Chuo-ku Tourism Association correspondent blog

Hello. This is a new correspondent, Hanes.
During the New Year holidays, I went to Higashine City, Yamagata Prefecture, a friendship city in Chuo-ku.
When it comes to Higashine City, it's still "snow" and "cherries"!
This time, focusing on the two, we will introduce the exchange between Chuo-ku and Higashine City.



The opportunity for the exchange between these two cities goes back to 1988.
Higashine City learned that the city is promoting greening at a cherry exhibition held in Chuo-ku.
On June 14, we donated a cherry Wakagi with red fruits.

On the day of the event, in the fine weather, with the attendance of many mayors including Mayor Yada and Mayor Nasu Higashine, representatives of the ward assembly, cherry daughter (Mis Higashine), local town council officials, and children from Kyobashi Kindergarten attended.
A tree-planting ceremony was held at Kameibashi Park (on the west highway of the ward office), and after the ceremony, the cherry daughter handed freshly picked cherries to children and those who were watching the tree planting.
You can see the situation at that time on the YouTube channel of Chuo-ku government office.


(16 minutes and 56 seconds-: The state of the "Cherry Donation Ceremony" at Kameibashi Park is recorded.)

Higashine City donated 15 cherry trees.
To thank you, in 1989, we gave 25 willows, including a willow that was 6m long on the sidewalk of Ginza 2-chome in Chuo-ku.

There are now six willows in Ginza in front of the city hall government building at Higashine City Hall and 13 in the adjacent "Citizen's Square".


(The willows in Ginza seen in the shadow also have a taste.)

Here's one of them!
In winter, even in Higashine City, where there is always snow, it grew robustly.



If you look at the base, you will find a monument buried in snow!
It is engraved with "Ginza's willow Government Building Completion Commemorative Tree Planting Donation" August 18, 1989, Chuo-ku, Tokyo".
Over 30 years in Higashine City...Even if you leave your hometown, if you look at the cheerful willow in Ginza, you will get mysterious and energetic.



I want to go to see you again when you have lush leaves and cool in the wind.



Also, as you can see from the photos, there is quite a lot of snow in Higashine City.
Chuo-ku does not have much connection with snow, but once every two years snow is carried from Higashine City.
"Chuo-ku Snow Festival" is being held.

Mayor Higashine's New Year's message states, "At the Chuo-ku Snow Festival held in February this year, along with the gift of 200 tons of snow, the taste of the city's winter, such as potato boiled and tamakonjac. I will prepare it. "
I'm very excited from now on.
In 1989, when the exchange through this snow began, the Nihonbashi Snow Festival was held as a gift for 10 heavy-duty trucks.
It is said that about 1,300 children gathered.
Therefore, isn't the "Chuo-ku Snow Festival" a winter event that can not be overlooked especially for those with children?



And in June, the annual “Cherry Seed Flying Tournament” was also held.
I think that the characteristics and goodness of Higashine City have deepened exchanges and have become known to more people. .



In addition, special products of Higashine City may be sold at events held in Chuo-ku.
I can't keep an eye on the exchange with Higashine City again this year.



Why don't you visit Higashine City, which can be enjoyed both in the snowy season and in the cherry season?

[References and Website]
Yasuo Katsumata, Miseko Tanaka, "Ginza's Yanagi Monogatari" (Ginza's Yanagi Monogatari Policy Committee, 2003)
Tokyo National Highway Office “Ginza willow” http://www.ktr.mlit.go.jp/toukoku/info/ginza/
Chuo-ku, Tokyo, "Chuo-ku Government Yearbook 1989 Edition" (Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 1989)
Public Relations Section, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, "Chuo-ku Public Relations Magazine Ward News Compact Edition", April 1960 to March 1991 (No. 462 to No. 581) (Public Relations Section, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 1990)

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