On Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26, 2026, GIBBON held a slackline program at Koigahama Beach in Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture.

The beach offers a classic Seto Inland Sea view of island after island, with shady pine trees along the shore.
In this beautiful natural setting, many people, from children to adults, got to try slacklining.

■ Two days of challenges and connection in nature

Twenty-five children from children's homes and foster families, together with their staff, took part in the program, along with 50 participants from the general public.
Most of the children were trying slacklining for the first time. Their expressions changed every time they stepped onto the line. What stayed with us most was the smile that broke out the moment they managed a step forward, wobbling all the way.
They kept shouting "One more time!" and trying again and again. Watching them, we could feel the joy of moving outdoors spreading through the group.

The cool breeze through the pines and the view of the islands made Koigahama the perfect place for everyone to take on the challenge at their own pace and simply relax.
We feel the program was also valuable for promoting well-being and making good use of local natural resources.

We were also invited to join activities run by local organizations.
First came a release of young red sea bream. Children and adults alike carefully sent the tiny fish out to sea, and it was a moment to feel the connection between the ocean and life.

Next, we joined a beach cleanup. The sand was full of small fragments of plastic waste, and we talked with the children about how these break down into microplastics in the sea. When we explained that "fish sometimes mistake them for food and eat them," everyone listened in surprise.
Protecting the ocean also protects our own way of life. With that in mind, we all collected the litter together.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who took part, and to the local organizations and community who welcomed us into their activities!