Totto-chan (Tetsuko Kuroyanagi): charming, adorable, naughty in a cute way
Headmaster Kobayashi: creative, liberal, pragmatic, trust-worthy, averse to publicity and marketing, love for children, passion for teaching
- unconventional method of teaching; no specific time-table; just a list of problems and questions in the subjects to be studied on a day; classes only till noon and walks around the school and to the Temple in the afternoon
- balanced nutritious meal; something from the ocean and something from the hills; rice, fish, meat; chew, chew, chew it well; Itadakimasu (I gratefully partake); eat slowly and take time over meal to enjoy pleasant conversation
- swim naked; all bodies are beautiful; to avoid morbid curiosity or shame about their bodies;
- eurhythmics; music; rhythm of nature (pounding of rain drops on window panes); live in harmony with the nature
- social gatherings; trip to Toi Spa; camping in the Assembly Hall; field kitchen; school walks;
- ordinary clothes instead of uniform; no need to worry about clothes getting dirty; the children can play to their heart's content
- public speaking during lunch hours;
- the students at Tomoe were trained to focus on their task and do not get distracted by what others were doing;
- the students knew that mean behaviour was something to be ashamed of; the students were raised with discipline; everyone got into the habit of understanding one another and trying to help
- learning by doing; farmer teacher; farming was included in the curriculum
