Date: October, 31, 2026
Place:  Hachioji, Tokyo
Participants: 32 campers, 2 LITs, 11 care workers, 9 Mirai no Mori staff, 2 sponsors
Sponsor: Avery Dennison
Partner: Isonuma Milk Farm

Mirai no Mori’s autumn season began on a beautiful sunny day at Isonuma Milk Farm, where as many as 32 campers from 6 care homes and volunteers from our sponsor, Avery Dennison, gathered to connect with and learn about the animals who so often support our daily lives.

Orientation started with a repeater camper welcoming everyone in both English and Japanese, a practice he knows by heart from continuously joining our programs, and that he now shows to the campers joining for the first time. Teams were then decided by a special drawing featuring the different breeds of cows at Isonuma Milk Farm, and campers got creative using them as team names, from Super Jersey Banana team to Very Very Montbéliarde team.

During the farm tour, each team took on a different challenge to discover something about the animals or the products made on the farm. This time, third-year junior high school students took on leadership roles to experience our Leader in Training (LIT) program for high school students. They jumped right in to help with activities and lunch, slowly realizing their new position as role models for the campers.

Lunch was filled with the thoughtfulness of our hosts at Isonuma Milk Farm, who provided a diverse menu, including Halloween-inspired healthy pumpkin salads, and delicious desserts including fresh yoghurt from the farm and a Mirai no Mori favorite: peanut butter. This comes to show the strength of our partnership of five years!

“Mirai no Mori’s programs have always made an impact on me. I was very happy meeting the campers again today and seeing they are still full of energy!” (Program Partner)

In the afternoon, everyone had the chance to try milking. We first learned to respect the cows and how to handle them gently, and then each participant had a turn. Some were hesitant, but showed courage after seeing their teammates try, while others found their own way of engaging with the animals nicely.

“I couldn’t do the milking this time, but I think not hurting the cow by doing it scared was a bit of kindness!” (Camper, Grade 4)

Once everyone had their turn, teams got together to present what they had learned during the tour: what makes cows happy, or what kinds of products can be made from milk, for example. It was great to see how everyone got a different perspective, despite exploring the same space. 

“I heard the other team say there is a calf who was born yesterday, so I went there with my buddy during free time!” (Camper, Grade 3)

Finally, we closed the day by reflecting on our experiences with Mirai no Mori’s reflection prompts and journals. This day marked a new season of reconnections and exchanging perspectives, with campers, LITs, and volunteers learning from one another and from the animals.

Thank you to Avery Dennison for making this program possible and for sharing the day with our youth, and to Isonuma Milk Farm for welcoming us so warmly.