Yanaka is the town where old cityscape was saved and still has communication among people who live there as it always has been.
The project in this town started from the exhibition of Kaki Tree Project Report at gallery CASA in Yanaka. After exhibition, the Yanaka Kaki tree network was formed. Workshops and exhibitions by them spread sympathy for the kaki trees among people in Yanaka. As the result, the club whish elementary students so after school was set at the Yanaka Community Center. Then finally, planting kaki tree came true at there.
At the planting ceremony, the baby kaki tree was given to the town and many people who involved to this project gave speeches. Such as, Mr.Sorato Asao who was the chief member of the Yanaka Community, Mr. Kozo Noike, the chairman of the Misaki town community, Dr. Ebinuma, and Mr. Tatsuo Miyajima.
Following the ceremony, an artist, Ms. Heike Hanada, and children show a performance that settled on “Okunchi” which is the traditional event in Nagasaki to express revival of kaki tree Jr. and energy of life. While younger children drew on the fabric around the kaki tree with watercolors, older children manipulated the crafted dragon with the dynamic rhythm by the oriental harp. After those events, they made rice cakes they really like and ate it in front of the kaki tree.
In 2002, the “Future Children Club” organized the harvest festival when the kaki tree bore fruits. They made dried kaki fruits and cerebrated the growth of kaki tree Jr. and its children. Since this year, they have held the festival in every year.
Kaki Tree was transplanted to the disaster control center that placed across the street from community center because Yanaka community center was rebuilding in March 2008. However it was moved, the tree is still watched by the people in Yanaka.
