PlantingCeremony

1997

Revive Time・Kaki Tree ProjectINDEX
28 Feb

Updated in 2020

Watari Nursery School
Kuma-gun, Kumamoto, Japan

24 MarHirose Elementary School
Oshu-shi (former Esashi), Iwate, Japan

22 AprSotoasahikawa Kindergarten
Akita-shi, Akita, Japan

Revive Time: Kaki Tree Project | 1997 Planting Ceremony

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Watari Nursery SchoolJapan
Kuma-gun, Kumamoto
28 Feb 1997

A director of Watari Pre School,
Mr. Fukami applied for the project
because he knew how important
it is to extend message for peace
through his experience of WorldWar 2 that he lost many his fellow.
This pre school set August 8th as“The day for bringing up peace”
and has taught about peace on thatday in every year since 1980. So
they prepared for planting ceremony
with parents of children. Before

and talk about kaki trees. One of the aims

the ceremony, they sought applications forof this event was let people in other region

names for kaki trees and made a time capsuleknow that they planted kaki trees. Anotherwith message for their children ten years

significant reason is to provide the place tolater. In ceremony, children announced thatmeet various people and share the time withnames for kaki trees decided “Kaki-maru kun”

them and kaki trees. Balloons are familiarand “Kakie chan.” They also made a picture-objects for children. So, the reason of using

story show, “the story of parent of kaki tree

balloons is that to reminder kaki trees when

and their children” to understand the war

children see balloons in their daily life.

easier for children.
Even after that, they continued to teachMoreover, they hold an event with an artist,

about peace under the kaki trees every year.

Keiichi Ninomiya, who lives same region

And in 2001, they finally harvested 7 seeds

and doing “Fly a balloon project”. In thisform kaki tree. Thus, Bombed Kaki Tree 3rd

project, they filled over 200 balloons withwas born in May 30th, 2002.

air and connect those altogether to fly. And
they had lunch with watching balloons flew

The 10th anniversary ceremony was holdin August 5th, 2006. Mr.
Ninomiya, students at thattime and their parents opened
the time capsule and cerebrate
their reunion and growth ofkaki trees.

Revive Time: Kaki Tree Project | 1997 Planting Ceremony1

Hirose Elementary School
Japan
Oshu-shi (former Esashi City), Iwate
24 Mar 1997

be in ten years later.
In the same time, parents of students
organized the committee of kaki trees andbegan to act. They set up the board for thecaption right behind kaki trees and havemeeting regularly. And they hold the event toput protected nursery to avoid snow in every
January. Even in Iwate where is the colder
part in Japan, kaki trees has grown up withMr. Kakuya Matsumoto, a principal of Hirose

supports by people.

elementary school, who was supposed toretire in that year, applied for planting kaki

In August 15th 2007, an event to celebratetrees. As he was leaving the school he wanted

10th anniversary was hold. Mr. Mastukomo,

to leave kaki trees as the significant message

Mr. Koike, Dr. Ebinuma, Tatsuo Miyajima, andfor children. At the ceremony, Dr.Ebinuma

students in that time were gathered again.

gave a special lecture for children to think

They saw drawings and video of interview

about kaki trees, atomic bomb, and the war.

that they did 10 years ago. They also put red
L.E.D. lights on kaki trees under the night

Being impressed by Mr.Matsumoto, Tatsuo

sky with many

Miyajima hold a workshop “Kaki trees instar shines.

ten years later and our 10 years later”.

Some of themThis workshop was consisted of two parts;

were marriedshooting interviews to students of sixth grade,and even had

and drawing by whole students of the school.

kids. They feelthat kaki trees

In interview part, they recorded 20 students

was handedof 6th grade answering the question on

down fromvideotape. It focuses on contact of spirit

them to next

between kaki trees and students. They told

generation as

about their dreams or future and gave moretime goes by.

than passing thoughts to how kaki trees will

Revive Time: Kaki Tree Project | 1997 Planting Ceremony

2Sotoasahikawa Kindergarten
Japan
Akita City, Akita
22 Apr 1997

Akita prefecture has been attacked while

play the music and named it as ”Kaki Trees

World war 2 although it is located at northin 10 years after”. The beginning of thepart of Japan where had little experience ofperformance, children were looked at her

the war. But unfortunately, that experience

playing with great interests and started tohas been forgotten. Soto-Asahikawa Pre

play by themselves. The sound they madeSchool applied to the project because theysounded like birds singing. Those sounds

wished it brings the memory of war toby her and children sounded like dialogue

children and makes every generation to think

between grew Kaki trees and children.

about the world peace. So they prepared toplant the trees and applied to the committee.

Ms. Mizushima thought that this installation
might make children feel kaki trees closer.

They planned some events that whole

She also wished that they could see kaki

students of the Pre School could participate

trees again when they grow up. She talked tofor the planting ceremony. They announced

children those feelings at the ceremony.

name of the kaki tree and had time capsule
ready to put drawings by children. At the last

The beautiful sounds played by them in thatpart of the ceremony, they released balloons

day remained in minds of participants.

to the sky and watched it with whishes forthe peace.

In 2007, July 26th, they held a festival forcelebrating 10th anniversary of planting kaki

A Japanese artist, Ms.Kazue Mizushimatree. The children in that time had a reunion

who plays “STRINGRAPHY” performed withat the Pre School. They opened the timechildren at the ceremony. “STRINGRAPHY”

capsule and received drawings that they drewis the performance of playing music at the10 years ago from teachers. They looked

space filled by weaving string telephones.

back the time they spend with kaki trees with

They did this installation with filling theirsurprising and think about meaning of kaki

gymnasium of many strings telephones totrees again.

Revive Time: Kaki Tree Project | 1997 Planting Ceremony

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