It’s been a while! This is the General Incorporated Foundation Youth Eco.
As the pandemic settles down and the crisp air of the season begins to bite, we hope you are all doing well.
We recently held a two-day, one-night retreat in Lake Toya, Hokkaido (August 19–20)!
Participants gathered from all over Japan, ranging from 18-year-olds to adults actively involved in various fields.
In parallel with the retreat, we also held a hybrid (online and offline) Youth Econet Committee meeting via Zoom.
In the evening, we enjoyed a delicious meal featuring ingredients from Hokkaido!
Local vendors from the Niseko Roadside Station and farmers joined us, and we were treated to fresh, sweet vegetables such as corn, tomatoes, and melons.
We were honored to hear a special lecture by Mr. Miura, who, as a high school student, escaped a tsunami during the Okushiri Island earthquake.
Now, as an adult, he travels across Japan in his beloved car, sharing lessons from the disaster and reflecting on how those experiences shaped his life’s mission.
Under the guidance of Ms. Yoshiko Sakai, founder of the “Heisei Forest of Life – A 9,000-Year Project,” we planted trees in a nature-rich area with a stunning view of Lake Toya.
Since 2014, activities at the eastern lakeshore mountain of Lake Toya have included:
- Acorn-to-seedling pot making
- Tree-planting festivals
- Forest care gatherings
Approximately 15,000 seedlings have been planted, including Mizunara oak, Japanese horse chestnut, Ezo maple, Oyama cherry, Ezo cherry, oak, chestnut, Japanese maple, and more—24 species in total.
This time, we planted Mizunara oaks grown from acorns collected and potted by children in the courtyard of the Toya Retreat House last autumn.
Tree planting in action
