A child's essay inspired a whale keychain: 27 upcycled keychains made from 100 plastic bottle caps gifted to 25 fifth-graders at Yobuko Elementary School

25 fifth-grade students at Yobuko Elementary School holding their whale keychains made from plastic bottle caps.

On March 6, 2026, the NPO Karatsu Farm & Food surprised 25 fifth-grade students and their homeroom teacher at Karatsu Municipal Yobuko Elementary School with 27 whale keychains, upcycled from approximately 100 plastic bottle caps. The creation of these keychains was inspired by the students themselves, who wrote "I want a keychain!" in their essays following a marine education program. The design was developed in collaboration with their teacher, featuring a whale motif to symbolize the local Yobuko sea. Whale keychains designed with the Yobuko sea in mind, upcycled from about 100 bottle caps.

The surprise gift brought smiles, with students exclaiming, "It's beautiful!" and "Thank you!"

The Story Behind the Keychains For four years since 2022, NPO Karatsu Farm & Food has partnered with Yobuko Elementary School to conduct beach cleanups and marine education (ESD). Several students mentioned wanting a keychain in their post-activity essays, which sparked this project. The design was finalized with the help of their teacher, choosing the whale as a symbol of the local marine environment.