Ageo Central General Hospital to Host Summer Seminar Where Elementary School Students Can Operate the 'da Vinci' Surgical Robot

Ageo Central General Hospital (Ageo City, Saitama Prefecture, Director: Kenichiro Kojima) will hold a summer event titled "Kids Seminar: Learn About Robotic Surgery!" on August 1, 2026 (Sat), allowing elementary school students from Saitama Prefecture to operate the surgical support robot "da Vinci." This event marks its fourth year since its inception in 2023, with a total of 37 children participating so far.

da Vinci Operation Experience Suture Practice Experience Simulator Operation Experience

Our Hospital's Feature: A System of Four Robots - Xi, SP, and hinotori

As a core hospital for the central Saitama medical region (Ageo City, Okegawa City, Kitamoto City, Ina Town, Kōnosu City), our hospital focuses on robot-assisted surgery, which reduces the burden on the body. We have a total of four surgical support robots: two da Vinci Xi units, one da Vinci SP unit, and one domestic hinotori unit.

In particular, the da Vinci SP is a single-port system (where arms are inserted through one small incision), and its adoption is limited to a few facilities in Japan. We perform a wide range of robot-assisted surgeries in departments such as surgery, gastrointestinal surgery, thoracic surgery, urology, otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Seminar Overview

Date and Time: August 1, 2026 (Sat) 14:00 - 17:30

Venue: Ageo Central General Hospital Operating Room *The experience will take place in the actual operating room.

Target Audience: 4th to 6th graders in Saitama Prefecture *One guardian must accompany the child.

Capacity: 12 participants (lottery if applications exceed capacity)

Content: Suture practice, da Vinci arm operation, simulator experience, etc. The instructors will be physicians who perform actual robotic surgeries.

Application: Via the Kids Seminar page on our hospital's website *Applications must be made by a guardian https://www.ach.or.jp/generalinfo/kids-seminor.html

Application Deadline: July 20, 2026 (Mon) *Lottery results will be sent to the email address provided at the time of application.

Purpose of the Event

The unique feature of this seminar is that participants can operate the robot under the guidance of a surgeon in the actual operating room where surgeries are performed. We aim to provide children with an opportunity to interact with real surgical instruments and environments, sparking aspirations to become surgeons someday.

Saitama Prefecture has the lowest number of physicians per capita in Japan, making the development of medical professionals a regional challenge. Through experiences that only a medical institution can offer, such as access to actual operating rooms, surgical support robots, and guidance from surgeons, our hospital supports the learning of children in the region.

* 189.1 per 100,000 population, the lowest in the country. Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's "2024 Survey of Physicians, Dentists, and Pharmacists" (published December 2025)

Medical Corporation Shadan Aiyukai Ageo Central General Hospital

A 733-bed acute care hospital located in Ageo City, Saitama Prefecture. Designated as a regional medical support hospital, regional cancer treatment project hospital, disaster base hospital, and emergency medical care facility, it plays a central role in regional healthcare for the central Saitama medical region.