Date: Saturday, May 23rd, 2026
Place: Takao, Tokyo
Participants: 22 campers, 3 LITs, 11 care workers, 16 Mirai no Mori staff, 12 sponsors
Sponsor: Morgan Stanley

This May, our Kikori (Lumberjack) Program brought together 22 eager campers from five different care homes, including many elementary school students who experienced a day filled with exciting “firsts”, for a day of outdoor exploration and teamwork in Takao. 

This incredible day was generously sponsored by Morgan Stanley, a long-term partner and supporter whose consistent presence continues to deeply impact the lives of our campers, Leaders in Training (LITs), and graduates. Twelve of their enthusiastic employees joined us for the program, with some joining a Mirai no Mori program for the first time while other seasoned repeaters hit the ground running. 

The day started before with a warm welcome, usually given by a Mirai no Mori staff member. This time, however, a camper proudly raised his hand. He had rehearsed the welcome all by himself and delivered it in both English and Japanese in front of the entire group.

During orientation, teams were formed with a diverse mix of camper ages and care homes, along with Mirai no Mori camp staff and Morgan Stanley volunteers. Every team went through self-introductions with an English touch, and selected a camper as the team leader. It was heartwarming to see returning campers who usually step up to be leaders, intentionally step back to give newer campers a chance to lead. They found a new form of leadership by actively guiding and supporting their peers.

“Seeing a child that I didn’t think was the ‘leader type’ show leadership in their team was very impactful for me.” by care worker

While we have visited Takao many times with our wonderful program partner, Mori to Odoru, this Saturday took us to a brand-new bamboo forest area. The forest was dense with fallen and old bamboo that was preventing sunlight from entering and new plants from growing.

After safety measures and techniques were explained by the professionals, the tools were handed out: two sets of shears, handsaws, and one bear bell per team. Because everyone was eager to hold the tools, the campers discussed solutions together with kindness, some deciding to split responsibilities between the morning and afternoon sessions.

With the tools in hand, the teams hiked into the overgrown forest and realized they had their work cut out for them. They huddled up, selected their working zones, and patiently waited for the professionals to greenlight their plans to ensure they were truly helping the ecosystem.

Then, the hard work began! The campers and volunteers spent the morning cutting down old, suffocating bamboo, trimming branches and leaves, stacking materials into neat piles, and clearing natural pathways so rainwater could flow properly through the forest.

“It was my first time holding a bamboo and it was lighter than I thought- we were able to move it just us campers!” by camper, grade 4

“I found some takenoko (bamboo shoots) in the forest, and it was cool to see it being grown in nature. I was able to take it out nicely by myself!” by camper, grade 2

After a morning of heavy lifting, everyone enjoyed a well-deserved picnic-style lunch right there in the woods, with campers bravely trying new foods in their bento boxes.

The morning’s practice paid off as they worked even more smoothly in the afternoon. Tools were shared and tasks were rotated. Some campers also looked beyond their own teams to help everyone reach the collective goal.

“I joined the Kikori program last year but we cut down trees back then. This time it was bamboo, which was much harder than I thought, but I was able to cut down a lot of it together with my team!” by camper, grade 3

“My favorite part was sliding down the hill! I was scared to climb down the tall mountain, but I found a fun way to do it!” by camper, grade 2

As the day wound down, we headed back down the mountain for reflection time. Campers and care workers alike showed courage by standing up in front of the entire group to share their thoughts, which everyone then wrote down in their journals.

“I was worried about whether a shy, younger elementary school child I brought along for the first time would be able to socialize well with children from other care homes. However, through the kikori activity, she opened up and showed such happy expressions throughout the day. She told me with a big smile that she wants to join again, so I’m so glad the two of us built up the courage to participate!” by care worker

Thank you again to Morgan Stanley and the enthusiastic volunteers who worked alongside campers to make this day a success. We can’t wait to see how these new paths, both in the forest and within our campers, continue to grow!