The 4th National High School Student 'Local Nature' Koshien (Nature Koshien) Opens for Entries
Entries are now open for the 4th 'Nature Koshien', a contest where high school students nationwide utilize video creation and mobile apps to explore and present their local biodiversity.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 15, 2026 at 00:29
- 🔍 Collected: April 14, 2026 at 16:01
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 15:25 (119h 23m after Collected)
The Expo '90 Foundation (President: Fujio Mitarai) and Regional Environmental Planning Co., Ltd. (Representative Director: Satoshi Takatsuka) announce that they will begin accepting entries for the 4th National High School Student 'Local Nature' Koshien (commonly known as Nature Koshien).
Nature Koshien aims to foster the ability to solve issues towards a society where nature and humans coexist—such as regional revitalization and environmental conservation—among high school students nationwide by having them introduce local nature, living creatures, and the people involved through video recording and surveys.
The application categories consist of two types: the 'Video Creation Category' and the 'Living Creature Survey Category'. These are contests where participants create short videos or post photos of living creatures to a free app, respectively.
The event overview is as follows. For details, please visit the Nature Koshien homepage (https://www.expo-cosmos.or.jp/naturekoshien). Also, you can view footage from past Nature Koshien final tournaments on the Expo '90 Foundation YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@EXPO90_Foundation/featured).
[Contact Information]
Please use the inquiry form on the Nature Koshien homepage (https://www.expo-cosmos.or.jp/naturekoshien).
[Event Overview]
■ Application Categories
(1) Video Creation Category - Theme: 'Coexistence of Nature and Humans'
Pre-registration: From Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Work submission: June 1, 2026 (Mon) to November 30, 2026 (Mon)
Create and submit a 2 to 5-minute video with a storyline portraying the 'nature and people' close to home, such as local nature, diverse living creatures living there, and culture or livelihoods related to local nature. Prizes will be awarded to top groups selected by judging.
(2) Living Creature Survey Category - Theme: 'Diversity of Local Nature'
Entry & Application period: April 14, 2026 (Tue) to October 31, 2026 (Sat)
Post plants and animals growing or inhabiting the prefecture where the school is located using the free app 'Living Creature Collection App Biome'. Prizes will be awarded to top groups based on the total number of animal and plant species from the perspective of biodiversity.
■ Result Announcement
Judging and result announcements will be made at the final tournament held on Sunday, February 7, 2027. Results will also be announced on the Nature Koshien homepage.
(1) Video Creation Category
- Grand Prix (1): Certificate and extra prize (Plaque, 50,000 yen prize money, mirrorless camera)
- Runner-up (2): Certificate and extra prize (Plaque, 30,000 yen prize money, compact digital camera)
(2) Living Creature Survey Category
- 1st to 3rd place: Certificate and extra prize (Plaque, various nature observation items)
■ Organizers: Expo '90 Foundation, Regional Environmental Planning Co., Ltd.
■ Supported by: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Ministry of the Environment
■ Cooperation: Japanese Society for Preservation of Birds, Natural Environment Research Center, Biome Inc.
[Record of the 3rd Nature Koshien]
1. Project Period:
Entry period: April 15, 2025 (Tue) to November 28, 2025 (Fri)
Final Tournament: February 8, 2026 (Sun) at Expo '90 Memorial Hall (Tsurumi-ku, Osaka)
2. Number of entries and winning schools (group names)
(1) Video Creation Category
- 40 groups entered
- Grand Prix: Kumamoto Prefectural Matsuhase High School (Kumamoto)
- Runner-up: Nagasaki Prefectural Kamigoto High School (Nagasaki), Nagano Prefectural Kiso Seihou High School (Nagano)
- Excellence Award: Osaka Prefectural Konan Zokei High School (Osaka), Shizuoka Seien Girls' High School (Shizuoka), Meijo University Senior High School (Aichi)
(2) Living Creature Survey Category
- 51 groups entered
- 1st place: National Institute of Technology, Okinawa College (Okinawa)
- 2nd place: Saga Prefectural Chienkan High School (Saga)
- 3rd place: Tokyo Metropolitan Hino High School (Tokyo)
[About the Expo '90 Foundation]
The Expo '90 Foundation aims to pass on the philosophy of 'Harmonious Coexistence of Nature and Mankind' from the International Garden and Greenery Exposition held in 1990.
Nature Koshien aims to foster the ability to solve issues towards a society where nature and humans coexist—such as regional revitalization and environmental conservation—among high school students nationwide by having them introduce local nature, living creatures, and the people involved through video recording and surveys.
The application categories consist of two types: the 'Video Creation Category' and the 'Living Creature Survey Category'. These are contests where participants create short videos or post photos of living creatures to a free app, respectively.
The event overview is as follows. For details, please visit the Nature Koshien homepage (https://www.expo-cosmos.or.jp/naturekoshien). Also, you can view footage from past Nature Koshien final tournaments on the Expo '90 Foundation YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@EXPO90_Foundation/featured).
[Contact Information]
Please use the inquiry form on the Nature Koshien homepage (https://www.expo-cosmos.or.jp/naturekoshien).
[Event Overview]
■ Application Categories
(1) Video Creation Category - Theme: 'Coexistence of Nature and Humans'
Pre-registration: From Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Work submission: June 1, 2026 (Mon) to November 30, 2026 (Mon)
Create and submit a 2 to 5-minute video with a storyline portraying the 'nature and people' close to home, such as local nature, diverse living creatures living there, and culture or livelihoods related to local nature. Prizes will be awarded to top groups selected by judging.
(2) Living Creature Survey Category - Theme: 'Diversity of Local Nature'
Entry & Application period: April 14, 2026 (Tue) to October 31, 2026 (Sat)
Post plants and animals growing or inhabiting the prefecture where the school is located using the free app 'Living Creature Collection App Biome'. Prizes will be awarded to top groups based on the total number of animal and plant species from the perspective of biodiversity.
■ Result Announcement
Judging and result announcements will be made at the final tournament held on Sunday, February 7, 2027. Results will also be announced on the Nature Koshien homepage.
(1) Video Creation Category
- Grand Prix (1): Certificate and extra prize (Plaque, 50,000 yen prize money, mirrorless camera)
- Runner-up (2): Certificate and extra prize (Plaque, 30,000 yen prize money, compact digital camera)
(2) Living Creature Survey Category
- 1st to 3rd place: Certificate and extra prize (Plaque, various nature observation items)
■ Organizers: Expo '90 Foundation, Regional Environmental Planning Co., Ltd.
■ Supported by: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Ministry of the Environment
■ Cooperation: Japanese Society for Preservation of Birds, Natural Environment Research Center, Biome Inc.
[Record of the 3rd Nature Koshien]
1. Project Period:
Entry period: April 15, 2025 (Tue) to November 28, 2025 (Fri)
Final Tournament: February 8, 2026 (Sun) at Expo '90 Memorial Hall (Tsurumi-ku, Osaka)
2. Number of entries and winning schools (group names)
(1) Video Creation Category
- 40 groups entered
- Grand Prix: Kumamoto Prefectural Matsuhase High School (Kumamoto)
- Runner-up: Nagasaki Prefectural Kamigoto High School (Nagasaki), Nagano Prefectural Kiso Seihou High School (Nagano)
- Excellence Award: Osaka Prefectural Konan Zokei High School (Osaka), Shizuoka Seien Girls' High School (Shizuoka), Meijo University Senior High School (Aichi)
(2) Living Creature Survey Category
- 51 groups entered
- 1st place: National Institute of Technology, Okinawa College (Okinawa)
- 2nd place: Saga Prefectural Chienkan High School (Saga)
- 3rd place: Tokyo Metropolitan Hino High School (Tokyo)
[About the Expo '90 Foundation]
The Expo '90 Foundation aims to pass on the philosophy of 'Harmonious Coexistence of Nature and Mankind' from the International Garden and Greenery Exposition held in 1990.