Table Tennis Brand Butterfly Offers New Inquiry Learning Program through "SPARKE" Library for Elementary and Junior High Schools

Tamashu Co., Ltd., operator of the "Butterfly" brand, has partnered with Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Chiyoda-ku, CEO Satoshi Matsui) and COMPASS Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, CEO Jun Sato). Together, they are providing a new inquiry learning program for elementary and junior high schools through the "SPARKE" inquiry learning library. The program, titled "Learn the essence of manufacturing and try developing a table tennis racket," allows participants to experience the entire process of racket development, aiming to deepen their understanding of the ingenuity and effort involved in manufacturing. Jun Mizutani, a Butterfly Gold Medal Advisor, features in the educational videos. The teaching materials include video lessons by corporate representatives, worksheets for classroom activities, and a teacher's guide detailing program timing, learning content, student activities, teaching points, and example dialogue. Applications are open from April 14, 2026, to March 31, 2027. The program targets elementary and junior high school teachers nationwide, covering grades 1 to 9. Participation is free of charge. To apply, teachers must use the application form on the program's detailed webpage and register as a SPARKE member. SPARKE is an inquiry learning library featuring various programs for elementary and junior high school classes. Its goal is to foster inquiry skills (thinking, judgment, expression, motivation to learn, and humanity) by engaging children in self-directed problem-solving processes that connect textbook topics with real-world issues. All program materials are available for free viewing, download, and management upon membership registration. Tamashu Co., Ltd., founded in 1950 by former All-Japan Table Tennis Champion Hikosuke Tamasu, is a comprehensive manufacturer of table tennis equipment. Beyond manufacturing and sales, Tamashu promotes table tennis globally under the slogan "Open the World" and has served as the official supplier for Japan's men's and women's national table tennis teams since April 2025. The "Butterfly" brand name reflects the sentiment, "If players are flowers, we wish to be the butterflies that serve them." The brand is known for its "Made in Japan" quality and is distributed in 198 countries and regions, with over half of World Table Tennis Championship participants using its products.