Purple Pen in Japan: Just Dried Leaves: Clean-Up and Free Day at Junior High School

I just returned from a park clean-up with my second-year students. This morning, armed with trash bags and gloves, the students and teachers all went to the nearby park to pick up trash. However, there were no trash to pick-up. The park that we visited was so clean with its manicured lawns, artfully-trimmed plants and well-planted flowers.

Iida Park in Hamamatsu

Iida Koen (Iida Park) in Hamamatsu

(More on Japanese school life, here)

For almost an hour, the students roamed around the park trying to find anything that they could fill their trash bags with. I also tried to look for trash but the park was really clean. This made me appreciate Japan more. The Japanese don't neglect public places such as parks. This is considering that the park we went to- Iida Koen, is not really a major park. How I wish the Philippines would also take care of its remaining parks, if there are any.

Where are the trash?

Just to fill up their trash bags, most of the students picked dried twigs and leaves. I also saw some of the students secretly getting cans and some trash from the trash bins in the park. This is just so they can put something in their bags.

Dried leaves-picking

Cleaning an-already clean park

After an hour in the park, the students were given free time to play and enjoy the place. One of the teachers said that they do this activity every year to give students a chance to know each other. The play time was the best part. I bet the students think so too!