Kenji Miyazawa Research

On October 23rd, I went on a field trip to Hanamaki with second grade students to do research about Kenji Miyazawa. We visited the Kenji Miyazawa museum and Kenji Miyazawa Dowa Mura (Fairy Tale Village).

Students were divided into groups, and each group researched one of Kenji Miyazawa’s interests in order to make posters and write reports about him.

I asked the students, “What topics are you researching?” They told me:

• Music and art
• Space/The Universe (the Cosmos)
• Science
• Religion
• Agriculture

Kenji Miyazawa Museum

First, we visited the Kenji Miyazawa museum at the top of a hill. There were 367 stairs to the top of the hill!

The museum had his original manuscripts, personal belongings, publications, and research findings organized into his five areas of interest.  I was surprised to learn that Kenji Miyazawa had so many influences in his life and he had many interests besides writing fairy tales and poems. I also didn’t know that he had so much knowledge as an agricultural science teacher, astrologist and farmer. He tried to use his knowledge of agriculture to help local farmers.

The museum is surrounded by forest, and there is a shrine and viewpoint just a short walk away.

Kenji Miyazawa Dowa Mura (Fairy Tale Village)

We walked down the stairs to Fairy Tale Village and had lunch outside in Milky Way Square. The weather was perfect for a picnic!

In the afternoon, we visited Kenji’s School, Kenji’s Classrooms, and took a walk in the grounds of the village. We had fun experiencing 5 magical worlds in the rooms of Kenji’s School: the Fantastic Hall, Space Room, Sky Room, Earth Room, and Water Room.

In the log-house classrooms, we could learn about the plants, animals, stars, birds, and rocks that appear in Kenji’s fairy tales.

Now, it’s your turn! Let’s practice!

A:  When did you go on a field trip?

B:  We went on a field trip (on) ～

A:  Where did you go?

B:  We went to ～

A:  Why did you go there?

B:  Because we ～

A:  What did you do there?

B:  We visited ～　and (activities).

A:  How was your field trip?

B:  It was ～　(I enjoyed ～)