Chuo-ku Tourism Association correspondent blog

Hello. I'm a new correspondent, Hanes.
During the New Year's holiday, I went to Higashine City, Yamagata Prefecture, a friendship city in Chuo-ku.
If you say Higashine City, it's still "snow" and "cherries"!
This time, we will focus on the two and introduce the exchange between Chuo-ku and Higashine City.



The opportunity for the exchange between these two cities dates 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 cherries Wakagi with red fruits.

On the day, in the fine weather, with the attendance of many mayors including Mayor Yada and Mayor Nasu Higashine, representatives of the ward assembly, cherry daughter (Miss Higashine), local town council officials, and children from Kyobashi Kindergarten,
A tree-planting ceremony was held at Kameibashi Park (on the west highway of the ward office), and after the ceremony, it is said that freshly picked cherries were handed to children and those who watched the tree planting by the cherries.
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.
Thank you, in 1989, Chuo-ku gave 25 willows, including 6m long willows on the sidewalk of Ginza 2-chome.

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 willow in Ginza seen in the shadow also has a taste.)

One of them is here!
In winter, even in Higashine City, where there was always snow, it was growing strong.



Looking at the base, I found a monument buried in snow!
It is engraved with "Ginza's Yanagi Government Building Completion Commemorative Tree Planting Donation" August 18, 1989, Chuo-ku, Tokyo."
30 years in Higashine City...Even if you leave your hometown, if you see the cheerful willow in Ginza, you will be surprised and energetic.



I would like to see you again when you wear lush leaves and flutter in the wind cool.



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 snow is brought from Higashine City every two years.
"Chuo-ku Snow Festival" is being held.

Mayor Higashine's New Year's message stated, "At the Chuo-ku Snow Festival held in February this year, along with a 200-ton snow present, we will prepare the taste of winter in Motoichi such as potato boiled and ball konjac, along with a gift of 200 tons of snow. I will do it. "
I'm very excited now.
In 1989, when the exchange through this snow began, the Nihonbashi Snow Festival was held with the gift of 10 heavy 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 Seeds Flying Tournament" was also held.
I think that the characteristics and goodness of Higashine City have deepened exchanges and 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 this year.



Why don't you visit Higashine City, where you can enjoy both the snow season and the cherry season?

[References and Websites]
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 Ward Administration Yearbook 1989 Edition" in Chuo Ward, Tokyo (Chuo Ward, Tokyo, 1989)
Public Relations Section, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Metropolitan Public Relations Section, Public Relations Section, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Metropolitan Public Relations Section, April 1990 to March 1992 (No. 462 to No. 581) (Public Relations Section, Chuo-ku, Tokyo)

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