On 31 October 2011, “Experience Kaki Peeling” and “Kaki Peeling Competition” were held at Takaho Primary School in Suzaka City to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the planting. The members of Takaho Regional Development Promotion Committee visit the school every year for the last few years to organize these events since the kaki tree planted on 1 March 2001 first produced fruit. As 4 pupils on behalf of the school visited Nagasaki in August this year and Mr. Ebinuma also came from Nagasaki to attend, the “Peeling Competition” was greater than usual.
Firstly, the 4 pupils who visited Nagasaki reported with pictures that they visited the bombed tree and its seedlings, attended the peace ceremony on 9 August and interacted with primary schools in Nagasaki City. Then, Mr. Ebinuma delivered a message and the third grade pupils did a presentation on their peace study. As the members of Takaho Regional Development Promotion Committee had gathered kaki fruit in the community to prepare for the competition, there were 2000 pieces of kaki fruit together with those from the seedling of the bombed kaki tree. Pupils from the 1st st to 6th grade formed groups and each group consisted of 20 pupils. Members of each group quickly peeled 200 pieces of kaki fruit with kitchen knives and tied peeled persimmons to a rope to make hoshigaki (dried persimmons). Then, 2 members representing each group took part in the peeling competition, which was held on a stage of the school gymnasium. At first, pupils were rather cheering quietly but then they got excited and thrusted themselves into the front and cheered like crazy. It was a fun event. The champion won with the length of 2meters 10cm and made a new record. The new plantings of the bombed kaki tree seedlings in 6 locations in 6 towns in Takaho area will take place in March 2012.
