KUMANO NATURE EXPERIENCE - Global Summer Program 2026
Come experience both the ocean and mountains with your child (ren) Stay by the ocean in one of our two locally priced resorts while your child enhances their emotional, social, and cognitive skills at the sacred pilgrimage route Kumano Kodo in Wakayama with over 1,000 years of history.
Our five-day nature immersive program nurtures children through experiencing forests, rivers, and local culture to enhance their curiosity, emotional and social skill through hands-on inquiry-based learning at UTSUHO Academy in Nakabechi, Tanabe City, Wakayama and other sacred sites.
子どもたちが、自然の中に放たれ、つながる。
それは、自然の一部でもある自分自身を知り、他者とともに生きる感覚に出会うことでもあります。
グローバルなつながり、持続可能性、創造性、自ら考える力、そして協働する力。これらがこれまで以上に求められる時代です。その一方で、子どもたちは「自分は何者なのか」という感覚を見失い、テクノロジーへの依存の中で、本来持っていた自然な好奇心を手放しつつあります。
和歌山県熊野地域の豊かな自然環境、そして千年以上の歴史を持つ聖なる巡礼路の起点という特別な場所で、本プログラムは実施されます。5日間のグローバル・サマープログラムでは、子どもたちが森や川、地域文化を探究し、体験的な学びを通して仲間とともに好奇心を深めながら、英語環境で過ごします。
本プログラムは、うつほの杜学園で実践している「自然とつながる探究的な学び」に加え、SEL（社会性と情動の学習）のアプローチを取り入れています。自己を見つめ、感情に気づき、他者に共感し、関係を育む力。対話やリフレクション、協働的な活動を通して、子どもたちは自分自身と他者への理解を深め、よりよい関係性の中で生きる力を育んでいきます。
プログラムを通じて、子どもたちは自ら問いを生み出し、仲間とともに探究し、自分の言葉で世界を語りはじめます。
概要 About
Dates: August 3 (Mon) – August 7 (Fri), 2026 【5 days】
Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: UTSUHO Academy Elementary School + special sites, the Kumano Kodo, liver, forest
Age: from 5-11 years old
Capacity: max 25–30 participants (Applications will close once capacity is reached.)
Fee: JPY 99,000 (includes lunch and materials; transportation not included)
日程：８月３日（月）〜８月７日（金）【５日間】
時間：各日 ９: 00〜15 : 00
拠点：うつほの杜学園小学校＋周辺のフィールド
対象：年中〜小学４年生
定員：25〜30名程度
費用： 99,000円 昼食・教材費込み（バス代別途）
締切：7月17日（金）まで（※定員に達し次第、受付終了）
Our 5 days
Day 1 – Discover Yourself in Nature: Students explore the forest through a sensory walk, beginning their inquiry journey by asking, “Who am I in nature?” and creating a personal “Nature Identity Map.”
Day 2 – Water & Life: At the river, children investigate how water shapes ecosystems through observation and play, then build simple water systems and express their understanding in English.
Day 3 – Living with Nature: Through the stories of Kumano Kodo and interaction with local culture, students explore how people have lived in harmony with nature across time and cultures.
Day 4 – Create with Nature: Students visit Chishina Forest , collaborate to design and build solutions such as secret hats or nature-based creations, developing teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving skills.
Day 5 – Share Your Learning: The week culminates in a presentation where students share their discoveries, ideas, and reflections in English, celebrating their growth and confidence.
5日間の活動
Day 1 – 自然の中で自分を発見する
感覚を使ったリバー・フォレストウォークを通して森を探究し、「自然の中の私は誰か？」という問いから探究の旅を始め、自分自身の「ネイチャー・アイデンティマップ」を英語や日本語で表現します。
Day 2 – 水と生命
川での観察や遊びを通して、水がどのように生態系を形づくっているかを探究します。午後は竹やぶに出向き、水で使う竹道具づくりに励んだ後は自分たちの理解を英語で表現します。
Day 3 – 道とともに生きる
熊野古道を歩きます。古道にまつわる物語や地域文化との関わりを通して、人々がどのように自然と共に生きてきたのかを、時代や文化を超えて探究します。
Day 4 – 山で創る
千品山林に出向き、８代続く人と山の暮らしについて話を聞きながら森林の中で作品づくりなどに協働で取り組みます。
Day 5 – 学びを伝える
最終日はプレゼンテーションを行い、子どもたちは一週間の発見やアイデア、振り返りを「書道」による表現で行った後、英語で発表します。墨のにじみや筆の動きに想いを込めながら、世界にひとつの書として表現します。 自らの成長を分かち合い、プログラムを締めくくります。
一日の流れ Timeline
9:00- 9:30 Switch time
9:45-12:00 Morning activities
12:00-13:00 Lunchtime & playtime
13:00-14:40 Afternoon activities
14:40-15:00 Reflection time
On the final afternoon, students will present their reflection presentations. Parents are also welcome to attend.
9:00 SWITCH TIME（朝の切り替えの時間）
９:30 探究アクティビティ
12:00 ランチ・休憩
13:00 探究アクティビティ
14:30 ふり返りReflection
15:00 1日の活動終了
※予定は一部変更する場合あり。
最終日の午後は振り返りプレゼンテーションを行います。保護者もご参加いただけます。
Special collaboration 特別コラボレーション
This program is a special summer initiative made possible through a unique collaboration between Patrick Newell—who has been involved as Learning Vision Navigator across the globe for over 30 years—Chizuko Nishida, a specialist in elementary education, resilience education, and SEL, and Utsuho no Mori School.
Together, we offer children a new kind of learning experience that connects to their future.
本プログラムは、30年以上にわたり世界各国で学びのナビゲーターとして活躍する Patrick Newell 氏と初等教育やレジリエンス教育、SELのスペシャリストである西田千寿子氏、そしてうつほの杜学園による特別コラボレーションにより実現したサマープログラムです。子どもたちの未来につながる新しい学びの体験を提供します。
Special experiences 特別な生の体験
In nature, they encounter themselves, encounter others, and connect with the world. This process itself becomes a five-day journey that nurtures their emotional, social, and cognitive intelligences in an integrated way.
自然の中で、自分と出会い、他者と出会い、世界とつながる。
そのプロセスそのものが、子どもたちの感情・社会性・認知のすべてを統合的に育んでいく特別な経験となります。
Our program sites 私たちのフィールド
Kumano Kodo 熊野古道
The Kumano Kodo is a pilgrimage route with over 1,000 years of history and a UNESCO World Heritage site where nature and spirituality are deeply intertwined. Walking its forest paths and ancient stone trails offers a chance to experience the culture and spirit of Kumano.
熊野古道は、1000年以上の歴史をもつ巡礼の道で、自然と信仰が深く結びついた世界遺産です。森や石畳の道を歩きながら、熊野の文化と精神性に触れることができます。
River 川
The Nakagawa River, located next to the school, serves as one of our central activity sites. Children play in the river and observe the diverse range of living organisms that inhabit it.
学校に隣接する中川は私たちの中心的な活動拠点です。川遊びをしたり、中川に生息する多様な生物を観察したりします。
Chishina's forest 千品山林
Kumano is a region deeply rooted in forestry. Chishina's Forest is a valuable learning site owned by the Chishina family, who have lived and worked in forestry Industry for generations in Tanabe City, Wakayama. It offers rich, hands-on experiences that make full use of the abundance of the forest.
熊野は林業のまちです。千品山林は、和歌山県田辺市で代々林業を営みながら暮らす千品家が所有する、森林の豊かさを活かした体験ができる貴重なフィールドです。
Bamboo Grove 竹やぶ
The bamboo grove along the river is also an important learning environment. Bamboo is a versatile material with many uses. Throughout the program, it becomes a space for creative activities using bamboo.
川辺に広がる竹やぶも大事な学びの場です。竹はまた、万能の素材でもあります。プログラム中は、竹を使った制作活動の場となります。
チーム紹介 Our Special Team
Chizuko Nishida
Chizuko is a prominent Japanese educator and specialist in psychological resilience, currently serving as the Representative Director of the Japan Resilience Education and Training Center (JRET). With an extensive background in early childhood and elementary education, her work has focused on supporting the emotional wellbeing and healthy development of children through evidence-based educational practice.
Chizuko’s expertise lies in the fields of SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) and Resilience Education, where she has become a widely respected practitioner, trainer, and advocate within Japan. Through her teaching, workshops, and professional development programs, she supports educators and communities in fostering emotional literacy, self-awareness, empathy, and resilience in both children and adults.
Passionate about creating learning environments that nurture wellbeing alongside academic growth, Chizuko continues to contribute to the advancement of resilience-focused education and holistic child development across Japan.
Ren Yoshimoto
Rowaie Mohamed
Originally pursuing studies in medicine as the eldest daughter in her family, Rowaie later moved to Japan and chose to continue her higher education journey abroad. During a current academic break, she decided to follow her passion for education and language learning, leading her to a career in English teaching.
Rowaie has experience teaching both preschool children and adults, and currently teaches English at Utsuho Academy. She enjoys creating a positive and engaging learning environment where students feel encouraged to communicate with confidence and curiosity.
Outside the classroom, Rowaie is enthusiastic about exploring new experiences and challenging herself through a variety of activities. While she enjoys embracing new adventures, she jokingly admits that swimming is still one skill she has yet to master.
Toru Tsuchiyama
Originally from Tanabe, Toru is a forest interpreter and skilled charcoal craftsman specialising in the production of traditional Kishu Binchotan in the Nakahechi region. Deeply connected to the natural environment of the Kumano area, Toru brings a wealth of local knowledge, hands-on experience, and a lifelong passion for living and learning alongside nature.
Toru is passionate about outdoor exploration, wildlife, and a wide variety of sports, and particularly enjoys creating opportunities for children to engage actively with the natural world. For more than a decade, he has contributed to the local public elementary school community through experiential activities including rice paddy farming experiences, traditional mochi-making, and community sports such as dodgeball.
Through his work and community involvement, Toru hopes to foster meaningful connections between people, nature, and local culture while passing on the traditions and values of rural Wakayama to younger generations.
Riko Goto
Originally from Japan, Roko relocated to Wakayama in 2025 and now shares the daily life and educational values of Utsuho Academy with the wider community. With a background in education and a teaching license, Riko is passionate about the role of education and sport in fostering personal growth, wellbeing, and global community development.
Alongside educational practice, Riko is also pursuing postgraduate studies at University of Tsukuba, specialising in international development through sport, and is currently on a leave of absence while contributing to school life in Wakayama. Riko values creating meaningful connections through learning, cultural exchange, and community engagement.
Outside of education, Riko enjoys a wide range of activities including sports, reading, and international travel, and continues to explore how global perspectives can enrich local learning communities.
Forestry Practitioner, Forest Bathing Facilitator, and Woodland Project Developer
As the sixth-generation successor of his family lineage, Yoshitsugu began his professional career working in stage production and set construction for theatre. Following the passing of his grandfather, who had managed the family’s forestlands, Yoshitsugu was inspired to reconnect with his roots and pursue studies in forestry, timber, and woodland management at Tokyo University of Agriculture. Through this experience, he developed a strong awareness of the challenges facing Japan’s forestry industry and regional economies. Yoshitsugu is also a certified Forest Bathing Facilitator®, working to deepen people’s connection with nature and promote the cultural, environmental, and wellbeing value of forests through immersive outdoor experiences.
