Ecoplus conducted “the camp in the deep snow” from Mar 21 to 24, 2023, in Shimizu village, in Niigata, Japan. Unfortunately we could not set the period including weekend, we had only four university students but they acquired a lot of knowledges and skills from the local people and enjoyed self build simple life on the snow for four days.
Although we had less snow than normal years In this winter, we had more than 1 meter of snow in Shimizu area. The weather conditions was dry and warm in early days, but later part we had not snow but rain.
In this camp, we slept in tents on the snow. We cooked on the snow making fire on the snow. We kept melting snow in a big pot on fire for drinking and cooking water. Students learnt how to use shovels for cutting snow to make objects such as tables and sitting place.
In the night of Mar 22, we had very clear sky without any clouds and the moon. So stars were sharp and bright filling all direction. Students laid on the snow for stargazing and they were excited to observe bright meteors.
In these convenient daily life environments, only with one action, we can get hot water, bright lights, and flash toilet instantly. Apart from such “convenient life,” we need to prepare fire wood, make fire, melt snow and play with its own creative ideas. Through such actions one by one, the faces of students changed clearly.
Local people kindly joined the program and vividly talked about the history, the nature, mountains, animals and life of the area. One of students commented that the life would be more free rather than just following a fixed path thought be “successful.“
In this August, ECOPLUS organized four day-camp programs in Minamiuonuma, Niigata. Those were planned to provide opportunities to touch and feel the nature in this seventh wave of COVID-19. In total 39 elementary and junior high students experienced fun in the beech forest, in a pond and in a fresh stream.
On August 11 and 12, at Amaike site, we had nature observation in the morning and canoe class in the afternoon. The nature specialist, Mr. FUKAZAWA Kazuki kindly prepared observation note for each of participants. With the note, we walked through the forest with beech trees. Kids learned different types of plants, like, one has good smell called “Kuromoji,” or a poisonous one called “Urushi.” Tiny lizards were caught by participants and could be observed closely.
On August 18 and 19, students experienced nature observation and stream walk. At the elevation of 700 meters without any houses around, the nature was so rich even in the camping area. Uncountable number of red dragonflies, many grasshoppers and butterflies filled the area. Children were running around with nets. For lunch, they sharpened sticks to grill sausages on fire. In the afternoon, they spent time in the stream with snow melted water from the Mt. Makihata. At the end, they played with traditional bow and arrows. The bow was made out of small branches and arrows were stems of pampas grass.
In all four programs, children were heading back to home, saying like “Wanted to keep catching insects more.” Although all of those participants are from Minamiuonuma city, they did not have much of experiences playing in the nature. The programs looked like good opportunity to feel and touch to the natural environment.
Celebrating 30th year since ECOPLUS started the program in Yap, Micronesia and Kaohagan in the Philippines, a big reunion was held online on Sept. 4, 2021. Ex-participants who were elementary students to early 20s were now well grown adults living in all over Japan and the world from Hokkaido to Okinawa, US, Europe, Australia and other Asian countries. All of those enjoyed talking with old friends doing the session.
I addition to the ex-participants and supporting staff, we had Tina, Linda, both participated invitation tour to Japan in 1997, and En, Sean, both participated Japan tour in 2013, 17 and 19, from Yap.
Under the direction of Nigatsu, participated in 1994, and Daisuke, participated in 1999, the event was proceeded. TAKANO Takako, executive director of ECOPLUS had a presentation about the situation of Yap and Kaohagan. OHMAE Jun-ichi, Manager of ECOPLUS, explained about it projects in Yap for sustainable future.
Based on the year of participation, we broke out into 18 sessions. Some were first time to join in such reunion but participants clearly identified each other with old memory and chatting were not easy to be stopped.
In the second general session, messages from Yap were given then 4 ex-participants had short talk about their life after the program. One person working for a Japanese trading company stationed in Australia said “I leaned the way to hear the voice from the different culture in the program. It was the base for my life. Now the capitalism is seeking the harmonious relations with the nature. It might be the good time for the ex-participants to work together”.
After another breakout session, the event was concluded in two hours and 15 minutes. After the official closing, still we had an half of the participants in the conference room and continued talking.
During the meeting faces of some month old babies to junior high children were repeatedly appeared. In these 30 years, a wave of one generation surely progressed.
“What is the true happiness?” This was the main common theme of our past programs. Through out the session, each person looks like living their life with this question in mind.