In the “Umi & Sakana (ocean and fish)” Children’s Research and Artwork Competition, children are invited to submit their works of research on the wonders and surprises of the ocean and fish based on efforts driven by imagination unique to children, as well as their creative works in which such wonders and surprises are expressed in the form of pictures, essays, etc. The Competition is open not only to elementary school students in Japan but also to elementary school students attending Japanese schools and supplementary schools outside Japan. Since the first Competition in 1982, Nissui has continued to co-sponsor the Competition.
With the objective of providing a place to learn through experience, competition-related events are also held, namely, school visits and hands-on learning.
From a different angle than in school classes, creativity is exercised so that children can learn about things that they can only hear about there and then. Our hope is that children will gain an interest in “umi (ocean)” and “sakana (fish)” through the Competition as a whole.
Special website of Umi & Sakana Children’s Research and Artwork Competition (in Japanese)
Experts and researchers working in the field of marine biology and fisheries team up to teach children about these areas in a manner that is easy to understand, providing them with the specialized knowledge they would not otherwise encounter in the classroom.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these classes have been held online since 2021. In the most recent session, Ms. Miki Igarashi, a special researcher at Japan GEMS Center gave a presentation on the “Secret of Bioluminescence in Deep-Sea Fish.” Joining her was Mr. Yoshiro Hirata from the Oita Marine Biological Technology Center at the Nissui Central Research Laboratory, who presented “The Secrets of Aquaculture as Told by Dr. Buri (yellowtail).” A total of 1,295 elementary school students from a total of 26 schools from all over Japan participated in the program.
Online Lesson Report (1) Lesson by ‘Science Entertainer,’ Ms. Miki Igarashi! (Japanese)
Online Lesson Report (2) Lesson by ‘Dr. Buri,’ Mr. Yoshiro Hirata! (Japanese)
Yoshiro Hirata giving online lesson
Lecturers in the fields of “nature” and “art” are invited to participate in events held on beaches and at research facilities.
Since 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, hands-on learning has been replaced with online learning, allowing students to easily participate from home.
In 2022, under the theme of “3 Days to Learn about the Sea and Fish at Home,” two hands-on learning programs were held five times over a total of three days: “Understanding Marine Environments through River Creatures (Nature)” and "Let's Paint the Colors of Underwater Light (Art).”
Art workshop
There are eight awards, for which 16 works are selected as winners of the top prize in two divisions, i.e., “Research Division” and “Artwork Division.” Two pieces of work that won the Nissui Award are showcased below.
Journey into the Mysterious World of Seaweed: Seaweed Forests as Air Purifiers (the Sequel)
Fourth-grader at Hongo Elementary School, Ami Town
Ryo Sukegawa
The Sea, Fish, and Us: A Board Game
Sixth-grader at the Elementary School Attached to the Faculty of Education, Nagasaki University
Takuma Kobayashi