Two kaki trees were planted on 5 February 2000 at Tsukioka Primary School and the 10th anniversary event was held on 27 October 2010, the school’s foundation day.
The then-school principal and artist Mr. Michio Horikawa and tree doctor Mr. Masayuki Ebinuma from Nagasaki attended the ceremony. First, all pupils gathered in the school gymnasium and listened to Principal Mitsuo Yoshida’s talk on the history of the school and the planting of the kaki tree 10 years earlier. Then they watched the Kaki Tree Project DVD, listened to Mr. Ebinuma’s talk and participated in Mr. Horikawa’s workshop “Making Orizuru (folded crane).” The special kaki tree pattern, made from the photo taken by Mr. Horikawa, was printed on the origami and they could write a message and their name on the crane’s wings. Everyone joined in the group photo with their finished Orizuru. Masks made for this event by the third grade pupils of Karako Primary School in Higashi Matsuyama City, Saitama Prefecture were also displayed in the gymnasium. Then exchange activities with the 6th grade pupils were carried out. Mr. Horikawa shared the story of the planting and showed his works of necktie made of stainless steel. Works of numbers by Tatsuo Miyajima were also introduced. Mr. Ebinuma talked about treatment of the bombed tree and his profession.
At the end, the 6th grade pupils placed a lot of lanterns that they made around the two kaki trees, then celebrated by singing a song and lighting up the lanterns. Those lanterns were lit until dark and we were sure that the kaki trees were also delighted to see the fantastic scenery.
