On October 30, 26 preschoolers from the university attached kindergarten, under the guidance of staff from the Technical Center, harvested rice in the rice field of the Hiroshima University Ecological Experiment Garden.

This rice harvesting experience is carried out by the senior kindergarten students every year as part of the educational activities alongside rice planting.
 
The ancient black rice and Japanese rice (Akiroman) were planted in May. Before harvesting the rice, the children tasted the raw ancient rice, commenting on how sweet and delicious it was, enjoying themselves as they peeled, smelled, and nibbled the fresh rice.

After receiving explanations from Mr. Tsuneo Shioji, a technical expert, on how to handle the sickle and harvest the rice, the preschoolers were divided into groups and entered the rice field in turns. They reacted in a variety of ways to the new experience, such as getting their feet caught in the mud and reaching for the rice plants timidly. When they got used to it, you could hear them say, "I still want to do it!" The children were also actively involved in carrying the harvested rice.

This 75-meter-wide rice paddy was originally an abandoned wasteland when the School of Science moved into Higashi-Hiroshima City but was restored in 1992 by the staff members of the School of Science and the Office of Plants Management to make effective use of the precious natural environment left on campus for educational and research activities.

Due to the impact of the novel coronavirus, students of the School of Science and the Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life were unable to assist the kindergarteners this year but will continue to hold the rice planting and harvesting activities at the Ecological Experiment Garden over the coming years and beyond.