Read and Study at Every Opportunity ~ Ninomiya Kinjiro

A statue of Ninomiya Kinjiro graces the entrance of Nitshitobetsu Elementary School, a common icon that encourages reading and studying at every opportunity. Ninomiya was a prominent 19th century Japanese agricultural leader, philosopher, moralist and economist”, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninomiya_Kinjiro, whose portrait depicts a boy reading while he walks carrying a heavy load on his back.

Mr. Watari, who had also joined the Fulbright Japan teacher exchange in San Francisco, was our guide during our elementary school visit. We first toured the school gardens where he showed use both the fields and the green house. The greenhouse was built and is operated in cooperation with the local community. In the fields, we saw rows of tomatoes, potatoes, cucumber, corn, soy bean and sugar beets. Whatever produce was not consumed by the school was donated to the community. Each grade at the school tends to a specific crop and the planting, harvesting and preparing is integrated into the curriculum. For example, the sugar beets are harvested and then prepared into sugar. The students learn how labor intensive this process is and discover just how many sugar beets are needed to make such a small amount of sugar. Another project is to grow, harvest and then ferment the soy bean. Later in the day, we joined the 5th graders in making miso soup from last years soy harvest. In the 3rd grade the integrated study unit emphasizes food culture and is called “Lets examine the rice”. Students plant harvest observe, thresh, cook and finally present their work.