interview sixth graders at the elementary schools we visit to explore what makes their schools special. Also worth noting is “What Makes Our School District Special,” 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 Daiyon Fukuda Elementary School in Kitase, Kurashiki City.

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

About Daiyon Fukuda Elementary School

First to introduce the school was Hayato Watanabe. He enthusiastically shared what makes Daiyon Fukuda Elementary School special.

The school’s greatest appeal is that it is full of smiles and everyone, from first to sixth grade, gets along very well. He says the students enjoy school life with the dependable sixth graders at the center, kindly looking out for the younger students.

The school also holds many events, including a sports presentation and the Water Festival, providing plenty of opportunities to connect warmly with families and local residents. What’s more, the school has four beloved characters who are a source of pride for everyone.

Daiyon Fukuda Elementary School cherishes its ties with the community and is filled with smiles and kindness.

Students of Daiyon Fukuda Elementary School 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 children shared what they love about Daiyon Fukuda Elementary School and its district.

1. Smiles Spread! The Whole Community Works Together to Offer Cheerful Greetings

The first thing Mayu Komatsubara shared about her community was its culture of greetings that bring people closer.

On their way to and from school, local residents warmly call out “Good morning,” “Have a good day,” and “Welcome home.” Komatsubara says she also makes a point of greeting people with “Good morning,” and is very happy when they respond with a smile. She says exchanging smiles and greetings lifts her spirits, puts her at ease, and makes her feel ready to do her best for the day.

Komatsubara concluded, “I want to keep taking the initiative to greet people and cherish a community filled with smiles.” Greetings are important words that connect people. We hope this will continue as a culture the community can be proud of.

2. Four Mascot Characters Created with Care Watch Over the Children

Next, Amato Nakami shared what he is proud of about the school: its four mascot characters. Each has a distinctive personality, and they are named after the “four” in the school’s name. The children adore them.

Nakami says his favorite is Tsunegen-kun, who is in charge of cheerful greetings. Each of the four characters has an important meaning and role, and it is a special feature of Daiyon Fukuda Elementary School that every child has a favorite character.

Watched over by these lovable characters, the children enjoy a lively and fun school life.

3. The School Attended by Hoshino Senichi, a Pillar of Japanese Baseball

The last student to share was Yuito Toyosaki. He said he was proud that the school was attended by former professional baseball player Hoshino Senichi.

Studying in the same school building as this great senior who helped shape Japanese baseball is a source of great pride for the children.

Toyosaki says, “I want to become a professional baseball player in the future.” We hope that one day he will make his mark on the baseball world like Hoshino Senichi and help bring even more vitality to the community.

Daiyon Fukuda Elementary School cherishes connections across grade levels and warm ties with local residents. Let’s continue to watch over the children so they can enjoy a lively and fun school life alongside the four mascot characters.

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.

Ten children answered our questions this time.
Some hope to become licensed architects, professional gamers, nail artists, or scientists, while others shared a positive outlook, saying, “I don’t have a dream yet, but I want to find one.” It’s exciting to imagine everyone’s dreams for the future.

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

Thank you to everyone at Daiyon Fukuda Elementary School.