16 Tourism promotion volunteers, etc. 2

JA Kitasorachi Agricultural Cooperative Women's Club Hokuryu Branch
JA Kitasorachi Agricultural Cooperative Fresh Miz Hokuryu Branch

Sunflower Festival "Agricultural Products Sales

Sunflower Rice Production Association

Sunflower Festival "Rice Festival
New Rice Festival

Sunflower Melon Growers Association, Sunflower Watermelon Growers Association

Hokuryu Agricultural Research Association

Established in 1951, it was created for the purpose of acquiring new agricultural technology. At the Sunflower Festival, they promoted agriculture by exhibiting old farm equipment in order to let consumers know about agriculture.

Park Golf Association (All Hokkaido Sunflower Cup Park Golf Tournament)

In 1995, Mr. Hajime Hiraiba established the company, which started with the construction of a 9-hole course in the precincts of the Shinryu Shrine. The total number of holes is 36.

Various tournaments, such as the All-District Sunflower Cup Park Golf Tournament, are held every year, attracting visitors from within and outside of the town.

Kita Sorachi Shinkin Bank (environmental beautification activities)

The Kitasukachi Shinkin Bank has placed sunflower festival tourism posters and sunflower festival event flyers in the town of Hokuryu not only in the Kitasukachi area, but also in its Asahikawa and Sapporo branches. In addition, as part of an environmental beautification campaign, flowers have been planted at the Hokuryu branch and trash pickup activities have been conducted in the town. In addition, the company provides support for the sales of specialty products through business matching and other means.

Liaison Council of Women's Organizations (Hokuryu Ondo Parade)

In 1987, the Hanagasa Ondo was replaced by the Hokuryu Ondo Parade, and in order to promote the Hokuryu Ondo Parade, the Women's Organization Liaison Council (President: Ms. Reiko Yamamoto) and the Minyo Buyo Doyukai (Ms. Fumiko Kawamoto and Ms. Mitsu Nakayama) went to various schools and communities to promote the dance and hold the parade. The artificial sunflowers in their hands were made with the help of Kimi Kawamoto, a member of the handicraft club.

Wa Hekisui Post Office (environmental beautification activities and stamp sales)

During the Sunflower Festival, stamps are sold in the tourist center. In 2002, "Hokuryu Sunflowers" were sold as Hokkaido hometown stamps. In addition, post office employees pick up trash as part of an environmental beautification campaign.

Hokuryu Town Sports Association

Hokusho Road Race
Lecture by Yuko Arimori in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the TMC
The 50th Hokusho Road Race, inviting Yukiko Akahane as a guest runner.

dragon boat (long 22-person canoe used for racing)

In 1993, Hiroyo Nakamura married Naokazu Nakamura from Kurisawa Town (now Iwamizawa City), Chie Hatsuta married Takashi Hatsuta from Imoseguchi-cho, and Fuko Tsuzawa, a teacher at Manryu Elementary School from Shin Totsukawa Town, joined Hokuryu Taiko, teaching children to play taiko in a different style than the traditional taiko club. The group taught the children how to play the taiko in a different style than the traditional taiko clubs.

Taiko performances were then added to the opening ceremony of the Himawari Festival and as a prelude to the Hokuryu Bon Odori Festival. Since 2008, the Sorachi Taiko Federation has been holding creative taiko performances at the Himawari Festival.

Sunflower Voluntary Association

The Hokuryu-cho Council of Social Welfare conducted a study tour of developed areas from November 8 to 10, 2001, as a measure for the elderly to make their lives worth living, since the presence of the elderly is very important for the welfare of the aging society and for the promotion of the town.

The following year, after the three-prefecture tour, the Voluntary Association was established on May 30, 2002, and Mr. Takashi Yamamoto was elected as its first president. The current president, Mr. Koji Kawada, and a total of 120 members have been guiding sightseeing tours and raising funds for the blooming of good sunflowers with the Himawari Longevity Association.

Himawari Longevity Federation

In 1963, the Hokuryu-cho Chosei-kai Rengokai was established by comrades, followed by the formation of senior citizens' clubs in each neighborhood association. In 1989, the name was changed to Hokuryu-cho Federation of Senior Citizens' Clubs, and in 2014, the name was changed to Hokuryu-cho Himawari Longevity Association Federation. They weed the Sunflower Village, serve as tourist guides for the Sunflower Festival, raise funds for the blooming of good sunflowers, and clean public facilities and pick up trash.

Hokuryu Junior High School (World Sunflower Cultivation and Tourism Guide)

In May 1990, the sunflower field sown by the youth group was damaged by birds. Considering that many tourists had visited the area the previous year and praised the wonderful sunflowers, we could not let the situation go on as it was. The students of the junior high school who saw this helped out, and we managed to overcome the crisis.

This led to the creation of the "World Sunflower Corner" the following year, where junior high school students sowed 30-50 types of sunflower seeds from around the world, grew them themselves, and served as tourist guides.

Here is one of the thank-you letters received from around the country.
"...I am still filled with emotion. Two female students, who wanted to make their paralyzed grandfather happy, ran down the hill and secretly gave him a red sunflower and a small yellow flower wrapped in paper so that no one could see them. I was just so touched by their kind and beautiful hearts...".

This is truly a living educational site where children can develop a wonderful sense of compassion and hospitality without the need for school education. Currently, the student council's "Sunflower Committee" is playing a central role in making a significant contribution to tourism in Hokuryu Town.
The company is making a significant contribution.

Hokkaido Umamichi Network Association

From 2005 to 2006, Horse Trekking was conducted in Himawari no Sato by the Hokkaido Umamichi Network Association. Yasuhiro Sasaki, chairman of the Hokuryu Town Horse Trekking Executive Committee, ran the program.

Ostrich Club (maze management, Aigamo Farm, ostrich farm)

Sunflower Village Shop Association (held a mini-game tournament)

Fresh Egg Catch Ball Tournament
Rock, paper, scissors
Sunflower Frisbee Tournament (organized by Mr. Kazuhiro Miyamoto, Souvenir Shop Miyamoto Shoji)
Mini-slide train service (planned by Mr. Masashi Arima)