– Note from New Kindergarten Manager 

Once upon a time—or rather, to be precise, just this morning—a new child arrived at Suwa Kindergarten. Though the winter chill still lingers, the playground seemed to be wrapped in the gentle embrace of sunlight, and the breeze carried the faint scent of spring from somewhere far away.

The senior students stood solemnly in the schoolyard, their expressions unusually serious as they lined up for the morning assembly. “A new friend is joining us today,” they said, as if taking pride in every grain of sand they had carefully prepared on the ground, ensuring it was ready for the newcomer’s first steps.

And so, on this fresh Monday morning, a coach from Gifu’s Soccer Development Program arrived. With a confident blow of his whistle, he began his training session, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction as he watched the children move. “Every time I visit this kindergarten, I can see how much the children have grown,” he said. “Some of them already have the faces of elementary school students.” As he spoke, his gaze drifted into the distance, as if watching them step into the future.

Suwa Kindergarten has stood for over 70 years, a cornerstone of early childhood education. And yet, I believe we are now in the midst of what I call our “second founding era.” The great clock of history is once again turning, marking a new beginning. Our mission is not just childcare—it is to lay a foundation on which our children can run freely toward the future. This vision aligns closely with that of the Gifu Football Association and FC Gifu—to nurture not only strong bodies but strong, upright hearts.

As for the official vision of the Gifu Football Association and FC Gifu? Well, I should probably look that up later.
For now, I think I’ll just watch the children chase after the ball a little longer. Because in their movement, there is a story—one that has yet to be put into words, but is already very much alive.