We travel to Kagawa Prefecture to share a heartwarming report from Ichinoya Elementary School, where the next generation experienced the sheer joy of Japanese tradition.
300 Students, One Giant Canvas
As part of the “Kanonji Children’s Dream Project,” Chosho Yabe held a special lecture and workshop. The event began with a dynamic performance by the artist herself on a massive 10m x 6m paper, capturing the attention of all 300 students.
Discovering Identity and Community
Following the performance, it was the children’s turn to wield the giant brushes.
- Lower Grades (Identity): They researched the origins of their own names with their parents and wrote one character representing themselves on 70cm square paper.
- Upper Grades (Community): After discussing “The Pride of Kanonji,” groups collaborated to express their hometown love on large 2m square sheets.
The Scent of Tradition: Grinding Ink
In modern schools, bottled ink is standard, and many children have never ground an ink stick. We set up a “Sumi-grinding experience” station. The children were fascinated by the scent and the process of making ink from stone and water.
Using this fresh ink, they added their own words to the empty spaces of Chosho Yabe’s performance piece, completing a collaborative masterpiece buzzing with life and dreams.
Yabe Chosho Office
