Introduction of group activities

Established in 2011 by a group of passionate local residents, this association was founded to protect the Shirako River, a spring-fed stream that flows through a residential area in the western part of Tokyo's Nerima Ward. To preserve the river's diverse ecosystem and invaluable waterside environment, the group works to bring the community together. In addition to regular cleanup activities, the association also supports environmental education at local elementary schools and hosts the "Shirako River Headwaters Festival" to help revitalize the community.

Activity Period: April 2025 - March 2026
Activity Area: Nerima Ward, Tokyo
Activity Details: We will work to further strengthen our relationship with the community by increasing local engagement. This includes expanding our regular activities and environmental education support. We also plan to introduce a "River Supporter System" to encourage cooperation among the government, citizens, and various organizations in preserving the river environment, as well as developing more appealing activities and utilizing social media to promote our work.

Activity Period: April 2017 - March 2020
Activity Area: Nerima Ward, Tokyo
Activity Details: The Shirako River headwaters have seen a significant decrease in aquatic life due to prominent water pollution and the eutrophication of the riverbed. In addition to our regular cleanup activities, we will analyze the current state of the waterside environment by quantitatively and statistically assessing recent changes and then disseminate our findings to the community. We will also investigate and test countermeasures, such as using plants for water purification, while working in partnership with the local government to achieve a fundamental solution: the restoration of spring water flow.

Activity Period: April 2015 - March 2016
Activity Area: Nerima Ward, Tokyo
Activity Details: We are now in our 14th year of activities focused on preserving the spring water and waterside environment of the Shirako River headwaters, a Class A river. By leveraging the strong community ties and expertise we've built as a civic organization, we aim to create a town with spring water where everyone—including local schools, children, residents, and businesses—can share a sense of ownership over "our Shirako River." We will achieve this by regularly conducting river cleanups and biodiversity surveys.

Activity Period: April 2014 - March 2015
Activity Area: Nerima Ward, Tokyo
Activity Details: This marks our 13th year of conservation efforts for the spring water and waterside environment of the Shirako River headwaters, a Class A river. By leveraging the strong community ties and civic expertise we've built, we aim to create a town with spring water where everyone—including local schools, children, residents, and businesses—can share a sense of ownership over "our Shirako River." We will achieve this by regularly conducting river cleanups and biodiversity surveys.

Activity Period: April 2013 - March 2014
Activity Area: Nerima Ward, Tokyo
Activity Details: This marks our 13th year of conservation efforts for the spring water and waterside environment of the Shirako River headwaters, a Class A river. We regularly conduct river cleanups and biodiversity surveys with the aim of creating a town with spring water where everyone—including local schools, children, residents, and businesses—can share a sense of ownership over "our Shirako River."

Activity Period: April 2012 - March 2013
Activity Area: Nerima Ward, Tokyo
Activity Details: Our activities began in 2001 with the goal of preserving the invaluable spring water and rich waterside environment of the Shirako River, the only Class A river in Tokyo's 23 wards to have a spring-fed source. We protect the river's environment through regular activities such as river cleanups, water quality surveys, and biodiversity studies. Additionally, we aim to help people experience the charm of a "town with spring water" by hosting events like the "Shirako River Headwaters Festival."

Activity Period: October 2010 - September 2011
Activity Area: Nerima Ward, Tokyo
Activity Details: The Shirako River supports the lives of many aquatic creatures, including the endangered Tokyo weather loach. Despite our various educational efforts, many challenges remain. During heavy rainfall, for example, sewage from the combined sewer system flows into the river, deteriorating the riverbed soil.
This year, we will focus on purifying the river bottom using a newly introduced drainage pump. In addition to our regular river activities like water quality and biodiversity surveys, we will also remove the invasive aquatic plant Myriophyllum aquaticum.
At the Shirako River Headwaters Festival in October, we will promote the river through presentations on "Shirako River Learning" by elementary school students who participated in our outreach classes. We will also raise awareness about installing rainwater infiltration trenches, which allow rainwater to seep into the ground from buildings' downspouts to help protect the spring water. Furthermore, we will begin creating a supplementary textbook about the Shirako River for local elementary students and design a conceptual board to be installed in Inogashira Park, where the river's headwaters are located.