Sea and Japan Project Public Relations Office
We held a marine education program “Umi and Kaminakata Small Project ~Sea School 2024~” in collaboration with schools!
July 25th (Thursday) and 26th (Friday), 2024 [Location] Day 1 / Shimaura-cho, Nobeoka City Day 2 / Sumie-cho, Nobeoka City
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The Sea and Japan Project in Miyazaki, a general incorporated association, will create an “opportunity to go to the sea” as a learning opportunity for 6th graders at Kaminakata Elementary and Junior High School on July 25th (Thursday) and 26th (Friday), 2024. We held the marine education program “Sea and Kaminakata Small Project ~Sea School 2024~” with the aim of creating a model for marine education in the prefecture.
This event is being held as part of the Nippon Foundation’s “Ocean and Japan Project,” which connects people through the sea in order to pass on the rich and beautiful ocean to the next generation.
[Image 1: https://prtimes.jp/i/77920/2783/resize/d77920-2783-e5fce854fc2517274635-0.jpg&s3=77920-2783-f54b971504e37bd2dedd4af8cb50de74-645×813.jpg]
[Image 2: https://prtimes.jp/i/77920/2783/resize/d77920-2783-33e2b50aa0b3d3cd77a5-1.jpg&s3=77920-2783-6d9880daaef271a387c2d3f0aa2e3d6d-1539×1154.jpg ]
Event overview
The Sea and Japan Project in Miyazaki collaborates with Nobeoka City Kaminakata Elementary and Junior High School to create an opportunity to go to the sea as a learning experience for 6th grade students at Kaminakata Elementary and Junior High School, and is a model for marine education in Miyazaki Prefecture. We decided to conduct a marine education program with the aim of creating a. In order to enable children who are a little afraid of the sea to participate in learning with interest, the secretariat will collaborate with the Board of Education and other organizations to identify issues related to marine education in the prefecture, and to provide schools with opportunities to take initiative in their activities. We will implement new marine education. This program will include a total of six learning sessions from April to July, and a presentation of the results will be held in November as the final conclusion.
Ultimately, the goal is to clarify how the children will face the future of Miyazaki’s sea and formulate actions that will enable them to decide how to act.
Date and time: Thursday, July 25th and Friday, July 26th, 2024, 8:20 a.m. to 4:20 p.m.
Location: Kaminakata Elementary School, Nobeoka City, Miyazaki Prefecture Participants: 19 6th graders from Kaminakata Elementary School Lecturer: Professor Shin Nishida, Faculty of Education, University of Miyazaki / Associate Professor Atsunori Murase, Department of Marine Biology and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki / Hattori, Fish Comedian
Introduction
I have studied four times so far and have deepened my understanding of the ocean. In the first lesson, we learned about the connection between mountains, rivers, and the sea, in the second lesson we learned about the blessings of the ocean, in the third lesson we learned about “ocean issues and marine resources,” and in the fourth lesson we learned about the marine environment and ecosystem. I learned about
In this study, we deepened our knowledge of the ocean by participating in exchange learning at Shimanoura Gakuen, where students actually live on an island surrounded by the ocean, and by learning about ocean issues to learn more about the local ocean. Ta. The goal of this study is to more specifically consider ocean issues that are close to us as “our own personal problems,” and to think about what we can do to pass on Miyazaki’s rich ocean to the next generation.
This event was scheduled to be a hands-on overnight learning experience as a culmination of the previous four pre-learning sessions, but due to the effects of Typhoon No. 3, there were strong sea swells around Shimanoura and the Sumie area. We have decided to cancel our activities and postpone our overnight stay. Programs that could not be implemented will be rescheduled in September.
Let’s go to Shimanoura Island!
First, 19 children from Kaminakata Elementary School boarded a boat from Aso Port in Kitaura Town and headed for Shimanoura Island. We enjoyed the scenery from the boat with Professor Shin Nishida of the Faculty of Education, University of Miyazaki, Associate Professor Atsunobu Murase of the Department of Marine Biology and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, and project supporter Mr. Hattori, a fish comedian, who were watching over us as observers.
A supporter said, “Shimanoura Island is the largest remote island in Miyazaki Prefecture off the coast of Nobeoka. Approximately 680 people live here, and more than 80% of the island is covered in forest, so you can feel the richness of the mountains as well as the sea. Before landing on the island, the children learned that people live in an area rich in natural blessings. The area where the children of Kaminakata Elementary School attend is located about 13km inland from the coast and surrounded by mountains, so most of the children are going on a boat for the first time. After admiring the view from the sea, we landed on Shimanoura Island.
The theme of learning here is how the environment differs from the environment in which the children live, and how the people living on the island live, while interacting with the children of Shimanoura Gakuen and exploring the sea. I’m going to learn.
[Image 3: https://prtimes.jp/i/77920/2783/resize/d77920-2783-fe2f1c35deba823a4487-2.jpg&s3=77920-2783-d029828f01e36c67f4f4e090e441695a-914×335.jpg] Shimanoura Gakuen, surrounded by the sea and mountains, rich in nature About 15 minutes from the mainland, we arrived at Uji Port in Shimanoura Town. From here, you will arrive at your destination, Shimanoura Gakuen, in about 5 minutes. As the children walked towards the city, what they saw reflected in their eyes was a view of the ocean and mountains. “There’s a mountain next to the sea!” he said with excitement.
[Image 4: https://prtimes.jp/i/77920/2783/resize/d77920-2783-6e794f07277ed6bd52ca-3.jpg&s3=77920-2783-8a743487a28094c9414fbc0f37d5be13-1007×370.jpg] The route from the port to the school
The purpose of my visit to Shimanoura Gakuen this time was to learn about Shimanoura Gakuen. At Shimanoura Gakuen, we have a class called “Shimoura Studies,” where children research about Shimaura Island, where they live, and give presentations in various places. On this day, all the students at Shimanoura Gakuen (11 elementary school students) taught us various things about Shimanoura.
There are many corals in Shimanoura, including the largest “table coral” in Japan, and the main industries in Shimanoura are purse seine fishing, tuna longlining, amberjack and red sea bream farming, and seafood processing. , I learned that most of the islanders are involved in the fishing industry. When there is a big catch, fish are distributed on the island, and when a new ship is built, a
mochi-throwing event is held, which is unique to the island.The children of Kaminakata Elementary School discovered the differences between their lives and took notes. I wrote down a lot.
[Image 5: https://prtimes.jp/i/77920/2783/resize/d77920-2783-49393cb7b0b60e81e575-4.jpg&s3=77920-2783-830454766801a1ff184ae0d50f40875a-915×334.jpg]
[Image 6: https://prtimes.jp/i/77920/2783/resize/d77920-2783-4d6b3e46265c9edfe75b-12.jpg&s3=77920-2783-d4bd0c9ac91e3c31b3c96a0538464837-930×341.jpg] Children at Shimanoura Gakuen also introduced the theme of
“Shimanoura’s natural environment and conservation” by picking up trash and creating awareness posters to protect the island’s environment, which were displayed at the high-speed boat pier. In this way, the children said, “We are working on this project with the desire to experience the best things about Shimaura, grasp the challenges, and contribute to the community as members of the community who grew up on the island and live their lives in connection with it.”
Children at Kaminakata Elementary School learned about “Shimaura Studies” and said, “There are no people around us who work on the sea,” “Even in Nobeoka, there is a culture that we don’t know about, so it was interesting.” “Everyone protects the island.” In the same way, we would like to continue our activities to protect our region and the ocean.” The students from Shimanoura Gakuen exchanged opinions and said, “I learned that Shimanoura has a different quality to it, that we live in a big mountain and surrounded by nature,” and discovered the differences and charms of each environment.
About the future of the sea and fish and unused fish
Next up is a class by Mr. Hattori, a fish-loving fish entertainer who has eaten 526 types of fish and caught 389 types, and holds the Japanese Fish Certification Level 1. First, as a greeting, we performed a parody song in which we chanted the names of the fish. Once the atmosphere was lively, we talked about today’s theme: unused fish. Unused fish refers to fish that rarely reach the market or are discarded. Mr. Hattori told the children about the deep-sea fish he had eaten so far, and that there are fish that are delicious but go unused due to lack of recognition or cultural differences, and that thinking about how to use these unused fish will help protect fish in the future. I talked about how it would lead to this. Fish entertainer Hattori says, “If you start liking fish, whether it’s by eating it, going to the aquarium, or fishing, that feeling will lead to protecting the ocean and fish in the future.” So I want them to like fish.”
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About Shimamura red sea bream farming
Next is a lesson on the cultivation of “Shimura red sea bream”. We spoke to Takuma Kinoshita of Kinoshita Suisan, a company specializing in sea bream fishing and aquaculture in Shimaura. The children explained that the characteristics of Shimamura red sea bream are its firm flesh and plump texture, and that the reason for this is that the fish are raised in a good fishing environment because the fish are raised in a place where the current is fast. I taught them. In addition, Kinoshita Suisan conducts aquaculture in which young fish are hatched from eggs, fed, and grown to 1.5kg to 2kg in about two years before being shipped. On this day, we prepared 2.3 kg of Shimura red sea bream sashimi that had just been prepared that morning, and the children sampled it. We received comments such as “It’s the most delicious fish I’ve ever eaten!” and “The juicy texture is delicious!” and we were able to enjoy the bounty of Shimaura’s sea.
[Image 8: https://prtimes.jp/i/77920/2783/resize/d77920-2783-66e07974e3ffb6361c37-6.jpg &s3=77920-2783-c777117B6539452D3A6F91C6F91C 96D6780E-961X329.jpg] (Left) Shimura red sea bream freshly harvested in the morning (Right) Takuma Kinoshita from Kinoshita Suisan
Collecting shells and observing creatures in the Sumie sea
Next we headed to Sumie Beach. Here, the children collected seashells needed to make keychains to commemorate their learning. The children were seen picking up seashells and picking up trash on their own, showing that what they had learned so far had taken hold and that they were taking the action as something they did for themselves. We also observed creatures in shallow water together with Professor Nishida, Associate Professor Murase, and fish entertainer Hattori. Fish entertainer Hattori immediately discovered squid eggs! Mr. Hattori told the children, “Squid grow here and become large, delicious squids, but without seaweed, the number of such fish will not increase, so this kind of environment is very important.” did.
[Image 9: https://prtimes.jp/i/77920/2783/resize/d77920-2783-95dae5c2dcc9bca4d985-7.jpg&s3=77920-2783-46dd83319713127ee0f150286b59b871-1070×253.jpg] Diverse fish in the northern part of the prefecture – Let’s play with fish karuta!
The second day has begun. The first activity was a fish lesson taught by Mr. Murase. Professor Murase conducts research on the diversity of fish in Miyazaki Prefecture and is creating an illustrated
encyclopedia of Miyazaki fish. In addition, I am working with students to create a “fish karuta,” which is a karuta of fish from the waters around Miyazaki. On this day, we used the karuta cards to play a game where we classified the fish that live in the Hyuga Sea into “fish that live in warm seas,” “fish that live in cold seas,” and “fish that live in intermediate seas.” The children worked on the game while seriously researching the fish using illustrated fish
encyclopedias. By the end of the game, the children learned that the nutrient-rich waters of the Kuroshio Current and the Oyashio Current mix, allowing a variety of fish to live there, deepening their understanding of Miyazaki’s oceans.
[Image 10: https://prtimes.jp/i/77920/2783/resize/d77920-2783-bba9714f4fb6940fcb26-8.jpg&s3=77920-2783-3fe4ce8b60befdb7f4aa590f874a9a7c-1327×317.jpg] Learn about the fish that live in the local sea at Sumie Family Aquarium! After learning a lot about Miyazaki’s fish, head to Sumie Family Aquarium! Here, fish that live in the waters around Nobeoka, as well as fish that live in rivers and lakes are on display, and you can even see the rare red turtle in the country. The children were divided into Mr. Murase’s group and fish comedian Hattori’s group, and listened to explanations about the fish on display. The children’s comments included, “I thought the red turtle was a small fish, but it was surprisingly big!” and “Its eyes were red.” Furthermore, when the children found their favorite fish, they introduced the fish to each other and enjoyed the aquarium. Children who saw the “Lionfish” made emotional comments such as “It’s so cute, it looks like it’s wearing a fluttering dress.”
[Image 11: https://prtimes.jp/i/77920/2783/resize/d77920-2783-5f7e1aa52c58332b5364-9.jpg&s3=77920-2783-ac8178ded469298d711a5f3caedb74c4-1043×255.jpg] Learning summary
After two days of study, we reflected on what we had learned. First, when we asked the students which learning experience left the most impression on them, they answered, “When I went on a boat to Shimaura, I was impressed by how beautiful the sea was.I learned that our lifestyle and food were different in Shimaura. There were presentations such as “I learned a lot of things” and “It was fun to learn more about fish. I learned that Japanese turtles are becoming rarer.” In addition, while looking back on the preliminary learning that we have been doing since April, we wrote down in our notebooks what actions we need to take to protect the rich ocean and its blessings, and what we felt through this learning. Afterwards, they gave presentations such as, “I learned that the first step to protecting the ocean is to love fish,” and “I often hear about not throwing away trash, but it is important to love the ocean and eat a lot of fish.” “Now that I know that eating fish can help protect the ocean, I want to continue eating a lot of fish.” The children’s understanding of the ocean has deepened through their previous studies. The results of this study will be presented at a presentation held in November.
A present from the fish comedian Hattori!
At the end, fish comedian Hattori gave the children drawings as gifts. The children requested their favorite fish, and Hattori poured his heart into drawing each one. When one student asked why he requested sockeye salmon, he said, “I ate salmon and it was delicious, so I started liking fish.I bought a fish book and was researching salmon, and when I saw sockeye salmon, I thought it was cool. It’s my favorite fish,” he said happily.
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Children’s voices
・I learned a lot of things I didn’t know. I want to continue learning about the ocean and protecting the ocean in my area.
・I realized that in order to protect the rich ocean, it is important for each of us to respect the ocean.
・I want to know more about the ocean. I want to keep researching it myself and fall in love with the sea.
・I learned more about fish from the beginning. I want to do more research on my own and eat more fish that I don’t know about. -Organization Overview-
Organization name: General Incorporated Association Sea and Japan Project in Miyazaki
URL: https://miyazaki.uminohi.jp/
Activities: Based on the philosophy of the Nippon Foundation’s “Ocean and Japan Project,” we are working to pass on Miyazaki’s rich ocean to future generations.
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Nippon Foundation “Ocean and Japan Project”
The sea supports Japanese people’s lives in various ways, sometimes giving them peace of mind, excitement, and inspiration. This is an all-Japan project that aims to encourage people across the country, including children, to view the ongoing environmental deterioration of the oceans as their own, and to expand the circle of action to preserve the oceans for future generations. is.
https://uminohi.jp/