Magome Kyodo Hoikusho has many events. These are planned and organized by teachers and parents together. To busy people this might seem daunting or burdensome, but it is an opportunity to invest in community and fun for our children.

The most frequent events are the weekly ensoku (field trip) and bimonthly uneikai (parent-teacher committee). Each week parents pack their child’s backpack with a picnic sheet, change of clothes, lunch, and water bottle. The teachers gather their troops and head out for the day. The toddlers may take the bus a couple stops to a new and exciting playground. The big kids may take the train down to Kamakura and have a day of hiking. On ensoku days, everyone goes out for a day of exploration and fun. Uneikai happen twice a month. Parents, teachers, and kids gather to discuss upcoming events, seasonal updates, or anything Magome related. It’s a chance to eat and chat with other parents and teachers. It’s a great opportunity to get updated information and ask questions. Sometimes there are serious discussions and sometimes there are funny stories. It’s a chill way to spend the evening.

There are various annual events as well. Most people expect events like the Christmas party and Sports Day, but Magome has a few unexpected events as well. The most surprising is probably yasou tempura (yasoten). It’s the first event of the school year, so it’s the first event for new families. Everyone goes out into the neighborhood and gathers various edible herbs growing wild (yasou). Then, the herbs are battered and fried to make tempura. Everyone gathers to enjoy some very interesting tempura. 

Quite a few of Magome’s events involve food; mochitsuki (mochi pounding), bazaar & konoyubi (kid’s play day), summer camp. For people who are not the best at organizing and planning, but are pretty good at cooking (like me) this is helpful because we can contribute using the skills we have. Mochitsuki happens early in the new year. We steam the rice and pound it to make mochi. We serve some very delicious and maybe unexpected flavors of mochi. Bazaar & konoyubi are a combined event. The bazaar is a fundraising event. We sell some food like hotdogs, cotton candy, and popcorn and second-hand items to raise money for Magome. Konoyubi runs simultaneously. The Magome Fathers run several games and activities for Magome Kids and neighborhood kids to enjoy during the bazaar. For summer camp, Magome families go to a campsite within a couple hours drive or train ride and stay one night. We enjoy playing in a river or stream, breaking open a watermelon, a campfire, and fireworks. It’s a chance to get away from the city and enjoy some nature together. 

This is a non-exhaustive list of Magome’s official activities. There are many unofficial gatherings throughout the year as well to foster community and fun for the kids, parents, and teachers.