We were warmly invited by a local farmer, and recently our YBS Preschool children set out for a daikon harvesting adventure.
This time, the children were harvesting Miura Daikon—so big they were nearly the same size as the children themselves!!
As soon as they arrived at the field, energetic voices filled the air:
“うんとこしょUn-tokosho! どっこいしょDokkoisho!”
With their cheerful chants, they took on the giant daikon buried deep in the soil.
Some children tried to pull them out with all their strength on their own.
Others called out, “Let’s do it together!” and worked in pairs.
With hands and faces covered in dirt, they pushed, pulled, and tried again and again.
They looked so determined—like they were standing in front of a giant challenge and declaring, “We’re going to do this!”
At first, the daikon wouldn’t budge.
But little by little… it started to move.
“It’s moving! It’s moving!”
With one final push—pop!—out it came.
Cheers, laughter, and wide-eyed smiles spread across the field.
The sense of accomplishment they felt was far greater than simply pulling out a big vegetable.
They learned the courage to face something difficult, the perseverance to keep trying, and the power of teamwork.
As they pulled the daikon from the earth, they were also pulling out something from within themselves—
their own strength to take on a challenge.
This time, many parents also joined us as volunteers.
We traveled by train and bus—a small journey that became part of the learning.
For our international families especially, the view from the train window was unforgettable.
Soft pink Kawazu cherry blossoms blooming along the tracks, and neatly cultivated fields filled with a variety of vegetables—Japan’s seasonal beauty unfolding before their eyes.
Children gently reminded each other, “We need to be quiet on the train.”
Even the travel time became learning time.
Public manners, seasonal changes, and the rhythm of local life all connected naturally.
By the end of the day, we had harvested more than 300 daikon!!!
Back at school, the harvest was shared with everyone—from the Baby Room to Middle School students, along with parents and staff.
At the entrance, daikon were stacked high.
“I pulled this one out!”
“I got a really heavy one!”
The pride on their faces was impossible to hide.
The feeling of the soil, the moment of struggle, the joy of success—those memories were already part of them.
Those 300 giant daikon did more than fill our school entrance.
They brought together local farmers, families, children, and staff as one community.
It was not just a harvesting trip.
It was a day created together—through support, cooperation, and shared experience.
And within that day, children discovered courage, teamwork, and gratitude toward the community that supports them.
We truly believe that the confidence and thankful hearts nurtured through this experience will continue to support their learning and growth in the years ahead.