The Takahashi River flows through western Okayama Prefecture, joining with numerous tributaries along the way.
Kurashiki is where the waters of the river basin converge and flow onward.
In Kurashiki, the “Takahashi River Shijuku” opened in the fall of 2020.
The students who gathered came from the Takahashi River Basin and from across Okayama Prefecture and beyond, representing a wide range of occupations and backgrounds.
The instructors are also diverse, including former Community Revitalization Cooperators, practitioners such as board members of the Takahashi River Basin School, and experts in various skills and fields of knowledge.
It’s exciting to imagine what kind of school will emerge from bringing together such a diverse group of people.
Here is a report on the opening ceremony of the “Takahashi River Shijuku,” held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.
The information presented here was accurate when this article was published in December 2020. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is the “Takahashi River Shijuku”?
What kind of place is the “Takahashi River Shijuku”?
Its official page describes it as follows:
This is a school that uses the Takahashi River’s natural environment, history, culture, and industries as fieldwork materials. People of different generations learn from and challenge one another, regardless of their affiliations or positions, with the aim of developing into the next generation of people who will lead community development in the Takahashi River Basin and help create a “sustainable” region, and of putting what they learn into action.
Quote: Takahashi River Shijuku
The program was launched by Kurashiki City as part of the city’s “Municipal SDGs Model Project” and is run by the Takahashi River Basin School General Incorporated Association.
There are two course options:
- SDGs Inquiry Course
- Auditor Course
The “SDGs Inquiry Course” is described as follows:
Inquiry-based learning is a learning activity in which students set their own questions and themes, gather, organize, and analyze information to find solutions, and exchange ideas and collaborate with others. In this course, participants take part in the program with the expectation that they will produce outcomes, including practical exercises and presentations, in addition to classroom lectures.
Quote: Takahashi River Shijuku
The “Auditor Course” allows participants to attend classroom lectures individually, one session at a time.
The program ran from November 2020 through Sunday, February 14, 2021, when the completion ceremony was held.
For details, visit the Takahashi River Shijuku website.
The day of the Takahashi River Shijuku opening ceremony
The day’s program was as follows:
| Program | Person |
|---|---|
| 1. Greetings | Hiroshi Sakanoue, Representative Director of the Takahashi River Basin School |
| 2. Message from the Principal of the Takahashi River Basin School (video) | Nobutake Kanzaki, Principal of the Takahashi River Basin School |
| 3. Explanation of the project’s purpose | Yoshitaka Arimoto, Senior Manager, Planning and Management Office, Planning and Finance Department, Kurashiki City |
| 4. Overall schedule and main programs | |
| 5. Introduction of Takahashi River Basin School members | |
| 6. Learning in the Takahashi River Basin: past and future | Coordinator: Tatsuya Ishihara Kensaku Okubo, Former Representative Director of the Takahashi River Basin School Hiroshi Sakanoue, Current Representative Director of the Takahashi River Basin School |
| 7. Mini-workshop for participants | Facilitator: Tatsuyuki Matsubara |
| 8. Presentations by group representatives | |
| 9. Closing and administrative announcements |
The program included greetings from those involved, an overview of the Takahashi River Shijuku, a discussion, a mini-workshop for participants, and presentations by the groups.
Greetings from Hiroshi Sakanoue, Representative Director of the Takahashi River Basin School
Hiroshi Sakanoue, Representative Director of the Takahashi River Basin School, offered the students his congratulations on their enrollment.
About 10 years ago (around 2010), Sakanoue left the company where he was working at the time, hoping to “take part in community activities in my hometown of Kurashiki.”
He later met Yasunori Nakamura, now Deputy Representative Director of the Takahashi River Basin School, through support activities following the Great East Japan Earthquake and other efforts.
When Sakanoue asked Nakamura what was important in community work, Nakamura spoke of connections across the Takahashi River Basin and offered the key phrase, “from far away, from the most vulnerable places.”
Inspired by this phrase, Sakanoue visited the seven cities and three towns of the Takahashi River Basin and continued exchanging ideas with people involved in Community Revitalization Cooperator programs, NPO activities, and other initiatives.
Reflecting on these experiences, he told students who were researching the current state of the Takahashi River Basin or considering new initiatives that he hoped they would “cherish their connections.”
He also shared a saying by Ohara Magosaburo: “If seven or eight out of ten people agree, it’s probably better not to do it.”
He concluded by saying that he hoped the Takahashi River Shijuku would help bring about small but meaningful initiatives for a sustainable future for the region, at a time when the pandemic and other factors are bringing major changes to values around the world.
A message from Nobutake Kanzaki, Principal of the Takahashi River Basin School
Nobutake Kanzaki, Principal of the Takahashi River Basin School, delivered his message by video.
A discussion between the former and current Representative Directors of the Takahashi River Basin School
The former and current Representative Directors held a discussion titled “Learning in the Takahashi River Basin: past and future.”
The coordinator was Tatsuya Ishihara, Deputy Representative Director of the Takahashi River Basin School.
The discussion introduced the following developments in the history of the Takahashi River Basin School:
- The “GREEN DAY” activities that preceded the Takahashi River Basin School
- The establishment of the Takahashi River Basin School
- After five years of activity, leadership passed to a new generation, and Sakanoue became Representative Director in 2020
A mini-workshop for participants
Participants split into teams of four and introduced themselves and shared their thoughts on the following themes:
- Self-introduction (who you are now)
- Reason for participating (who you want to be in the future)
- The future of the basin (the future of the region)
After the workshop, each team presented what they had discussed, including why they had joined the Takahashi River Shijuku and how they hoped to contribute to the region in the future, along with their self-introductions.
Everyone had their own thoughts and reasons for taking part.
The presentations proceeded in a very warm atmosphere as everyone listened to the speakers’ thoughts.
From the Writer
When we were children, at least in elementary school, we had time to learn about the area where we lived.
For example, we had opportunities to learn about the area’s history, the challenges unique to the region, and who had undertaken what kinds of initiatives.
However, as adults, we are often caught up in our daily lives, and have fewer opportunities to turn our attention to our communities.
The Takahashi River Shijuku offers an Auditor Course that is open even to people who are not already involved in the community. Participants can attend classroom lectures on topics that interest them, one session at a time.
With an internet connection, you can participate from anywhere.
The Takahashi River Shijuku’s recruitment information says its curriculum is designed with the following people in mind:
- People who want to learn methods for solving local challenges
- People who want to learn how to plan and manage projects and events
- Business owners and employees who want to incorporate the SDGs into their business management
- Next-generation leaders involved in NPOs or community activities
- People who want to learn more about the SDGs, including government and education professionals
People who do not fit the categories above can also participate, and the more diverse the participants are, the more they can inspire one another.
It will be exciting to see what kind of community development takes place as new people emerge to lead the region through the Takahashi River Shijuku.
Takahashi River Shijuku opening ceremony details
| Name | Takahashi River Shijuku Opening Ceremony |
|---|---|
| Date | Opening ceremony: November 3, 2020, from 10:00 a.m. Takahashi River Shijuku program period: November 3, 2020–February 14, 2021 (completion ceremony) |
| Location | 1-18-1 Chuo, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, Kurashiki City Geibunkan Hall |
| Participation fee (tax included) | For details, see the Takahashi River Shijuku website. ① SDGs Inquiry Course participants 10,000 yen (includes in-person participation in all programs and access to archived recordings) ※The fee is the same for in-person and online participation. ② Auditors (classroom lectures only) In-person: 1,500 yen per session (limited capacity); online or archived recording: 500 yen per session ※A page accessible only to participants will be provided at a later date. ※Some lectures may require an additional fee to cover actual costs. ※Some lectures may be open to the public free of charge. |
| Website | Takahashi River Shijuku | Takahashi River Basin School |
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