Robotera: Is the fusion of robots (robo) and temples (tera, in Japanese). Buddhist temples in Japan are offering robotic classes to foster interest in future generations in Buddhist culture and temples.

As well as offering traditional activities—such as tea ceremonies, lectures, reading and crafting—temples in Japan have started working with the robot academies franchise Robo Done to increase their educational offerings and teach robotics to kids, ages 6 years and up.

These activities have been a great hit, drawing numerous kids and their parents to the temples. As a result, the number of temples that are offering robotic classes is increasing exponentially. From Daigoji temple in Kyoto to Shinagawaji temple in Tokyo, these innovative programming courses are helping a new generation to approach the traditional culture while promoting STEM education and robotics. The old customs are innovating to be closer to the 21st-century, without losing their roots. This is a clear example of the two faces of Japan: tradition and future.

Click here to read more at Robotera, or read more about Robo Done School here.

Robo Done, the robotic academy franchise for kids from Osaka, Japan, celebrated Japan’s Day of the Children on the 5th of May at their annual event, Robot Festival 2017 or RoboFes. The event welcomed over 1,000 attendees, including children and their parents.

This was the 2nd time Robo Done has celebrated the festival. In only one year, the number of attendees has increased threefold (350 attendees in 2016 to over 1,012 in 2017). It was celebrated in the KANDAI MeRise Campus of the Kansai University in Osaka, Japan and has become the biggest event at the campus.

The main activity was the Robot Contest, using LEGO Mindstorm, with morning and afternoon leagues. Over 200 children — from 6 years and up — participated in the championship. The kids built robots in pairs and programmed their creations, repeating the process of trial-and-error against a time limit. Several IT and robot related companies had booths, as well as, students of the university, which offered a variety of activities for the kids to enjoy.

Robo Done will hold RoboFes again in 2018, hoping to inspire even more kids to enjoy robotics and programming. We hope RoboFes will become a regular event during Japan’s “Golden Week!”