Mr. Kakuya Matsumoto, a principal of Hirose elementary school, who was supposed to retire in that year, applied for planting kaki trees. As he was leaving the school he wanted to leave kaki trees as the significant message for children. At the ceremony, Dr.Ebinuma gave a special lecture for children to think about kaki trees, atomic bomb, and the war.
Being impressed by Mr.Matsumoto, Tatsuo Miyajima hold a workshop “Kaki trees in ten years later and our 10 years later”. This workshop was consisted of two parts; shooting interviews to students of sixth grade, and drawing by whole students of the school.
In interview part, they recorded 20 students of 6th grade answering the question on videotape. It focuses on contact of spirit between kaki trees and students. They told about their dreams or future and gave more than passing thoughts to how kaki trees will be in ten years later.
In the same time, parents of students organized the committee of kaki trees and began to act. They set up the board for the caption right behind kaki trees and have meeting regularly. And they hold the event to put protected nursery to avoid snow in every January. Even in Iwate where is the colder part in Japan, kaki trees has grown up with supports by people.
In August 15th 2007, an event to celebrate 10th anniversary was hold. Mr. Mastukomo, Mr. Koike, Dr. Ebinuma, Tatsuo Miyajima, and students in that time were gathered again. They saw drawings and video of interview that they did 10 years ago. They also put red L.E.D. lights on kaki trees under the night sky with many star shines. Some of them were married and even had kids. They feel that kaki trees was handed down from them to next generation as time goes by.
