In Mabi, Kurashiki City, which suffered extensive damage from the July 2018 Heavy Rains, an organization has been creating places for children since 2019.
“Let’s play, learn, and connect” is the guiding principle of Gakumabi. Adults and university students have worked together to protect a place where children can be themselves.
Although he was himself affected by the disaster in Mabi, the group’s representative, Matsumoto Tatsumi, has supported these activities.
Here we introduce Gakumabi’s activities and its hopes for the future.
The information presented was current when this article was published in April 2026. Please note that it may differ from current information.
About Gakumabi
Since it was founded in 2019, Gakumabi has carried out activities under the theme “Let’s play, learn, and connect,” proposed by the students who started the group.
How the activities began
The activities began in 2019, when a Yamaguchi University student saw a news report about the July 2018 Heavy Rains and learned that “things are still difficult for the children of Mabi.”
Unable to sit still, the student went alone to a care facility in Mabi and began looking for ways to help. The student connected with others volunteering in Okayama and students from Kurashiki. When the three began working together, saying, “We want to do something,” Matsumoto was one of the adults asked to support them.
Even before the July 2018 Heavy Rains, Matsumoto had been running a support group for families of people with dementia as a community activity. Having also been affected by the disaster himself, he began working with the students, thinking, “Maybe there’s something I can do.”
In 2019, although the evacuation shelters had closed, many children were unable to return to their homes in Mabi, while others had returned to Mabi but had nowhere to play.
With elementary schools on summer break and parents at work, there was a great need for a place where children could be safely looked after. In August 2019, the group began creating a place where children could spend time freely.
The group registered as a voluntary organization in June 2020 and has continued its activities ever since.
Activities
Gakumabi’s activities are held mainly on Sundays, with a goal of meeting twice a month.
The main activities currently offered for elementary school students are as follows:
- Playing and learning with children
Creative crafts, origami, drawing, tag, neighborhood walks (looking for hazards), “What does ethical mean?”, English-language cooking, and more - Connecting with local residents
Mochi-pounding events, hikes to Mt. Tengu, children’s yoga classes, introduction bingo, and more
Alongside free play for elementary school students, the group invites volunteer instructors from outside to lead yoga, cooking, board games, and other activities, offering programs that combine play and learning.
University students take the lead in planning and running the activities, while Matsumoto and other adults support them with planning and logistics. The group also places importance on the growth of the university students who run it, fostering their initiative so they can try things they find interesting and test their abilities.
In 2023, junior high school students also launched MMP (Mabi Future Project), in which they consider what they can do for Mabi’s future and plan activities such as disaster-preparedness workshops.
What the activities are like
On the day of the writer’s visit, two university students and 15 elementary school students took part.
After playing in the Community Center in the morning, they headed to a nearby schoolyard in the afternoon in response to the children’s request to “play outside.”
After returning, they enjoyed an art activity planned by the university students, dyeing fabric with alcohol and permanent markers.
They lined up their finished pieces and showed them to one another, saying, “This is so pretty!”
Some children focused on making art, while others played with balloons or blocks. The sight of them enjoying themselves in their own ways was memorable.
We spoke with Matsumoto, who has been involved with Gakumabi since its founding and has worked hard to keep its activities going.
Gakumabi at a glance
| Organization name | Gakumabi |
|---|---|
| Representative | Matsumoto Tatsumi |
| Year established | 2019 |
| Address | Mabi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Website | Gakumabi |
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