The Forest Kindergarten

In the Heart of Nature:
The Forest Kindergarten

Produced by San-in Chuo Television Broadcasting Co., Ltd., 2011

Broadcast Schedule (UTC) Mar. 19 (Mon.)
Mar. 20 (Tue.) 23:10
3:10
7:10
11:10
15:10
19:10

Visit the idyllic mountains of western Japan and discover a school without any buildings, where nature itself is the classroom, and the teachers act as guides instead of guardians, encouraging their students to think and act independently as they grow up in the heart of nature.

Filmed over a period of two-and-a-half years in the rural town of Chizu, Tottori Prefecture, this eye-opening documentary introduces an unauthorized private nursery school called Marutanbo. The school's unique style of fostering independence in young children raises interesting questions about early education, and stands in stark contrast to the overprotective childrearing practices that have become popular in contemporary Japan.

Director's Voice

Kenta Hirai
Reporter
San-in Chuo Television Broadcasting
Co., Ltd.

The nursery school in the forest called 'Marutanbo' was opened in April, 2009, and we started filming it four months later. "Let the children do as they wish in the forest". It's difficult to make any judgment as to whether or not that is beneficial for the children without spending a certain period of time. While I was working on this program, however, I had the strong impression that the expressions of the children were full of life and so were the expressions of the adults watching over them. Even in the San-in region, which is rural and very different from Japan's urban areas, most people don't have the chance to come into daily contact with nature as much as they do. The government will not authorize this kind of childcare because it lies outside the current national system. But many parents want their children to attend the school, and today five times more children are receiving an education there compared with the number when the school began. Why do people choose Mar utanbo rather than the various other nursery schools and kindergartens available? After observing and filming its activities, I think I can understand the reasons.

Awards
NAB Awards 2011 Meritorious Award in Documentary & News Feature Program Div.
The 49th Galaxy Honors for programs recommended

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part 1 of 3: http://www.mediafire.com/?68ldl6aolmaa1br
part 2 of 3: http://www.mediafire.com/?p1kqlx4r1oouamd
part 3 of 3: http://www.mediafire.com/?u4s61zc3q2qpml6
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