50 Years of Tourism Association History [2020s]
| Year number | 月 | Major Events |
| Reiwa 2 2020 |
2 | The number of infected people has increased sharply since the 13th, following the conclusion of the Sapporo Snow Festival (Sapporo City), which attracted approximately 2 million tourists from Japan and overseas. |
| 3 | The measures based on the Special Measures Act for COVID-19 Countermeasures enacted on March 13th have imposed restrictions on the tourism and food and beverage industries, which have had a major impact on the economy. In addition, the Tokyo Olympics, which were scheduled to be held in the summer, have been postponed due to COVID-19. | |
| 7-8 | The 34th Sunflower Festival was canceled due to the state of emergency declared under the Special Measures Act for COVID-19 Countermeasures. Taking advantage of this opportunity, we introduced soil conditioners and other materials to improve the soil in the fields. We also carried out work to fill in the drainage ditch in the main field. | |
| Reiwa 3 2021 |
1 | Hokuryu Town receives Hometown Development Award Local Government Award from the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications for its local revitalization (Sunflower Oil Regeneration Project) |
| 7-8 | Hosting the 2020 Tokyo Olympics | |
| 7-8 | The 35th Sunflower Festival is canceled | |
| 10 | In the "Top 10 Japanese Scenic Spots You Should See at Least Once" segment on Nippon Television's "Hirunandesu!", Farm Tomita (Hokkaido) was ranked 1st, followed by Aomori Nebuta Festival (Aomori Prefecture), Gion Festival (Kyoto Prefecture), Sumida River Fireworks Festival (Tokyo), and Hokuryu Town Himawari no Sato in 5th place. | |
| Reiwa 4 2022 |
3 | The Takikawa Hokuryu bus route is discontinued. |
| 7 | Akihiro Adachi, CEO of Ryusei Farm Co., Ltd., and Minoru Nagai, head of the Kitamizuho Producers Association, have teamed up to develop craft beer using Hokuryu Town's specialties in order to promote the town. These craft beers are made with three types of ingredients: sunflower seeds, rice, and yellow watermelon, and are sold at the Sunflower Tourist Center and Hokuryu Onsen during the Sunflower Festival. | |
| 7·8 | The 36th Sunflower Festival was held. Priority measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 ended after the Golden Week holidays in May. Sunflowers were planted in Sunflower Village and the shops in the tourist center were open, but no events were held to avoid the three Cs (crowding, close contact, and closed spaces). The COVID-19 infection prevention measures were lifted after the May holidays, and the frustration of not being able to travel was suddenly released, and various tourist spots regained their vitality. This year, donations to Himawari no Sato increased dramatically, and from August 6th to 7th, the number of visitors on National Route 275 reached a record high. This caused traffic congestion (from around the Amuryu Roadside Station to Himawari no Sato). |
|
| 10 | Governor Suzuki Naomichi of Hokkaido visits municipalities in Hokkaido to meet with practitioners of community development "Naomichi Cafe" was held in Hokuryu Town on October 26th and offered a sunflower oil tasting. |
|
| Reiwa5年 2023年 |
2 | "First Pressed Sunflower Oil" Selected as Northern High-Grade Food of 2023 |
| 3 | Minoru Nagai and Akihiro Adachi of Mizuho Production Niwai start selling "Rice Chips" | |
| 4 | Yukio Takada appointed as chairman of the Himawari Tourism Association | |
| 7 | The 37th Sunflower Festival was held (Sunflower Village) | |
| 8 | Hokkaido Broadcasting HBC "(Tomochika's) Walking Hokkaido" on September 6th at 7pm The program will introduce Hokuryu Town for about an hour. The program will feature enka singer Kaori Mizumori. Comedian Oideyasu Oda promoted Himawari Sato in Hokuryu Town and other places. |
|
| Reiwa6年 2024年 |
🌻 | Due to a shortage of drivers, express buses and local buses have been discontinued throughout Hokkaido, including Sapporo city buses. It is scheduled to be discontinued. Hokuryu Town is planning to discontinue the Fukagawa-Hokuryu bus route and operate the Hokuryu-Imobeushi line as a local public transport service, but the future direction of tourist transportation in Hokuryu Town is a matter of concern. |
