[Event Report] "Hajime no Shippo" Tag Game Exchange Held for 125 Preschoolers in Kaizu City

Cross Plus Inc., a lifestyle creation company that enriches daily life through fashion, signed a comprehensive partnership agreement centered on "lifestyle improvement" with Kaizu City, Gifu Prefecture, on Thursday, May 28, 2026. Simultaneously, the company held an exchange event called "Hajime no Shippo" for approximately 125 five-year-olds from all nine municipal nursery schools.

For this event, the children wore "Kaizu City Original Tails" made from upcycled surplus fabric provided by Cross Plus Inc. and Unisen Co., Ltd., while participating in tag games to interact with each other. The event aimed to foster physical ability and social skills in early childhood and was implemented as a rare, region-wide initiative involving the collaboration of the local community, government, and private corporations.

■ Background of the "Hajime no Shippo" Exchange Event
A survey conducted by Kaizu City in fiscal year 2021 regarding health and dietary habits revealed that 37% of elementary school students reported spending three or more hours daily watching TV, using PCs, or playing video games, an increase of 13% compared to fiscal year 2016. Furthermore, it became clear that longer screen time corresponds to lower rates of physical activity, making the decline in childhood exercise opportunities and changes in lifestyle habits a significant issue.

Moreover, a survey by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) indicates that children who spend more time playing outdoors have higher levels of physical fitness and ability, suggesting that developing exercise habits in early childhood leads to the formation of a healthy and active lifestyle throughout one's life.

In response to this, Kaizu City initiated the "Early Childhood Exercise Play Promotion Project" in collaboration with local businesses and social welfare organizations, aiming to enhance and promote opportunities for physical play. As the first stage of this initiative, the "Hajime no Shippo" exchange event was held.

■ Event Highlights
Approximately 125 five-year-olds from all the city's certified nursery schools gathered to participate in tag games while wearing the original tails. The program included activities where adults chased the children's tails, as well as children cooperating to chase the adults' tails. Afterward, children from the nine schools mixed together to engage in inter-school tag games. The children ran with all their might, filling the venue with cheers and smiles as they deepened connections with children from other schools.

Tag games are known to foster not only physical abilities like leg strength, agility, and balance but also judgment, strategy, and the social ability to follow rules. This event served as an impressive exchange where children enjoyed moving their bodies.

The original tails used were made from high-quality surplus fabric often used for department store brands, serving as a sustainable initiative through upcycling.

■ Feedback from Participants
[Comments from Participating Children]
Children commented, "It was fun playing with children from other schools," and "I want to play tag with everyone again." The event provided a great opportunity for preschoolers within the city to deepen their interactions.
Regarding the "original tails" gifted by Cross Plus Inc. and Unisen Co., Ltd., children remarked, "The tails were beautiful and I was happy," "I wanted to keep wearing it forever," and "The tails were long and easy to grab," helping to engage the children in the event.

[Comments from Mr. Yamashita, Section Chief, Children's Future Division, Kaizu City Health and Welfare Department]
"In Kaizu City, the declining birthrate is progressing, and playground games that were once crowded with children 20 years ago are now often played by only 5 or 6 kids. When children are with many friends, they naturally develop a desire to 'try it out' or 'play together' and become absorbed in physical activity.

With that vision, all nine schools in the city united to prepare for this event. On the day, 125 children gathered, and we were able to see them running around in a burst of energy that exceeded our expectations. The original tails served as a bridge between friends, making it an event where everyone could feel the joy of playing together."