Event Announcement

On Monday, October 13 (a national holiday), we hosted the “Kosodate Oen Festa 2025 in Amu Hiroba” (Parenting Support Festival), organized by JR Kumamoto City!
This was our second time being involved in this autumn sports celebration, following the 2024 edition.

With refreshing autumn breezes flowing through Amu Hiroba, the day was once again filled with laughter and heartwarming moments. Here’s our recap!

A Look at the Festival

The Baby Crawling Race, held both morning and afternoon, drew long lines well before the start.
Perhaps because parents were thinking about their babies’ nap schedules?
Just like last year, the morning session was the most popular ♩

The crawling race took place on a wide expanse of traditional Japanese tatami mats laid out across Amu Hiroba.
The entire venue was filled with the fresh, soothing scent of tatami straw — a wonderfully Japanese touch!

Every little participant received baby wipes as a thank-you gift.
Plus, the race was officially timed, with prizes awarded to the top three crawlers — making it a truly special event!

Many families came out to celebrate this fleeting, precious stage of their child’s growth.

Some babies stayed perfectly still despite hopes of winning first place, others tearfully inched forward lured by snacks, some were utterly captivated by the cheerful host, and a few even crawled the wrong way! Each little one showed their own unique charm, and Amu Hiroba was filled with the warm laughter of families.

Cheered on not just by moms and dads, but also by siblings, grandmas, and grandpas, every baby gave it their all!
We were so touched when families said, “This will be a wonderful memory for us.” Being part of these treasured family moments truly warmed our hearts.

To help connect parenting support groups directly with families, we distributed flyers from various organizations at the reception desk.
Family-friendly companies from across Kumamoto Prefecture also set up booths offering fill-your-own candy bags, soft-serve ice cream samples,
and special participation gifts. We’re so grateful for everyone’s wonderful support!

On the tatami area opposite the crawling race, midwives offered a child development consultation booth,
alongside hands-on workshops for making original eco-bags,

keychains, and placemats — all of which stayed bustling throughout the day!

Between the morning and afternoon crawling races, the Toyoda Sports School hosted a parent-and-child “Tokotoko” gym class.
Graduates of the crawling stage worked up a happy sweat, playing their hearts out!

Visitors also enjoyed a stamp rally between events, with prizes to win, plus delicious bites from food trucks parked on-site.
Blessed with beautiful weather, it truly was a fantastic day!

Our Wonderful Sponsors

The sponsor booths were buzzing with visitors all day long.
A heartfelt thank-you to all our generous sponsors!

・Hicom Co., Ltd.
・Green Co-op Kumamoto
・Luckplan Co., Ltd.
・Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd.
・Avere Construction Co., Ltd.
・LIXIL Corporation
・Toyoda Sports School Co., Ltd.

Closing Thoughts

So many wonderful families joined us at “Kosodate Oen Festa 2025 in Amu”!
The sight of children full of hope and the smiles of every guest gave us so much energy in return.

Last but certainly not least, a huge thank-you to all our visitors, exhibitors, organizations, and everyone who helped make this event possible!
We truly hope to host the Parenting Support Festival again next year!

Follow our Instagram for daily updates!
At Sarukuma, we share information for Kumamoto’s parenting community — from family-friendly lunches and parks to indoor play spots.
We’d love for you to follow along(*´∀｀*)