What we can do: Inspection training for Sakata Minami High School students in areas affected by heavy rains in July 2024 | From the paper dated April 16, 2026 | Shonai Nippo News – Yamagata/Shonai | Shonai Nipposha

From the paper dated Thursday, April 16, 2026

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What we can do: Inspection training for Sakata Minami High School students in areas affected by heavy rains in July 2024

On the 14th, more than 100 first- to third-year students studying in the special preparatory course at Sakata Minami High School (Sakata City, principal: Noriaki Saito) visited the city’s Osawa district, which suffered severe damage from the heavy rain disaster in July two years ago. Through listening to lectures, on-site inspections, and dialogue with residents, they considered “what we can do” toward recovery and reconstruction.

Last year, we worked in the same area during the first year of the same course at the time, as part of the Shonai Prefectural General Branch Office’s “Youth ‘Sho’ School,” where high school students think about their hometown. They conducted a variety of fieldwork, including learning about heavy rain disasters, volunteering, picking junsai, and interacting with local residents, and announced the results in February of this year.

In order to continue to be involved in the Osawa area, which continues to make progress towards recovery and reconstruction from the “Youth ‘Sho’ School,” the students took part in the “Heavy Rain Disaster Damage, Recovery, Reconstruction, and Inspection Training Program” run by “COCOSATO,” a LLC (represented by Ohwarabi and Ayato Abe), which is involved in the development of special products from the area, as part of their field trip.

In front of the students who arrived at the Osawa Community Center by bus, Representative Abe introduced the activities he has undertaken in the area so far, including the production of the music video for “Osawa ‘Dai’ Monji Ondo,” the revival of the Aozawa Lion Dance, and the resumption of Junsai picking.He said, “Regional development and regional revitalization is not about “begging for things that don’t exist,” but “looking for things that are.” It’s important to hone those skills and have fun communicating them. Don’t push yourself too hard, don’t overreach yourself, and start with small things.” In order to recover and rebuild from the heavy rain disaster, he called for “’Let’s all create a new hometown.” Let’s work together to give shape to “Omoshigodo” and “Wagwagusurugodo.”

Next, the students, guided by Osawa Community Promotion Association Chairman Shoichi Goto and others, toured Kimihata Bridge, whose girders had collapsed due to heavy rain. In the afternoon, after lunch, we exchanged opinions with local residents.

Kosei Tezuka (17), a third-year student who was one of the participating students and also participated in last summer’s Junsai Swamp conservation activities, said, “I think it’s quite a shock that something that we used to take for granted is no longer due to a disaster.Based on last year’s experience, I hope we can find a delicious way to eat Junsai and spread the word.”