【Children’s Autumn Camp in Nara】Now Open!
【Children’s Autumn Camp in Nara】Now Open!
Dates: September 20 (Sun) – September 23 (Wed)
Location: Nara City, Nara Prefecture
We’re doing it again this year—our children’s camp!
This year, we’re holding an autumn camp, and we’re going beyond the Chugoku and Shikoku regions to Nara!
Why Nara?
Because we want the children to experience how power changed hands in this place.
At school, children don’t get to study history in much detail.
There just isn’t enough time.
But the power struggles of the Nara period are actually very easy to understand.
And many of the temples and shrines where these historical events took place are within walking distance of one another.
Five Places We Will Visit
1. Kofukuji Temple
Kofukuji Temple was relocated by Fujiwara no Fuhito and flourished as the family temple of the Fujiwara clan.
The temple houses many Buddhist sculptures, and during this camp we will focus on the famous “Ashura statue.”
The Ashura statue is a National Treasure created during the Nara period, with three faces and six arms.
But Ashura is actually a “guardian who does not fight”… What does that mean?
2. Gangoji Temple
Gangoji Temple is a World Heritage Site whose predecessor was Asukadera Temple, one of Japan’s oldest temples, said to have been built by Soga no Umako.
Roof tiles made around 1,400 years ago—the first tiles ever made in Japan—still remain today!
These are some of Japan’s oldest roof tiles, laid in a distinctive style called Gyoki-buki.
Who was Soga no Umako? And what does it mean that this is a place connected with stories of “oni,” or Japanese demons?
3. Naramachi
Naramachi is lined with many traditional townhouses dating from the Edo to Meiji periods.
Throughout the town, you will see “kukurizaru,” monkey charms closely connected with Koshin beliefs, hanging in many places.
The kukurizaru is said to represent a messenger of Shomen Kongo, who drove away disease when an epidemic spread during the reign of Emperor Tenmu.
Let’s look for the kukurizaru hanging from the eaves!
4. Todaiji Temple
Todaiji Temple was built during the Nara period by order of Emperor Shomu.
Based on an imperial proclamation welcoming anyone who wished to contribute, even with “a bundle of grass or a handful of soil,” a total of approximately 2.6 million people worked together to create the Great Buddha.
How did they create a Buddha so enormous that no single person could possibly have made it alone?
What thoughts and hopes were contained in Emperor Shomu’s proclamation? Let’s imagine.
5. Kasuga Taisha Shrine
Kasuga Taisha, developed during the early Heian period, was deeply revered not only by the Imperial Family but also by ordinary people, and many lanterns were donated to the shrine.
Its sacred primeval forest, which is now both a World Heritage Site and a Special Natural Monument, has been protected for more than 1,100 years, ever since hunting and tree cutting were prohibited there.
We will walk through this mysterious place surrounded by nature, where many deer roam freely.
Let’s try to find the 15 rare stone lanterns engraved with the words “Kasuga Daimyojin”!
Stay in an Important Cultural Property!
This time, we will be staying at a temple designated as an Important Cultural Property.
The children will also experience temple training.
The main part of the training will be “cleaning.”
Our goal is to make the main hall shine!
The Purpose of the MINTEN × Hirogaku Children’s Camp
To help mothers raise independent, intelligent children.
Children today can live their daily lives without having to do very much for themselves.
We believe this is one reason why children may struggle to develop independence and why they have fewer opportunities to really use their brains.
This is not simply because parents spoil their children. The world itself has changed.
If they are hungry, they can go to a convenience store.
Put money into a machine, and the change comes out automatically.
In fact, if they have a smartphone, they may not even need to carry cash.
They do not need to memorize a map to reach their destination.
They can buy almost anything they want.
In the past, even children had to use their heads in situations like these.
But today, things are different.
There are far fewer situations in everyday life where children need to think for themselves.
They Can Read the Textbook, but Cannot Understand What It Means
We are told that many children today can read their textbooks but have difficulty understanding what the words actually mean.
One reason is their lack of real-life experience.
When the human brain learns something new, it understands it by connecting the new information with past experiences.
Therefore, the fewer experiences children have, the more difficult it can be for them to understand new things.
At our children’s camp, children spend time away from their parents, prepare meals and clean together with their friends, and learn about Japanese history and culture while gaining more real-life experience.
Changes We Have Seen in Children Who Participated in Past Camps
Here are some of the actual changes we have seen in participants.
They Began to Reflect on Themselves and Change the Way They Think
Before: A child refused to do a Japanese-language worksheet, shouting, “No way!”
After: By the final day, the child was able to say, “I don’t want to do it, but I know I need to try.”
They Developed the Courage to Give Things a Try
Before: A child was afraid to practice falling into the river from a canoe.
After: The child found the courage to try and came out smiling, saying, “It was easier than I thought, and it was fun!”
Watching Their Friends Helped Them Take Initiative
Before: A child lightly wiped the floor with a wet sheet without putting much effort into it.
After: After seeing how seriously the other children were cleaning, by the second day the child was down on their knees carefully wiping the floor.
They Developed Consideration for Others and the Ability to Interact with People
Before: A slightly shy, quiet child who rarely expressed their opinions.
After: After learning proper manners at a public bath, the child began voluntarily approaching and helping people who seemed to be having trouble.
The Beginning of Self-Confidence
Before: A child who could not recognize their own effort and said, “I can’t do anything.”
After: After a friend said, “You carried the heaviest thing for us!”, the child was able to recognize their own effort and put it into words.
The Four-Day Schedule
Program Overview
| DAY 1 | Welcome Party & Camp Begins! After meeting at Kintetsu Nara Station, we will travel to our accommodation, Tokuyuji Temple, which is also registered as a cultural property. After explaining the camp rules, we will have a welcome party and enjoy a meal together with the other children. |
| DAY 2 | Fieldwork: Kofukuji Temple, Gangoji Temple, and Naramachi We will visit Kofukuji Temple, Gangoji Temple, and Naramachi and explore the mysteries of the “guardian who does not fight” and the “1,400-year-old roof tiles.” The children will write down what they learned and felt that same day, in their own words. |
| DAY 3 | Fieldwork: Todaiji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine We will visit Todaiji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine, learn about Emperor Shomu’s thoughts and intentions, and search for the rare stone lanterns. In the evening, we will go out for dinner and enjoy a special night together. |
| DAY 4 | Presentations & Departure The children will present what they learned and felt over the four days, using their own words. The goal is to move from simply “knowing” something to being able to “talk about it.” The camp will end around noon, and everyone will return home. |
Full Support Before and After the Camp
Online training sessions (*recordings available*) + individual consultations
【Pre-Camp Study】
The children will learn about the history of the places we will visit, as well as manners for staying at a temple and visiting a public bath.
We will not give them the answers. Instead, we will prepare them to “go there and see for themselves.”
【Post-Camp Study】
Together, we will look back in depth on what the children learned and thought about during the camp.
【Parent Consultation】
After the camp, we will also hold an individual Zoom meeting with each parent.
Please tell us about any changes you have noticed after the camp, as well as any concerns you may have afterward.
What We Value at Our Children’s Camp
Take Care of Your Own Things Yourself!
The children themselves will take care of everyday tasks such as cooking, cleaning up after meals, cleaning, and laundry.
There Is Learning in Housework, Too
Housework is full of opportunities to connect everyday experiences with what children learn at school. It also requires children to use their heads to figure out how to get things done efficiently.
They discover what they and their friends are good at, divide responsibilities based on those strengths, use the knowledge they already have, think things through, and learn through trial and error.
Through this process, children develop a sense of contribution, responsibility, and gratitude toward others.
Independence Begins from the Moment They Leave Home!
We sometimes receive questions such as, “I’m worried about my child. May I come along and participate in the camp too?”
We understand how parents feel. However, we do not allow parents to participate in the camp with their children.
Being away from their parents gives children the experience of realizing, “I have to do this myself.”
We believe that is the first step toward independence.
Express What You Felt in Your Own Words
The children will experience nature and history firsthand, and then talk about what they felt and thought in their own words.
We will never jump ahead and ask leading questions such as, “Did you feel this way?” or “Didn’t you think about something like this?”
Being able to express your own thoughts in your own words is a skill that will remain valuable throughout life.
Because We Take Them Seriously, There Are Times When We Will Scold Them
During this camp, if a child puts down another child’s efforts or plays around while everyone else is working, we will address the behavior directly and firmly.
We do this because we believe in the children and want to be genuinely involved in their growth.
If you have concerns about an educational approach that includes scolding, or if you would like to understand the educational philosophy of MINTEN and Hirogaku before applying, please contact us in advance.
Depending on differences in educational philosophy, we may decline participation.
Participation Fee
¥120,000 per person (tax included)
The fee includes pre-camp and post-camp study sessions, accommodation, bathing fees, meals including ingredients and restaurant meals, activity fees such as temple admission and local transportation, and leisure insurance.
*Transportation costs from each family’s nearest station to Kintetsu Nara Station are not included.
*The pre-camp and post-camp study sessions are required programs designed to maximize the benefits of the camp. Participation in the camp alone is not available.
Capacity
Minimum number of participants: 7 / Maximum capacity: 10
First come, first served. Registration will close once capacity is reached.
Cancellation Policy
- Up to 4 weeks before the camp: Full refund
- Up to 1 week before the camp: 70% refund
- Up to 3 days before the camp: 50% refund
- The day before the camp: 30% refund
- On the day of the camp: No refund
Only 10 spots available. Please apply early.
| Dates | September 20 (Sun) – September 23 (Wed), 2026 |
| Location | Tokuyuji Temple, Nara City, Nara Prefecture |
| Capacity / Minimum Participants | 10 / 7 |
*If you do not receive a confirmation email within 2–3 days after applying, please contact us.
