

Hokkaido
Eco Lab
3 & 5 Day Residential Courses
Language: English
Ages 9 - 14
"Hands in the soil. Stories in the sky"
Eco Lab is a 3- or 5-day residential experience at Hokkaido Home Farm:
A working educational farm where children live outdoors and learn through real responsibility. They pitch their own tents, care for horses, collect native seeds for our rewilding project, and build with locally sourced timber in the carpentry workshop. Days move between farm, forest and field, with space to explore and the calm structure of a shared rhythm.
Each evening ends around the campfire with a child-led reflection circle - a place to speak, listen, and make sense of what they’ve noticed. Children return home tougher, calmer and more confident, proud of what they’ve contributed and created — with a Clarence Lab journal filled with their own words, drawings and discoveries.

Access
Hokkaido Home Farm
Hayakita Tomioka, Abira, Yufutsu District, Hokkaido 295-11, Japan (Google Maps)
A working educational farm in the agricultural heartland of central Hokkaido
— 100 ha of beautiful farm
— 1.5 hours by plane from Tokyo
— 15 minutes drive from New Chitose Airport
— 1 hour by car from Sapporo
— 10 minutes drive from “Northern Horse Park”

Abira, Hokkaido
(15 mins from New Chitose Airport)
Location
— A living, evolving landscape. Children contribute to the farm's real development
— Native forest, open fields, and genuinely dark skies
— Dedicated horse stable and paddock
— Seasonal gardens and a native tree nursery (the Seedling Bank)
— Carpentry workshop with locally sourced timber
— Treehouse and outdoor learning area
— Purpose-built campsite

Accomodation
Children sleep in supervised tents in small, age-appropriate groups.
— Staff sleep nearby at all times
— Tents are organised thoughtfully by age and gender
— Continuous supervision is maintained overnight
In the event of severe weather, children move indoors to a safe, warm space.
This is a residential camp in every sense — children sleep in tents they pitch themselves, cook over open fire, and wake up to the land they're learning from.
Meal Plan
Food is provided through a combination of:
— camp-style meals prepared at the outdoor kitchen
— simple cooking activities where children may participate
— catered lunches prepared by a local food provider
— barbecue meals shared as a group
Some meals are prepared and shared around the campfire, which often becomes one of the most memorable parts of the camp.
— Please inform us of any allergies and dietary requirements in your Registration Form

Dates & Fees
3 DAY YOUNG EXPLORERS
Course 1: 29 June – 1 July (First Light)
Course 2: 3 – 5 July (Hidden Worlds)
Ages: 9–13
Price: ¥130,000 / course
(price does not include travel expenses)
5 DAY EXPLORERS
Course 1: 6–10 July (Roots and Routes)
Course 2: 13–17 July (Leaving it Better)
Ages: 11–14
Price: ¥195,000 / course
(price does not include travel expenses)
Each course is a complete, standalone experience. Children are welcome to attend more than one Eco Lab.
A Day in Eco Lab:
Young Explorers


Day 2 — Fauna, Flora & Funga
“What is a local detail that you almost didn’t notice?”
3 Days, 2 Nights | Ages 9–13
A hands-on first adventure in farm and forest life — pitching tents, building with timber, and sleeping under the stars.
Children set up camp themselves, walk through native forest sketching wildlife, learn carpentry with local wood, groom and care for horses, plant vegetables, and gather around the campfire for student-led discussion. Every night ends with a 360° astronomy tour under genuinely dark skies. Immersive, purposeful fieldwork — confidence built through real discovery and reflection in their Clarence Lab journal.
Right for children who: are comfortable outdoors in all weather · can sleep away from home · are open to the unfamiliar · don't need to be outdoorsy — just willing
A Day in Eco Lab:
Explorers

Day 4 — Heritage
“What do we owe the things we depend on?”

5 Days, 4 Nights Camp | Ages 11–14
Everything in Young Explorers, taken further - an intensive, skills-first week where curiosity turns into real responsibility through their journals.
Expert-led fieldwork each morning - collecting native seeds, surveying forest, getting hands into the soil. Afternoons are theirs to choose: horse riding, carpentry, harness tree climbing, tending the vegetable garden. Evenings around the campfire, leading their own discussions under open sky. By Friday, every child carries home experiences of something they built, something they grew, and an intention of their own - all captured in their Clarence Lab journal.
Right for children who: thrive on physical challenge · can care for animals and land · welcome hard questions and open discussion · are ready for five nights away
Bring Home
A Journal
Every child keeps a Clarence Lab journal. A record of their thinking in their own words and drawings. It's not a workbook. There are no right answers. By the end of the week, it's theirs.
The journal is where learning becomes personal. Writing and drawing what they've experienced helps children make sense of it, not just what they did, but what it meant to them. Over the week, they build a clearer picture of who they are, how they relate to others, and what they care about.
Parents tell us it's the thing their children keep coming back to long after the course ends.

Registration Steps
1. Online Registration
You can complete a registration form by following the link on our website. Please ensure that you provide all details regarding your child’s medical history and dietary requirements. Please note that if you are registering for courses in Tokyo and Hokkaido, please complete the respective forms for both locations.
2. Confirmation & Payment
We will confirm your registration and send you a payment link in 3-5 working days. Please complete payment within one week of receipt of our email.
3. Getting Ready
Your child’s place on the course is reserved once the full payment is received. You will receive a Parent Pack in due course, which contains essential information to assist with preparation, including the daily schedule and a detailed packing list.