The 2020 Hokkaido B&G Instructor Training Seminar was held in Hokuryu Town.

Monday, September 28, 2020

The "2020 Hokkaido B&G Instructor Training Seminar," sponsored by the Blue Sea and Green Land Foundation, a public interest incorporated foundation, was held in Hokuryu Town over two days, Thursday, September 24th and Friday, September 25th.


Overview of the B&G Instructor Training Seminar

the purpose

The B&G Instructor Training Seminar aims to provide instructors from Hokkaido's B&G Regional Marine Centers and Marine Clubs with training in improving their teaching skills and management and operation, with the aim of promoting the healthy development of young people in each region and spreading sports and recreational activities.

Organized by: Hokkaido B&G Regional Marine Center Liaison Council
・Co-hosted by: B&G National Leaders Association
・Supervised by: Hokuryu Town B&G Marine Center
・Sponsored by: Blue Sea and Greenland Foundation, Hokuryu Town Board of Education
Venue: Hokuryu Town Community Center
・Target audience: B&G instructors and marine center staff in Hokkaido

schedule

More than 30 B&G instructors from all over Hokkaido participated in the first day of training, and environmental education facilitator Nisugi Hisashi gave instruction on "experiencing and using recreational games."

On the second day, the B&G Hokkaido Block Liaison Council exchange meeting was held.

B&G instructor training session

The event began with a general emcee being Junichi Iguchi, Section Chief of the Hokuryu Town Board of Education.


Welcome speech from Hokuryu Town Board of Education Superintendent Arima Kazushi

Prior to the opening, a welcome speech was given by Hokuryu Town Board of Education Superintendent Arima Kazushi.


"We sincerely welcome your participation.

Let me introduce you to Hokuryu Town. Hokuryu Town is a very small town with a population of just under 1,800 people. The town has an area of 158.8 km². 70% of the area is mountain forest and 30% is flat land. 70% of the flat land is rice paddies. It is an agricultural town with rice as its main industry.

The rice produced in Hokuryu Town is sold under the brand name "Himawari Rice." Its greatest feature is that while it is usually necessary to use 22 pesticides to grow rice in Hokkaido, the rice grown in Hokuryu Town uses only half that amount, 11 pesticides.

In addition, the rice "Kitakurin" is produced using only four types of pesticides, making it a very clean rice production area.

The climate around here, as well as in Chishibetsu and Numata, is one of the best for growing rice in Hokkaido, and it allows for the cultivation of delicious rice. Hokuryu, in particular, produces safe and secure rice.

If you are staying at the hotel, we hope you will enjoy the breakfast served at the hotel.

The other is Sunflower Town. With the catchphrase "The town with the sun on its side," 2 million sunflowers bloom in the 23-hectare area of Sunflower Village. Located next to the B&G Marine Center, the town also hosts a festival for one month from mid-July to mid-August, attracting over 350,000 tourists from all over Japan and around the world.

This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were unable to sow seeds, which was a great disappointment for our customers. We are heartbroken to see customers passing through the B&G Center on their way to Sunflower Village, unaware that the Sunflower Festival has been cancelled. We are planning to hold the festival next year, so we hope you will come and visit with your family.

On a different note, I underwent a one-month training course at the B&G Marine Center in Okinawa Prefecture in 1988. Instructors from municipalities with gymnasiums received three months of training, while those with only a swimming pool received one month of training, and the training was to obtain qualifications as a special training instructor.

For the past three years, I have participated in the same training seminars as you. I have been conducting research in three towns: Shinshinotsu Village, Aibetsu Town, and Enbetsu Town. The experiences I have had at these training seminars have become fond memories of my three years of training.

"We cannot let our guard down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we will be taking every precaution to ensure that no clusters emerge from this event. I sincerely hope that this training session and tomorrow's social gathering will be meaningful, and I would like to conclude my welcome speech with this," said Arima, Chairman of the Board of Education, in a polite greeting.


Introduction of Hokuryu Town Board of Education staff

Next, we will introduce the members from Hokuryu Town, the host town: Naoki Kishi (Chief Clerk), Kunimitsu Abe (Clerk), and Riki Shimizuno (Clerk).

Environmental education facilitator, Toshishi Nisugi

Section Chief Iguchi introduced environmental education facilitator Nisugi Hisashi.


"Continuing from last year, this training session will focus on the healthy development of young people and regional promotion and development, with a particular focus on 'practical nature experience activities' for children, which has been set as a three-year priority, and this year marks the second year.

In connection with this, we have invited environmental education facilitator Toshishi Futasugi, who also helped us last year, to give a practical lecture on "nature experience activities."

We would like to introduce Mr. Futasugi's brief biography.
Born in 1969, he is 51 years old and currently lives in Otaru City. He works as a facility staff member for the Otaru Nature Village Public Corporation.

In addition to welcoming facility users, they also provide guidance and lectures on methods for camping and recreational activities.

He holds qualifications such as a Level 1 Camp Director, Level 2 Kindergarten Teacher, and a childcare worker. He also serves as a lecturer at nature experience activity instructor training seminars, a part-time lecturer at Hokkaido University of Education Kushiro Campus, and a lecturer at the "B&G Outdoor Physical Education Program" in Shakotan Town.

"Well then, Professor Futasugi, I look forward to working with you," he said, introducing him.


Outdoor training: "Practice of nature experience activities"

Finger count

・Count your fingers while bending your right thumb.


The recreational game experience was held in a different location, the grassy area next to the improvement center.

Rock-Paper-Scissors

・Raise one palm high and place the other fist on your chest, alternating in time with the call.

Aiko Rock-Paper-Scissors

- Play rock-paper-scissors and keep going until you get Aiko


computer

- Play rock-paper-scissors, add up the number of fingers on the hand you put down, and whoever guesses the total first wins.

Here we go!

・Clap your hands when you hear the "Ready, go!" command, and gather the number of people clapping their hands together at the signal of "Gather!" and sit down.


Rock-paper-scissors knee-slapping

- Sit in pairs, place your left hand on the other person's right thigh, play rock-paper-scissors, and if you win, clap the other person's hand, and if you lose, pull your hand away.

Knee touch

・Both players join their left hands, crouch facing each other, and move their legs freely. The first player to touch the opponent's right knee with their right hand wins.


Peek-a-boo

- In pairs, hide your face with both hands and play "Peek-a-Boo" by sticking your face to the right or left. The game ends when your face is on the same side three times.

Clothespin tag

- Hold a clothespin in each hand and play tag by attaching the clothespin to another person without running.

Alias Game

・When the leader points to someone and says "right," the person pointed to should say the name of the person on the right. If the leader says "left," the person pointed to should say the name of the person on the left.

ZIP ray

・Everyone forms a circle, and the leader says "ZIP" and points to someone. The person pointed to crouches down while saying "ZAP." The people on either side of the person crouching down also say "ZAP" and reach out their hands toward the person. If they make a mistake, they take turns.


Handshake seat return

・Sit in a circle, and the Oni stand in front of someone, introduce themselves, shake hands, and stand up. Repeat the introduction and handshake.

Come with me

The leader nominates someone and says, "Come with us," and the nominated person stands behind the leader. The people on both sides raise their hands and make a house. When the leader says "bye-bye" and enters the house, the others find an empty house and rush in. The person who remains becomes the next leader.


Turn it this way! Rock, paper, scissors

・When the instructor says "Look this way," jump twice and then turn left or right when the instructor says "Cheers!". Only those who can face each other play rock-paper-scissors, and only the winner sits down.

Lookup/Lookdown

When you hear the "look down" command, look at your toes, and when you hear the "look up" command, look up at someone. If you make eye contact, run away.

Lineup

- Arrange by birthday


Electric Oni

・Stand in pairs. The person who is running away will stand next to their partner, and the person on the other side will become the one who is running away.


Rock-paper-scissors sugoroku

・Staff will be stationed in several locations, and the order of start and finish will be decided like in Sugoroku. Only the winner will be able to move on to the next round after playing rock-paper-scissors at the start.


Cold tag

・The demon with a cold is coughing and chasing after the person while covering his mouth.


flapping

- Put your hand out and tap the floor or table in a clockwise direction


Bucketball

・Everyone in the group grabs the sheet and moves it up and down to put the ball into the bucket on top of the sheet.

Straw Body Curve Ken

-Two people hold a straw between their index fingers and move


We practiced over 20 different recreational games.

Everyone played and learned seriously and with fun.
After this, we moved to Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen and checked in. After a short rest, we had a social gathering and dinner.

The next day, the B&G Hokkaido Block Liaison Council Exchange Meeting was held.

Other photos

・Photos (127 photos) from the 2020 Hokkaido B&G Instructor Training Seminar are here >>

Related articles and sites

・Blue Sea and Green Land Foundation (Tokyo, Chairman: Yasuyoshi Maeda / abbreviated as B&G Foundation)

・B&G Foundation Chairman Satoshi Sugawara and staff members visit Hokuryu town and surrounding areas and social gathering(September 28, 2020)
・Repair subsidy approved for Hokuryu Town B&G Marine Center, renovation to be carried out after the season(May 1, 2014)
・Junior high school students from Hokuryu Town participated in the B&G Ocean Experience Seminar(October 11, 2011)
・Elementary school students experience life jacket floating for the first time at the 18th Underwater Recreation Tournament @ Hokuryu Town B&G Marine Center(August 4, 2011)
　

◇ Photography and editing: Noboru Terauchi Interview and text: Ikuko Terauchi