On Saturday, October 21, 2023, the Kyoto Model Forest Association held a “Children’s Forest Growing and Hands-on Learning” session, supported by Soroptimist International of Kyoto, and 30 people, including 15 children, attended the event.

Mr. Matsumoto and Mr. Sumiyama of the Kyoto Kitayama Maruta Production Cooperative guided the participants to Nakagawa Hachimangu Shrine in Nakagawa village, Kita-Ward, Kyoto, to see the mother tree of Kitayama cedar, and then to Sugisaka to observe daisugi cedars.
The children and the parents visited the cooperative’s training center, where Mr. Matsumoto gave them a lecture about the origin and history of Kitayama Cedar.

(Left) Greetings from Ms Amano, the former President of Soroptimist International of Kyoto
(Right）Mr. Matsumoto explains about Kitayama Cedar

How old is this Kitayama cedar? Let’s count the annual rings.

After lunch, the participants experienced a part of an elaborate process of peeling and polishing Kitayama logs. They then made their own Kitayama cedar chopsticks using a small special planer and a file.
At the end of the session, Mr. Matsumoto and Mr. Sumiyama handed out certificates of participation to the children, and the event was closed.

KMFA will continue to hold events to familiarize children with the local forests that have supported Kyoto’s history and culture through learning and hands-on experiences.

This project was sponsored by Soroptimist International of Kyoto.