January 1, 2023 (Sunday)
Happy New Year New Year's Day
The year 2023 was the year of the rabbit, 癸卯.
I sincerely hope that the gates of winter will open like the "Rabbit" and that hope will sprout and a warm spring will arrive.
New Year's Day Marathon
- Prayer:Good harvest, traffic safety, no accidents, family safety
- Co-sponsored by:Hokuryu Town Sports Association, JA Kitasorachi Hokuryu Branch Office
- Sponsorship:Hokuryu Town Board of Education, JA Kitasorachi Hokuryu Branch Office, Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen
- Sponsored by:Traffic Safety Association, Hokuryu Firefighting Union Fire Supporters Association, Kuro Sengoku Business Cooperative Association
- Secretariat:JA Kitasorachi Hokuryu Branch Office, etc.
The New Year's Day Marathon is,35th (2018)The event has been co-sponsored by the Hokuryu Town Sports Association and JA Kitasorachi Hokuryu Branch Office since April 1, 2012.
Prayer at Shinryu Shrine
With snow flurries falling, about 24 town residents gathered at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 1 at the Shinryu Shrine. After praying at the shrine, the New Year's Day Marathon was held.
Prayer for everyone's visit to the shrine
Everyone gathered at the Shinryu Shrine to pray for an early end to the plague and for a bountiful harvest, traffic safety, disaster prevention, and family safety.
Greetings
Mr. Yuji Arata, Manager of JA Kitasorachi's Hokuryu Branch Agricultural Division, presided over the event, which was followed by greetings from Hirokuni Kitakiyo, Hokuryu District Representative Director of JA Kitasorachi, and Masato Sawada, President of the Hokuryu Town Sports Association.
JA Kitasorachi, Hirokuni Kitakiyo, Hokuryu District Representative Director

Today is a calm day. I wish you a peaceful year, a bountiful rice harvest as last year, and traffic safety. I wish you all good health," said Mr. Kitakiyo, District Representative Director.
Masato Sawada, Chairman, Hokuryu Town Sports Association
Happy New Year, everyone! As we welcome the New Year, I would like to ask for your continued participation in the various programs of the TWSW this year," said President Sawada.
New Year's Day Marathon - all start together with sashesi (sash)!
After visiting the shrine, everyone moved to the front of the Hokuryu Fire Hall, where they all started wearing yellow "Traffic Safety" sashes!
After driving through the snowy roads at our own pace, we returned to the front of the Hokuryu Fire Hall, returned our sashes, received our participation gifts, and headed home in groups of three.
prize for participation
Souvenirs of participation include "Yumepirika 300g" rice illustrated by Agri-Fighter North Dragon (courtesy of JA Kitasorachi Hokuryu Branch Office) and Kuro Sengoku Kinako (courtesy of Kuro Sengoku Business Cooperative Association)!
With heartfelt thanks to the Shinryu Shrine, where the light of hope shines brightly!
In the three years of 2020, 2021, and 2022, there is still no end in sight to the corona disaster, the world is still suffering from extreme weather, and social and political changes are occurring at a dizzying pace.
In these times of hardship, I sincerely wish you a wonderful New Year full of vitality and energy, with the light of hope in your hearts.

We look forward to working with you again this year!
January 1, 2023 New Year's Day 
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◇ Photography and Editing: Noboru Terauchi Reporting and Writing: Ikuko Terauchi
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