On November 7th, the Kyoto Model Forest Association (KMFA) held the “Children’s Forest Learning Session 2021” supported by Soroptimist International Kyoto.

A total of 23 people including 11 elementary school students participated.

After arriving at Cable-Hachimanguguchi Station by bus, the participants took the cable car to Iwashimizu Hachimangu. Mr. Tanaka from Iwashimizu Hachimangu shrine welcomed them and gave a lecture about the guardian forest and its history. He also mentioned Edison, who succeeded in inventing incandescent light bulbs using bamboo from the nearby forests.

Next, Yawata Take (Bamboo) Club, a local non-profit organization that focuses on maintaining the local bamboo grove, helped the children to make bamboo toys while explaining their contribution to protecting the local biodiversity and the healthy forest environment.

In the afternoon, they walked down the hill while listening to a lecture about the guardian forest by the instructors from the Kyoto Forest Instructor Association and observed leaves or plants with a magnifying glass.
At the end of the program, each child received a “participation certificate” made using paper made from local trees.

Participants commented,
“I’m glad I could hear stories about the guardian forest that I didn’t know about before.” “This was my first time seeing and learning about camphor trees, which have been protected for centuries in the guardian forest, and how we can use camphor as a moth repellent.”

This project was supported by Soroptimist International Kyoto.