When long-distance trips are out of the question, Kawasaki looks closer to home.

Every year, elementary schools across Japan organize a class trip for their soon-to-graduate sixth graders so they can make some final, precious memories together. Some take trips to other prefectures, some take trips to Tokyo Disneyland, some go to hot springs where they try to peep in on the girls in class… you get the picture. It’s a big deal.

That’s why the City of Kawasaki decided to step up. They had planned on sending sixth graders at local elementary schools to the historical hot spring town of Nikko in Tochigi prefecture earlier this year, but obviously it’s a bit risky to be sending large groups of kids to spend time together in close quarters with coronavirus still making its mark on Japan. They ended up canceling the trip.

So instead, the city will be renting out an entire theme park for three days to make up for it. Over 12,000 sixth graders will get to enjoy Tokyo’s Yomiuriland (which has some pretty sick roller coasters) for a few days in March next year.

▼ A ferris wheel, a super-fast roller coaster, a pool (that probably won’t be in operation in March)…　it’s the perfect place to let loose!

Though you could argue that it’s not very responsible to send such a large group of kids to a theme park together in such uncertain times, we can only hope that things will calm down enough by the scheduled dates in March 2021.

Japanese netizens were pretty supportive, perhaps reflecting on how much their own class trips meant to them.

“This is a great, optimistic plan, instead of outright canceling everything.”
“We’re lucky that our local governments do these kinds of things for us.”
“That’s smart, considering there are a lot of rides at theme parks that you can practice social distancing on. Amazing!”
“This makes me want to cry for some reason. I hope they make precious memories!”

Hopefully, the trip can be held safely and as scheduled so that students won’t have to recreate milestone memories in Minecraft again!

Sources: Livedoor News via My Game News Flash
Top image: Pakutaso
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