As Mr. Shinichi Yano, art instructor at Kakinomi Kindergarten in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, where the tree planting took place on 13th of May 2005, introduced the project to Yokohama Civic Art Gallery Azamino Preparation Office, the project at Yokohama Civic Art Gallery Azamino was realized. The Civic Gallery which had just opened was huge and there was much traffic including children and people in the community.
Although it was drizzling on the day of the tree planting ceremony, about 30 children who applied in advance as well as who just walk-in gathered at the entrance hall on the ground floor. The children who were going to participate all wore a persimmon color ribbon around their neck. There were talks given by Mr. Nobuyuki Hayashi, director of the Art Forum Azamino, Mr. Masayuki Ebinuma, Mr. Nobuo Koike and Tatsuo Miyajima before tree planting. Then children watched the picture-card show “Persimmon parent and child” performed by volunteer staff of the Gallery to learn about “the seedling from the bombed persimmon tree,” which they were going to plant. They decided to name the tree “Nobi nobi kun” after the discussion. Afterward everybody went outside and planted the tree in the flowerbed located on the left side of the front entrance. Every single participant, from small children to adults, covered the tree with soil.
After the tree planting, Mr. Shinichi Yano conducted a workshop. White paper cups with messages written and pictures drawn on them were prepared beforehand from kindergartens and elementary schools in the city and other white paper cups formed two large persimmon fruits on the floor. Children were divided into two groups and one group heaped the already made paper cups. The other group wrote messages and drew pictures on the paper cups in the atelier on the second floor of the Civic Gallery. The children enthusiastically heaped the paper cups much higher than themselves. By the children who took turns along the way, huge art objects were completed. Looking down the stairs, these works looked enormous and overwhelming.
