On November 1st, with the help of students of Science, Graduate School of Science, and staff of the Office of Plants Management, children from HU affiliated kindergarten harvested rice from a paddy field in the Ecological Experiment Garden, Higashi-Hiroshima campus.

The paddy field in the Ecological Experiment Garden used to be an abandoned rice field when the School of Science moved to Hiroshima-Hiroshima city. Faculty of the School of Science and the staff of the Office of Plants Management restored the rice field in 1992 in order to utilize the precious natural environment for their education and research.

This year they planted an ancient rice variety called “black rice”. The rice plants of black rice grow taller than those of white rice we usually eat. Raw black rice was given to the children from Mr. Shioji who is in charge of taking care of the rice fields. This rice will be used in the children's rice cake making event.

When the harvesting started, each child paired up with each HU student. HU students taught their pair how to harvest the rice plants and the way to walk in the rice field. When the pairs moved inside the muddy fields, the HU students gently assisted the children and cheered, “Hold on tight to us.”, “Are you OK? We’ll help you.”

The HU students felt it a good opportunity by saying, “I felt the ecology close to me.” “Doing field work together with the children was a practical activity for me since my goal is to be a teacher.”

We will continue to plant and harvest rice in the Ecological Experiment Garden.