KEE
by
Birchbit
Two events are planned between August and September
Option 1 - (8/16-8/19)
Option 2 - (9/20-9/23)
KEE Launch Special Campaign
is currently underway.
This will definitely be useful for middle and high school students
living in urban areas in the AI era of 2026.
Developing "Self-Understanding" "Leadership",
and "Expressiveness" in English
This programme will broaden the future possibilities
for students after they participate.
You will develop the skills necessary
to coexist and collaborate with AI in the future,
together with internationally experienced facilitators
and bilingual university student mentors
through a variety of hands-on experiences in nature
This is a four-day programme where participants express what they have learned through farm work and nature experiences with creative activities.
A unique unlearning & learning opportunity
If even one of these applies to you
This is a highly recommended programme for you!
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People who want to learn "in" English
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People who feel anxious in the age of AI
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People interested in AI products
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People who like sports
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People who want to improve their expressive abilities
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People who want to have an experience in nature
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People interested in solving local issues
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People who want to be active on a global scale in the future
Programme Content
The programme also includes learning opportunities from professionals in sports, dance, or primary industries!
In the project group work, we will engage in "expressive" activities that incorporate elements of the performing arts.
What you will gain from this programme
✅ a mindset and thinking skills that understand and leverage human strengths essential for moving forward in the age of AI and robotics
✅ expressiveness, communication skills, and the communication abilities required in today's complex international society
✅ "metacognitive skills," which are essential for objectively viewing oneself, and hypothesis testing skills that will be useful in future work
✅ an extraordinary learning experience that cannot be obtained in everyday life, and a collaborative experience that makes maximum use of natural resources
In the age of AI, inputting information has become easier than ever before.
You can find anything if you search for it.
If you ask AI, you'll get the answer to anything to a certain level. That's the kind of era we live in.
In this programme, not only memorising information and inputting knowledge, we will leverage the learning challenges of this rapidly changing era through an "unlearning" experience.
The participants will be able to view themselves objectively, consider the challenges facing Japan and the world, and express your own opinions.
We'll work together to hone our problem-solving skills.
In urban areas, there are few opportunities to directly interact with nature such as operating drones and tractors, and experiencing food education in the midst of nature.
To ensure that the experience doesn't end as "just an experience,"you will hone your entrepreneurial thinking skills through our workshop before/in/after each activity
Application Guidelines for KEE
Dates:
Option ① 16th August (Sun) - 19th (Wed) 2026
Option ② 20th Sep (Sun) - 23rd (Wed) 2026
Participants: Junior and senior high school students from Japan and abroad (*University students can join as well)
*For students from Japan, this programme is open to junior and senior high school students (and university students) nationwide, regardless of their prefecture of residence.
*The programme will be conducted in English so that students from other countries can join it.
Eligibility Requirements:
① Individuals in good physical and mental health
② Individuals willing to actively interact with people they will be meeting for the first time.
Number of Participants: 14
*If the number of applicants exceeds 14, a lottery will be held, and the applicants that miss the opportunity will be offered information about KEE programmes held in other weeks. Thank you in advance for your understanding.
Location: Kitahiroshima City, Hokkaido, and surrounding areas
Accommodation: A hotel in Kitahiroshima City, Hokkaido, or surrounding areas
*Details will be confirmed after registration.
Participation Fee: ¥190,600 (3 nights, 4 days)
*Tax included, includes round-trip airfare between Haneda Airport and New Chitose Airport (Kansai Airport to New Chitose option available), teaching materials, meals, activity fees, and local transportation.
*This is a discounted price for the programme launch as the original price is ¥229,000
*Residents of Sapporo and other areas near the event location can also use the "Commuter Type (no accommodation or air travel)" plan with a Hokkaido resident discount (¥70,200).
Minimum number of participants: 6
<Application Due dates>
Option ①
First deadline: 1st August (Sat)
Second deadline: 7th August (Fri)
Option ②
First deadline: 30th August (Sun)
Second deadline: 6th September (Sun)
Tour operator:
Co-op Travel Registered Travel Agency No. 2019 (Japan Tourism Agency) JATA (Japan Association of Travel Agents)
Programme development, planning, and operation:
Birchbit
Please check the programme leaflet via the button above.
What's included in the fee
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KEE Education Programme Fees
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Accommodation costs (shared room - boys only room & girls only room)
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Meals during the program stay
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Local transportation costs during the programme period
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Operations support costs
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Please note that the cost of transportation to and from Haneda or Kansai Airport for participants is not included.
Application process
How to apply
You can apply
by following the steps below
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Fill out the application form
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Information from our company (Birchbit)
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Contact from our partner travel agency
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Contact and confirmation of flight and accommodation information
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Payments from customers
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Contact from our company before the programme starts
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Programme participation
Main facilitator for this programme
Main facilitator
田中大幸
(Hiroyuki Tanaka)
Born in Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture. Hiro has experience managing educational businesses in the Netherlands (The Hague) and teaching in the UK. Having worked in training design, operation, and facilitation at an education startup in Tokyo, he moved to the AI industry seven years ago. At Rakuten Group, he dedicated himself to improving the user experience within the conversational AI department. Then, at ByteDance (TikTok) Japan, he was in charge of managing the team that handled Quality Assurance of search AI data. Subsequently, after working in product management for AI products supporting primary industries at a startup company in Tokyo, he founded Birchbit in Kitahiroshima City, Hokkaido in 2026. He is developing programmes to improve "transferable skills," which are highly sought after in the AI era, by combining them with experiences in primary and secondary industries, using sports and performing arts as hooks.
<Related Qualifications>
University of Kent (Canterbury, UK) - Linguistics (Bachelor's degree)
University of Kent (Canterbury, UK) - Applied Linguistics (Master's Degree)
CELTA (2013) - Certification in English language teaching from Cambridge Assessment English.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
Q. What is the biggest benefit of participating in this programme (KEE)?
A. The biggest advantage is that you can learn "transferable skills" (skills that can be applied in various environments) in the midst of nature, which will be useful for living strongly and happily in the unpredictable times ahead.
Q. What level of English proficiency is required?
A. Ideally, participants should have English proficiency equivalent to or higher than CEFR A2, but since staff and university student mentors are available to support participants, anyone with a desire to improve their communication skills is welcome to join. We especially encourage students from international schools and overseas schools to participate.
Q. The website mentions "Edu-Sport." Could you please explain the connection between sports and this programme?
A. With the recent advancements in AI, it is believed that physical activities that only humans can perform will become more important than ever. The curriculum is designed so that junior and senior high school students who regularly participate in sports can use sports as a hook (or trigger) to develop skills that will be useful in the future by thinking about their own bodies and learning and experiencing about nutrition and primary industries. For this reason, we incorporate activities with a "sports" element into self-understanding and expressive activities.
Q. Where will I be staying?
A. You will generally be staying at accommodation near Kitahiroshima City in Hokkaido. After you apply, the travel company that Birchbit is partnered with for this programme will contact you with details. There is a limited number of accommodation in Kitahiroshima City, Hokkaido, so depending on the schedule of professional baseball games held at Escon Field Hokkaido in the city, it may be difficult to secure accommodation. In that case, you will be staying at accommodation in the neighbouring city (Sapporo).
Please be assured that all transportation from the accommodation to the training/experience venue is included in the program price.
Q. How are room assignments made at the accommodation?
A. We will assign groups of 2-3 students (4 in some cases) to each room (in boys-only rooms & girls-only rooms), taking the balance of ages into consideration.
Q. What is the schedule like after 6:00 PM?
A. Dinner will be served at the accommodation in the evening, followed by free time. Depending on the participants' prior inquiries, we are considering activities such as group activities. Depending on the number of participants, we will make arrangements for activities such as watching a professional baseball game, stargazing, or sports.
The main programme ends at 6:00 PM, so participants from within Hokkaido or those not staying overnight are free to decide if they want to join such additional activities after 6:00 PM.
Q. What are the procedures in place for emergency situations?
A. In the event of natural disasters such as earthquakes, we will prioritise the safety of participants and follow the instructions of the accommodation, facilities, and local government. We will contact parents and guardians to inform them of the subsequent procedures.
Q. Is there support available before and after the programme?
A. We will share materials for inputting preliminary information and knowledge a few days before the programme starts. We also plan to hold an optional 30-minute pre-session online. After the programme ends, you will be invited to a learning community where you can casually exchange opinions with other participants and facilitators.
Q. Is it possible to participate in the package plan even if my flight departs from or arrives at airports other than Haneda Airport or Kansai International Airport?
A. Yes, it is possible. Please feel free to contact us via the application form, the inquiry chatbot (bottom right of the screen), or by email (info@birchbit.com).
Q. If I live in or near Tokyo or Osaka, can I arrange my own flights and accommodation to participate?
A. Yes, it is possible. If you wish to participate in the sessions only due to family circumstances or other commitments, please use the application form. Please indicate this in the remarks section of the form. You can also contact us via the inquiry chatbot (bottom right of the screen) or by email (info@birchbit.com).
Q. Birchbit is a new company that was established in 2026, but how does KEE differ from other programmes?
A. Yes, Birchbit is a new educational business that started in April 2026. One of the differences is that our representative, Hiro, has experience both in programme development at an educational startup and practical experience and management experience at a global AI company, so he can grasp the needs and trends of the real world and translate them into educational content. Also, although he is from a rural area of Hiroshima, he has educational experience overseas, so one of the key points is the unique combination of "nature experience x cutting-edge content x global information". Finally, Kitahiroshima City in Hokkaido will have a professional baseball home stadium built in 2023, and the city and nature are evolving while coexisting, so we believe that learning in that place will be a great stimulus for identifying new problems and "creating things".
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