Aki River and Barbecue

During this event, we had four Scouts with us, Ikuto, Yuna, Sachi, and Frankie.

After everyone met at Tachikawa Station, we formed pairs and headed on our trip to the river. For the special occasion, we took a car instead of the train. On the way there, we started by writing the date and event name in our journals.

Then, we spent some time learning the different food groups, naming them and writing what foods match with which group. Because our first stop was a supermarket, we then used our knowledge of the food groups to decide what to buy. Some popular requests were corn, asparagus, hot dogs, rice balls, cucumbers, and grilled meat. Soon enough, we were out of the store and back on track for Aki River.

After a short ride, we arrived, and the Scouts helped unload and carry the group’s luggage down to the river-side. When the tents and picnic mat were set up, the kids got ready to go in the water. Before that, Mr. Mark gave a rundown of some safety rules and tips, and then the Scouts were free to explore and play (with plenty of help and supervision, of course)!

Although the Scouts enjoyed splashing in the shallows and exploring the river life, they soon decided that fishing was far more interesting. So, with some open ziplock bags, a bit of bread, and a lot of patience, the Scouts set to work on their fishing venture. Even if only one fish was caught, they still had a great time! In the blink of an eye, it was time for lunch.

Mr. Mark called everyone over, and gave a demonstration on fire-starting and fire safety. Once the little fire did manage to start though, it was nearly smothered by the avalanche of sticks from the well-meaning Scouts. Luckily, Mr. Mark salvaged the fire, and lunch preparations went on undisturbed. Sachi and Ikuto helpfully volunteered to assist with vegetable preparation, but when it was time to start cooking, it was all hands on deck! In no time, lunch was ready, and everyone was able to enjoy a delicious lunch of their own making.

After lunch and a brief rest, all the Scouts were full of energy once again. So we started Mr. Mark’s special project, the “ecosystem in a jar”. Scouts explored the river to find mud, water, vegetation, and sand to place in their personal jar. When they had created their mix, the lids were sealed tight, and the jars were placed in the shade. Now, over the next year, if you keep the jar closed, you can use a magnifying glass to observe life bloom in your own personal ecosystem! Ikuto and Sachi even managed to catch a shrimp for their ecosystem!

Next, we spent some final time playing in Aki River. We went across the river together and swam in the deeper section. The Scouts even got to jump off a small boulder and into the water! By this time, the Scouts had gotten much more tired out, and we headed back to shore to change and pack up.

Before we knew it, we were back in the car, enroute to the station. With some guidance, the Scouts finished their journals and relaxed for the rest of the trip, drawing and chatting with their friends. Then, we arrived back at Tachikawa Station, and everyone made it safe and sound to drop off.

All of the Scouts had a great day of discovery and exploration at the Aki River, and we hope we’ll see you all again soon!