As part of the FC Tokyo Players Association activities, we visited Tomioka Elementary and Junior High School in Tomioka Town, Futaba District, Fukushima Prefecture on December 13, 2024 (Friday), continuing from last year.
Visits to Tomioka Elementary and Junior High School have been conducted since 2019, and this will be the 6th time (in 2020 and 2021, only online exchanges and letters of encouragement were exchanged).
In order to interact with the children, the participating players planned activities such as games and relays the day before, and on the day of the event, they were able to enjoyably interact with about 60 children.
On the afternoon of the same day, we visited the Tomioka Archive Museum, where we learned about the situation of the earthquake through videos and exhibits. After that, we inspected the actual locations in Tomioka Town that were affected by the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident, and we gained a renewed understanding of the current state of recovery.
Additionally, we empathize with the players' association's desire to continue such reconstruction support and to ensure that the memories of the disaster do not fade. Kiichi YAJIMA, a player from Fukushima United FC who visited the school during the reconstruction support activities in 2019, also participated this time.
FC Tokyo Players' Association will continue these activities in the future.
□Participating Players
Tsuyoshi OGASHIWA, Ryunosuke SATO, Leon NOZAWA, Renta HIGASHI
Total: 4 players
※Kiichi YAJIMA (Fukushima United FC) will also participate
□Participant Comments (Excerpt)
・Tsuyoshi OGASHIWA
By interacting with the children of Tomioka Elementary School, we received a lot of energy, and I think we were able to prepare in advance and provide the children with various experiences, which was really great.
At the Tomioka Archive Museum, I learned that this town is loved by many people, and I realized that they are working hard for recovery, and I thought it would be nice if we could cooperate with that.
I think we also have Tokyo as our city, so it became a reason for us to cherish that as well.
・Leon NOZAWA
During the elementary school visit, I was able to have fun myself and engage in matches and activities with many children, which also energized me.
As an adult and as a soccer player, I hope to be active in various places in the future.
In the afternoon, I learned about the earthquake and the damage caused by it through observation and listening. What impressed me was that this town is loved and many people are working hard for its recovery, and that the life I am currently living is not something to be taken for granted. Through our activities this time, I hope we can convey what we experienced as leaders.
・Renta HIGASHI was able to interact with the very energetic children of Tomioka Elementary School, and it became a fun and fulfilling time for myself.
I was very happy that the elementary school students enjoyed the games and recreational activities we planned and implemented the day before, and it has become a source of motivation for me moving forward. I felt the greatness of this activity firsthand, and I would like to continue it myself in the future.
What was particularly impressive at the Tomioka Archive Museum was the memoirs that described what the people who were evacuated at that time did and what they ate.
I was able to understand the feelings of those who were evacuated at that time, and I realized how fortunate we are to be living our lives playing soccer as if it were normal. I want to live from now on with gratitude every day.
・Ryunosuke SATO
I visited Tomioka Elementary School, and I was able to have a fun time exercising with the energetic children.
In the afternoon, I visited the Tomioka Archive Museum to learn about the current situation in the disaster-stricken areas, and I was reminded of the difficult circumstances that were recreated at that time. I realized that we must not forget this. I want to play while being grateful that we can play soccer as if it is a matter of course now.
