Week 2 – Wednesday
Hi all! We are reaching the end of our 2025 Summer School; however, that doesn’t mean the fun has ended!!
Today, the upper grades visited the National Park in Omachi, an amazing park with loads of trees, so we could stay nice and cool(ish). As we entered the park, we made our way to a Dam in the middle of the forest. The students followed a path that wound through the forest, going up and downhill. Strategically placed bear bells made for a walk that had a nice “ring” to it. As we were walking, students were reminiscing about the times they had been here before with their parents and shared their stories with students who had never been here before.
Once we reached the Dam, students got very excited and wanted to go into the river as soon as possible. Parents! Thank you for preparing water shoes for all students! Everyone joined in the river, splashed each other, ran through the waterfall, found tadpoles and fish, and just cooled down in the chill mountain stream.
Once our time was up and we needed to continue, some students were sad to leave the stream and said they could play there for a couple more hours!
We made our way through the forest, taking water breaks and pauses to make sure everyone could catch up. Some students struggled a little with the walk; however, in the end, we all made it to the nice air-conditioned room where we had lunch. Everyone enjoyed their bentos while chatting and socializing with their friends around them. Some students were excited and looked forward to the next activity, making Gohei Mochi, a traditional type of mochi roasted on a stick, mostly made in Southern Nagano and the Kiso Valley area.
However, before we made it to the kitchen and the outside fire pit, we needed to make our way there. Rain had just started… However! Our students’ motivation did not falter! (Although some did make some remarks about not being particularly fond of the rain… 😉 ). A big thanks to the students who helped read the map! To those who helped push the cart with the bento boxes! And to those who kept their friends nice and dry by sharing their umbrellas. When we were walking, some students noticed how peaceful a walk in the rain was and how quiet the forest had become around us. They seemed to enjoy the peace and camaraderie.
When we arrived at the Craft Experience House, we were welcomed by their friendly staff! Some of the students recognized the staff members from several years ago when they visited and made pizza together. Staff members explained to the students how to make their mochi, wrap it around the sticks, and what to do next.
After that, students came outside and gathered around a huge fire pit where we stuck the mochi in the side and let it warm/roast a little. Once they were done, everyone was free to add some special miso paste to their mochi and enjoy a good bite! It seems like most students enjoyed their creations, and those who didn’t were quick to share theirs with their friends. It was lovely to see everyone share in their excitement. After our river play and mochi-making experience, we made our way back to the bus and enjoyed a relaxed and cool drive back to the campus. Students had a good and intense day (evidenced by some of the students taking a quick nap on the bus).
Please find a recipe for Gohei Mochi here (peanuts/walnuts optional): https://kyoudo-ryouri.com/en/food/385.html
Meanwhile, the lower grades enjoyed a day in and around the Gojo campus. In the morning, the students took a leisurely stroll around the campus grounds and decorated pinecones they had found the day before in the park. Some of the students helped prepare for the movie in the afternoon by making popcorn with some of the teachers. Yum!
After a yummy bento, students were all in a relaxed mood as they enjoyed watching a movie together in our own “Gojo Cinema”. Before the movie started, popcorn and juice were handed out, and, possibly to no one’s surprise, most of them had already finished both by the time the movie actually started! Haha!
