Date: Sunday, June 21st, 2026
Place: Mitake, Tokyo
Participants: 13 campers, 4 LITs, 4 care workers, 9 Mirai no Mori staff, 7 sponsors
Sponsor: Morgan Stanley

Every June, as the rainy season settles over Japan, Mirai no Mori’s Back to Nature program turns indoors and outdoors into one big creative canvas with our Nature Crafts Day in Mitake. This program brought together campers of many ages, including repeaters and newcomers, as well as volunteers from our sponsor, Morgan Stanley, including some who have volunteered with us before and have witnessed our campers’ growth firsthand.

The day began with orientation, where campers were divided into teams for the day. At first, some campers feel shy or nervous being placed with people they don’t know, but it’s incredibly rewarding to watch them slowly open up as the day unfolds. Sometimes it takes more than one program for that to happen, showing us the importance of consistency and the trust we build over time.

Each team chose a team leader and a craft-related team name, and we kicked things off with an icebreaker quiz about craft materials and tools. Campers shared their own knowledge and past experiences, and we added in new facts about craft history and crafts from around the world.

With crafts on our minds, we headed outside for the first part of the day: nature art! We talked about artists around the world who create using only what they find in nature- leaves, branches, stones, streams, and dirt- shaping them into images, illusions, and emotions. We also reflected on how nature art isn’t permanent. As nature shifts and changes, the art becomes something new all on its own.

With that spirit in mind, each team set out to create a piece of art together, reminded about the importance of Respect for living creatures and living plants, using only materials already found on the ground. It took teamwork to gather the materials, and just as much teamwork to put them together! Teams created a zoo, a heart-shaped stone tower, a “nature monster,” and even a temple, each one a different size, theme, and story.

We ate our bento lunches outside, gathered around our creations, with the sound of the Tama River flowing nearby.

After lunch, we moved back inside for individual craft time. Some campers brought materials they’d collected outside to weave into their indoor creations. With a wide table of supplies: yarn, beads, pipe cleaners, wooden letters and numbers, cotton, bells, felt, and foam boards, every material opened up countless possibilities, and the campers’ creativity ran wild.

A highlight of the day was the bamboo and wood cutting station, where campers cut wooden slices and bamboo rings, crafted bamboo flutes and shakers, and brought all kinds of dynamic art pieces to life.

“I was happy to exchange handmade dolls with a friend I met at Mirai no Mori.” Camper, Grade 5

“I made a teru teru bozu with felt, googly eyes, and EVA foam, decorated with a braid in my favorite colors.”  Camper, Grade 4

“I made a whistle with bamboo, and I even punched holes to put a string through so I can wear it around my neck.”  Camper, Grade 2

We closed the day reflecting on this explosion of art and creativity, both as a team member and as an individual artist. Campers proudly showed off their work to other teams, beaming as they prepared to bring something home to decorate their rooms, to gift to someone special, or simply to keep as a reminder of their day at Mirai no Mori.

A big thank you again to Morgan Stanley for providing us with the means to make this program happen, and for all of their volunteers for sharing this day with the youth we serve.

“We finally decided to bring along a camper we’d been worried might cause trouble for others. In the morning they seemed nervous, but more proactively than expected, they got along well with kids from other facilities. It was a relief to see this new side of them. Mirai no Mori is such a great opportunity to see sides of the children we don’t normally get to see!” by Care Worker

“I was impressed by the variety of crafts the children made: some took inspiration from photos and made it their own, some came in with an idea already in mind, and some tried something completely new, adapting and even failing before trying again until they made something they were proud of. I’m glad we can give them the time to be patient with themselves and enjoy the process.”  Camp Staff