One autumn afternoon in Kobuchizawa, Yamanashi Prefecture, a group of children and their parents were driving to a field to pick fresh vegetables for pizzas they planned to make there.
Inside the van, the driver asked them, "Do you know how soil is made?" A 6-year-old girl confidently said, "I know. It's a worm's poo-poo!" The group burst into laughter.
The group was taking part in a family program organized by Resonare Kobuchizawa, a resort hotel run by Hoshino Resort Co. The hotel offers various outdoor activities to its guest families and children, which has helped it turn the corner after tipping into bankruptcy.