The first program of spring 2026 was a ski program held in Shiga Kogen, Nagano Prefecture, from March 26-29! For many children, these much-anticipated days were a 4-day period filled with an increasing number of "I did it!" moments. The children's faces, as they joyfully exclaimed, "Listen! I skied all the way to the top today!", were filled with confidence and a sense of accomplishment.

Program Highlights

Day 1 | To Shiga Kogen Ski Resort, Nagano Prefecture

This ski camp was "Serious Improvement | Shiga Kogen Ski Camp." With the theme of "serious improvement," it was a four-day program where participants set their own goals and continuously challenged themselves to achieve them. In addition to improving their skiing skills, the four days were packed with experiences unique to Camp Ship, such as living with friends, playing freely in the snow, and evening events.

 

[Day 1: An Exciting Start and a World of Snow]

Early morning assembly. Children who were nervous about their first participation gathered, along with those beaming with joy at reuniting with their leaders and friends. With various feelings, they set off for Shiga Kogen.

On the bullet train, they enjoyed playing cards like UNO and trump, and snack time, arriving in Nagano in no time. As the bus ascended the mountain, the scenery outside the window gradually transformed into a snowy landscape, and cheers of "Snow!" erupted from all directions.

　

　

　

The clear blue sky above the slopes was dazzling with the reflection of the snow! After arriving at the lodge, we learned about how to spend our time at the lodge, the three promises of Camp Ship, and safety rules, then prepared our skis and headed to the slopes.

For this camp, we emphasized "setting concrete goals for serious improvement" and "thinking about what is needed to achieve those goals." On the first day, participants reflected on their skiing and

・Want to be able to do continuous turns
・Want to try parallel turns
・Want to get used to speed
・Want to pass skill test level ○

Each person set their own unique goals. The important theme of this camp was not "to try hard because I was told to," but "to try hard because I decided to." On the first day, everyone thought carefully while enjoying their skiing.

 

In the afternoon optional activity after skiing, you can choose to play in the snow as well as ski. Children who skied hard, children who enjoyed playing in the snow—each chose what they wanted to do.

After closing hours, we held a special event called "Who can go the farthest on a sled?" using the wide slopes right in front of the lodge! Everyone started sliding at once from the starting point, competing to see who could slide the farthest. Some children stopped midway, while others went surprisingly far, creating a lot of excitement. Some children tried again and again.

After that, a snowball fight ensued. Running at full speed, throwing at full speed, and escaping at full speed. Even the leaders were serious.

Furthermore, building a "macho snowman" began with a leader who loves strength training. It wasn't just a regular snowman, but one with well-defined chest and abdominal muscles. Everyone said, "More back!" and "Make the chest muscles bigger!" as they created a snowman that seemed destined to become a camp celebrity.

[Day 2: Challenge and Teamwork]

From day 2, serious ski practice began. Divided into groups by skill level, each group tackled their respective challenges.

In the beginner group, basic movements like "stopping" and "turning" were practiced repeatedly. Even children who were initially afraid gradually became able to ski, accumulating successful experiences like "I stopped by myself!" and "I skied without falling!"

The intermediate and advanced groups challenged themselves on longer distances and steeper slopes. Each person practiced while confronting their own challenges.

　

With everyone in the group calling out to each other, we took the lift to the summit. Even children who were initially scared eventually made it this far. The blue sky and scenery seen from the summit, and the photos we took together, symbolized the effort put into this ski trip.

And after skiing that day, for the snow play, we played Capture the Flag on the snow. This is a game where you run around vigorously on the snow to capture the flag of the opposing team. You can't win by just running. You need to strategize as a team: "Who will attack?", "Who will defend?", and "Who will rescue allies captured in the prison?"

"Now's our chance!" "Defend!" "Help!"
The snow echoed with shouts of strategy, the sound of running feet, and laughter.

Some teams held strategy meetings repeatedly, others fortified their defense, and some attacked all at once. Each team showed its unique character, making it a very entertaining time for us spectators. Despite being exhausted, the children couldn't stop saying, "I want to do it again!", making it an incredibly exciting time.

In the evening, we spent time stargazing, making friendship bracelets, and playing card games like UNO and trump.

Children who were a little distant on the first day were now laughing and playing card games together, or teaching each other how to make friendship bracelets, regardless of their grade or school.

There were many moments where we could clearly see them laughing at the same table, calling each other's names, and joking around, signaling that "everyone has become friends." These were heartwarming and joyful moments for the leaders as well.

　

[Day 3: Initiative and Unity]

Every morning, there's a slightly special time. It's a regular Camp Ship event called "Bora Bear." It's a special time only for those who wake up early.

Actually, the plan was to jump headfirst into the fresh snow first thing in the morning... but since it was spring and the snow was a bit hard, we gave up on jumping into the snow. So, we quickly decided to go look for a slope where everyone could play.

As we walked outside together, saying things like "That slope looks good for sliding!" and "This one looks faster!", it felt a bit like an early morning expedition. We then found a perfectly steep slope and decided to make a slide together.

At first, the children slid cautiously, but gradually they learned how to slide faster, and before they knew it, they were shouting "Again!" and having a blast. It was a special and rewarding time only for those who woke up early.

This time, sliding down the slope together, laughing, when we would normally still be asleep, felt incredibly good.

　

By the third day, changes in daily life began to be observed.

・Groups that prepare themselves in the morning
・Children who ask "Are you okay?" to those who forgot something
・Children who spontaneously challenge themselves with "I want to try this course next"

Before being told by the leaders, there was an increase in situations where they thought and acted on their own.

In the afternoon, the optional activities were making oshiruko (sweet red bean soup) / snow play / skiing. Making oshiruko started with lighting the fire. Everyone experimented with how strong the fire should be and how much red bean paste to add. The children who had been playing outside joined in, and the warm oshiruko they all ate together was exceptional.

In the evening, the "Camp Ship Party" was scheduled, but before that, there was a little time, so everyone chatted and played hand games.

Everyone gathered in a circle, laughing, playing games, and having casual conversations. These seemingly ordinary moments are also wonderful times at camp. Even without doing anything special, simply being with friends was enjoyable—that kind of atmosphere permeated the air.

The subsequent Camp Ship Party featured a "Mystery Treasure Hunt" where teams worked together to solve puzzles, search the hotel, and collect number codes. Each solved puzzle brought great excitement, and every team persevered until the end.

　

[Day 4: The Final Day with Confidence]

The final day was spent skiing, as if confirming the results of their efforts so far.

Children who were anxious on the first day were now taking the lift by themselves and skiing down the slopes. Even if they fell, they picked themselves up and started skiing again. Their demeanor conveyed the experience and confidence they had built up over these four days.

After lunch, the results of the ski test were announced, and many children received certificates of passing. Of course, passing is wonderful, but even more importantly, I believe that the time spent striving towards a goal itself was a significant growth.

　

[Summary: More Than Just Improvement, Great Growth]

The theme of this camp was "serious improvement."

Over the four days, skiing skills definitely improved. But even more than that,

・Setting goals for oneself

・Challenging oneself with what one cannot do

・Living with friends

・Taking care of oneself

・Cooperating as a team

I feel that the accumulation of these experiences significantly helped the children grow.

Becoming good at skiing is visible progress. But what is truly important, I believe, is to experience the feeling that "if you try, you might be able to do it."

I hope that these three nights and four days at Shiga Kogen became a great source of confidence for the children and a catalyst for their future challenges.

I look forward to seeing everyone's growth at the next camp!