On Saturday, December 9, 2023, a “Children’s Forest Growing and Hands-on Learning Session” was held at the “Kyoraku Centennial Forest” in Higashibetsuin-cho, Kameoka City, where Kyoraku Corporation, founded in Kyoto, had signed an “Agreement on Forest Use and Conservation” in commemoration of its 100th anniversary in 2009. With the cooperation of the Tera Production Forest Cooperative, the event was attended by members of the local Girl Scouts.
The Kyoto Forest Instructors’ Association members led the group on a nature observation walk along the path to the observatory. On the way, participants touched pine leaves, made sandals out of leaves of Camellia japonica, and flew leaves of ferns / Gleichenia japonica like a glider.
After arriving at the observatory, the participants observed the instructor thinning the soyogo tree, Ilex pedunculosa, which is a common tree species in the area. The children cut the log into their favorite coasters.
After the event, the participants checked the growth of the saplings they planted in the previous event and polished “Kukusa,” a mug made of locally-harvested Japanese cypress.
