[Topics] Rich Learning at a small-scale school in a mountain village ―Students from Ookawauchi Elementary School in Shiiba Village Experience Field-based Learning at the Shiiba Research Forest!

On November 21, 2025, all ten students of Ookawauchi Elementary School in Shiiba Village, Miyazaki Prefecture, took part in an experiential learning program at the Shiiba Research Forest, Kyushu University. Ookawauchi Elementary School is a small school with just ten students, located deep in the Kyushu Mountains, where it takes nearly an hour by car to reach the nearest convenience store. As such, the school serves as an invaluable center of learning for the local community. This program is part of an ongoing collaborative initiative between the Shiiba Research Forest and its neighboring Ookawauchi Elementary School, conducted annually.

While the program normally includes a summer overnight stay in the dormitory of the Shiiba Research Forest, unfavorable weather this year prevented sufficient activities from taking place. Therefore, the program was reorganized and carried out as a "one-day experiential learning" event.

Blessed with fine weather on the day, the elementary school students entered the forest under the guidance of technical staff from the Shiiba Research Forest, where they learned the names of tree species while walking through the woodland and observed fallen leaves and seedlings. They also visited a sawtooth oak (kunugi) experimental plot and a deer-exclosure site, gaining exposure to real research settings at the university. Including lunchtime at the locally cherished "Goshin Fall," the children appeared to be fully engaging their senses as they experienced the life and vitality of the forest.

Later, the elementary school students sent warm heartfelt letters of thanks, expressing their joy in learning the names of trees, their surprise at encountering diverse plants and soil, and their realization of the importance of protecting the nature around them.

The Shiiba Research Forest has long supported the experiential learning activities of Ookawauchi Elementary School. The unique experiential learning initiative for elementary school students conducted using University Forest, have been highly praised by the local community, including recognition from the Miyazaki Prefectural Board of Education.
The Shiiba Research Forest will continue to strengthen its collaboration with local educational institutions as a community-oriented facility, supporting the rich learning experiences of the next generation.

Contact

Kyushu University Forests　Shiiba Research Forest Website