Satoyama Challenge: Suigen Kids Camp Summer 2026

About this event

A 4-day, 3-night children's camp will be held based at Kikuchi Furusato Suigen Koryukan, a repurposed closed school facility in the Suigen district of Kikuchi City, Kumamoto Prefecture. Through outdoor experiences centered on fire, children will cook their own meals and enjoy dining together. Activities such as gathering twigs in coppice woods to start fires and chopping firewood to cook rice in a traditional hagama pot nurture time-honored wisdom and skills. The main summer event is river play in the Kikuchi River. Along with playing in the water, children will learn safety measures to protect their lives, including understanding water hazards and using life jackets. At night, they will sleep in tents and enjoy bonfires under a sky full of stars. Over the 4-day, 3-night period, more than 20 experiential programs in total will be conducted, aiming to foster children's connection with nature, acquisition of camping skills, and above all, their 'zest for living.' The program also includes interactions with local satoyama residents.

Venue

Kikuchi Furusato Suigen Koryukan

1600 Hara, Kikuchi, Kumamoto 861-1441