The second program of the summer of 2025 was a camp and athletic program in the vast forest of the Yatsugatake-Kiyosato Plateau. This was Campship Academy's third annual camp in the Kiyosato Plateau since 2023.
At the meeting place on the first day, there were voices of joy at being reunited after a long time, as well as some who seemed a little nervous as it was their first time participating.
Once on board, the bus is in camp mode. Everyone eats snacks, sings, and makes friends with their leaders and new friends. At the end of the bus ride, there is a group presentation, and everyone's excitement is building.
After arriving at the Yatsugatake Youth Nature Center, it was time for lunch. Everyone was hungry and kept asking for seconds! Everyone had a great time chatting and enjoying the lunch.
After lunch, the group did score orienteering. To deepen their friendships, each group ran around the great outdoors at the Yatsugatake Youth Nature Center. The further they went, the higher their score. In score orienteering, there was a time limit, and each group leader had to cooperate and come up with a strategy.
The oldest boys' group achieved a remarkable score and won by a landslide victory. The younger boys' group also had good teamwork, and by the time they returned home they had become such good friends that they had forgotten they had met for the first time that day.
For dinner on the first day, we all made curry together.
We did everything ourselves, from starting the fire to cooking the curry and rice. Two groups were grouped together, and everyone discussed and divided up the roles: one for starting the fire, one for cooking the curry, and one for cooking the rice. It was very impressive to see all the participants fulfilling their roles and concentrating on preparing dinner.
The curry we all made was amazing. The softness of the vegetables and the firmness of the rice were perfect. Some participants enjoyed the curry in small portions, each with a slightly different thickness depending on the pot. The fresh vegetables served as a side dish were also a big hit.
Afterwards, everyone gathered around the campfire. They sang their favorite songs accompanied by the leader's guitar. The time spent around the fire was very warm and relaxing. Enjoying s'mores over the embers of the campfire seemed to help the participants blow away the fatigue of the day.
At night, everyone was excited to sleep in their tents. As the participants got ready to go to sleep, they started enjoying their time in their tents one after the other.
On the second day, we woke up to the sounds of birds singing and trees rustling. The participants were full of energy from the morning. They were running around the campsite playing. After each group took a short walk in the forest, we had breakfast.
After everyone helped pack up their tents, it was time for the long-awaited adventure hike. The adventure hike is a large athletic course that is a specialty of the Yatsugatake Youth Nature House, and you can enjoy a total of 11 athletic courses in the forest, covering a total length of about 3 km. Each group started and took on each of the courses.
Although they were hit by unexpected rain midway through the event, the participants were still smiling and enjoying themselves. The cable circuit was the most popular of the athletic activities. Some participants found the experience of riding a cable across the river at high speed a bit challenging, but everyone was laughing once they made it across the bank. It was a really fun athletic experience.
For lunch, participants were surprised with Nagashi Somen noodles. It was a very impressive sight to see the participants' eyes sparkling as they headed towards the finish line after their adventure hike. Everyone was excited and enjoyed Nagashi Somen noodles.
For dessert, we had ice-cold watermelon! The sweet and cold watermelon helped to soothe our fatigue and the heat. It was the perfect lunch after a long, adventurous hike.
In the afternoon, we had PIC (optional activity). Each participant was able to choose an activity they liked to participate in. We split into three groups and enjoyed each of the activities: making burnt cedar keychains, playing outside, and tie-dyeing.
PIC is one of the best parts of Campship's summer camp. It's a time to fulfill your own desires, rather than following a set schedule.
In the evening, there was a camp ship party. This was a new event that started this summer. Based on the concept of enjoying the last night together with friends who spent time together at camp, it was a fun time incorporating shaved ice, sweets, rhythmic dancing, and more.
On the last day, we left the Nature House where we had been staying and headed to the Yatsugatake Fureai Center. We enjoyed the activities and walking rally at the center, and had lunch.
Afterwards, we went to Seisen Ryoku to buy souvenirs and have soft serve ice cream. Everyone was thinking carefully about who to buy them for.
The participants were eagerly awaiting the soft serve ice cream, but even though it melted so quickly, everyone was still smiling. It was delicious!
In the afternoon, we went to the Great Purple Emperor Center. Here, we split into several groups and spent our time catching insects and exploring the facility. One participant even found a rhinoceros beetle!
We boarded the bus and headed for Tokyo. On the way back, we heard many voices saying, "I don't want to go home yet!" and "I want to go again!" We enjoyed our final time with the friends and leaders we met at camp.
The three days were filled with excitement until the very end, and I hope that it will become an irreplaceable summer vacation memory for all participants.
See you again at Campship!
