Children rushed to get on the raft made of bundled bamboo. It was in the Splash Pond in Nishiyama Park in Chohoji, Nagaokakyo City, Kyoto Prefecture. The vehicle, which looked like something out of an adventure story, floated and swayed across the sparkling water.
The raft was made by combining nine bamboo sticks, each 10 to 15 centimeters in diameter and about two meters long. It was one of the highlights of the annual summer event, "Children's Forest Festival" (sponsored by the Nagaokakyo City Green Association). The children enjoyed themselves in their own way, rowing with bamboo poles as oars or lying on the raft.
A fourth-grade boy (9 years old) from Nagaoka Daiyon Elementary School said, "It was fun because it was harder to balance compared to an inflatable boat. I'd like to make something out of bamboo myself." Summer vacation experiences may also give children a spirit of adventure.
