On 22nd April 1997, “two seedling of the bombed kaki trees” were planted in the kindergarten yard of Sotoasahikawa Kindergarten. At that time, they also buried the time capsule which were to be opened 10 years after.
Planting Ceremony / Sotoasahikawa Preschool
After 10 years, on 26th July 2007, former kindergarten pupils, those in the youngest class (now in the second grade of junior high school), the middle class (now in the third grade of junior high school) and the eldest class (now in the first grade in high school), had a reunion at the kindergarten to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the planting. First, a guest and kindergarten director Eiji Sato delivered messages. A message was also read on behalf of Mr Ebinuma, who was not able to attend the ceremony. Then the time capsule buried at the time of the tree planting 10 years before was dug up by the kindergarten bus driver. Afterward, they did a group photo shoot by each grade in a play room and everyone watched the picture-card show “Kaki Tree Parent and Child (Kakinoki Oyako).” Then, children entered their respective classrooms, sat on a tiny chair and were called by their first names with “chan” by the teacher, just like the old days. They looked a bit embarrassed as they received their hand shapes and drawings which were made 10 years earlier from their former class teacher. They compared the size of their hands with the tiny hand shapes, enjoyed watching the footage of the workshop captured 10 years before, took time to look around the kindergarten after many years and had a good time. It was a day for them to look back on that time and think about the meaning of the planting of the kaki tree.
