Friday, March 27, 2025
On Monday, March 24th, after the 31st General Meeting of the Hokuryu Town Park Golf Association, the Hokuryu Town Park Golf Association's 30th anniversary celebration was held at 5pm in the banquet hall on the 1st floor of Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen.
- 1 Hokuryu Town Park Golf Association 30th Anniversary Celebration
- 1.1 Moderator: Akira Tanimoto, Secretary General
- 1.2 silent prayer
- 1.3 Message from Chairman Katsuzo Ito
- 1.4 Award for distinguished service: Letter of appreciation
- 1.5 Representative of the winners: Susumu Yotsuji
- 1.6 Guest speech
- 1.7 Guest Introduction
- 1.8 Toast and toast led by Yoshiki Tanaka, Superintendent of the Hokuryu Town Board of Education
- 1.9 Banquet
- 1.10 Closing with three cheers: Hokuryu Town Athletics Association Chairman Masato Sawada
- 2 Youtube Video
- 3 More Photos
- 4 Related Articles
Hokuryu Town Park Golf Association 30th Anniversary Celebration
Moderator: Akira Tanimoto, Secretary General
silent prayer
We will hold a moment of silence to pray for the repose of the souls of our members who have passed away.
Message from Chairman Katsuzo Ito
"I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the mayor and all the relevant organizations for attending this memorable milestone of the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Hokuryu Town Park Golf Association.
Park golf was invented in Makubetsu Town in 1983. It is the only sport that originated in Hokkaido, and I believe it is a sport that can be enjoyed by three generations of parents and children, while maintaining health and improving physical strength, allowing people to interact with each other and improving physical and mental health.
Looking back, the Hokuryu Town Park Golf Association was founded in October 1995 by 34 members, led by the first chairman, the late Hajime Hoshiba, who was one of the first to take notice of park golf.
At the time, there were no park golf courses in Hokuryu Town, so with the permission of the chief priest of Shinryu Shrine, one course was built within the shrine grounds in 1995, two courses at the Miwagyu Training Center in 1996, and one course at Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen in 1998, all of which were built with the volunteer work of members and through manual labor, and I have heard that it was a very difficult process.
Subsequently, the town acquired the site of the former forestry agency nursery next to Kitaryu Junior High School, and the current park golf course was completed over a five-year period starting in 2001.
The wish of the first chairman, the late Hajime Hoshiba, has been fulfilled, and he has made efforts to raise the awareness and improve the skills of members.
The organization was subsequently passed on to the second chairman, Susumu Yotsuji, the third chairman, Moriaki Tanaka, and the fourth chairman, Tadashi Hoshiba, and we would like to express our sincere gratitude to each of them for their guidance and their achievements and hard work.
Upon completion of the park, the NPO Himawari took over all operation and management of the park. The course has been recognized as a well-maintained, high-grade course, and with the cooperation of various related organizations, it has been used to host many different competitions both within and outside the town.
We would like to continue to cooperate with Hokuryu Onsen and the Sunflower Festival, a major event in Hokuryu town, through the park to increase the number of tourists.
"In closing, we will use the 30th anniversary of the Hokuryu Town Park Golf Association as an opportunity to continue working together as a team to make the sport a healthy and enjoyable one that is loved by the local community, so we would like to ask for your continued guidance and support. This concludes my 30th anniversary greetings," said Chairman Ito.
Award for distinguished service: Letter of appreciation
We would like to present you with a letter of appreciation for your outstanding achievements as past presidents of the Hokuryu Town Park Golf Association.
- Second Chairman:Susumu Yotsuji (2005-2014)
- Third Chairman:Mr. Moriaki Tanaka (2015-2018)
- Fourth Chairman:Tadashi Hoshiba (2019-2022)
Representative of the winners: Susumu Yotsuji
"I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the relevant organizations for attending today's glorious celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Hokuryu Town Park Golf Association.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the three of us for presenting a letter of appreciation as past presidents.
Hokuryu Town's park golf was founded on October 14th, 1995, led by Hajime Hoshiba, and was officially recognized by the Japan Park Golf Association, receiving its 201st certification on October 30th, 1995.
During my term, I received a lot of help from everyone involved in increasing the number of members, the number of tournaments, and improving the environment. In particular, Shiomi Construction was very helpful in improving the environment. The course is now highly regarded as one of the best in Hokkaido.
Some memorable moments from my time here include co-hosting the 17th JAL Cup All Japan Championship and the 18th Southern Hokkaido Park Golf Tournament with Uryu Town.
"Finally, as the chairman said earlier, I hope that Hokuryu Onsen, Himawari no Sato, the cherry blossom trees, and the park golf course will continue to develop as assets of Hokuryu town, and I would like to express my gratitude. Thank you very much," said Yotsuji.
We will bring you the "now" of this vibrant and shining town with a population of 2,100 and an aging population rate of 40%. The town of Hokuryu, where families are as bright and harmonious as sunflowers...
Sunflower Village in Hokuryu-cho, Hokkaido, a superb view of Japan. A sightseeing spot in Hokkaido. Please come and see it. Rice sommelier raves about "Oborozuki...
Guest speech
Mayor Yasuhiro Sasaki of Hokuryu Town (acting deputy mayor Masaaki Okuda)
"Congratulations to the Hokuryu Town Park Golf Association on celebrating its 30th anniversary today.
Normally, Mayor Sasaki would be in attendance to offer his congratulations, but due to other official duties, I will be offering the congratulations in his place.
As Chairman Ito mentioned earlier, park golf was born in Makubetsu Town in 1983, and I have heard that it was originally developed based on grand golf.
At the time, a hole about 20cm in diameter was made on the grass of a sports park, and the course was created to resemble a cup. The name "park golf" was given to the game because it was golf played in a park. Unlike golf, the rules for playing the course are easy to understand, and it has become a popular sport that can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of age or gender.
I heard that the park golf association was founded in this town in 1995 and that they built a hand-crafted course at the shrine. I imagine that they must have had a lot of trouble at the time.
Your steady efforts have borne fruit, and the course has now been developed into an officially recognized course by the Nippon Park Golf Association. We believe this is entirely due to the efforts of our members.
Park golf helps promote the health of the townspeople, and we are very pleased to see players from inside and outside the town visit our town for various tournaments.
We would like to once again express our gratitude for your association's activities. The town would like to continue to support you in the future.
"In closing, I would like to express my respect for the activities of the chairman and all the members to date, and as the association celebrates its 30th anniversary, I wish it continued success in the future. Congratulations to you all today," said Deputy Mayor Okuda.
Congratulatory speech by Mr. Shoichi Nakamura, Chairman of the Hokuryu Town Council (represented by Ms. Keiko Ozaki, Vice-Chairman)
"Chairman Nakamura is unable to be here today due to personal commitments, so I will offer my congratulations on his behalf.
As it is the 30th anniversary, I had a look at the commemorative magazine. I looked over it from cover to cover and felt that it was a wonderful commemorative magazine that was handmade with great passion. This kind of energy is typical of Hokuryu Town, and I got the strong impression that it was all driven by you all.
The first time I played park golf was in 2019. We participated in the Chairman's Cup. It was my first time, so I was really bad at it, and my score was about 288, so I had to laugh it off (lol). I was just playing it casually, hoping to build friendships, but everyone else was different. It was a really serious game. I was amazed at everyone's skill and how quickly they calculated.
And it was very disappointing that the event was cancelled for the second year in a row due to the effects of COVID-19.
When I looked at the commemorative magazine, I saw that there were many matches (about once every 10 days), and I was impressed by the energy. I think that enjoying park golf leads to good health and longevity.
I am very happy that 95-year-old Nakayama Rokusaburo is still in good health and playing park golf. He is the father of one of my classmates. He apparently got a hole-in-one in a match last year. I believe he will continue to lead Hokuryu Town in good health. Please keep up the good work.
On a personal note, I came to Hokuryu Town 30 years ago. My two-year training program began in April. At the time, I was in my 30s and pretty, but I hope that in the next few years, I will be able to join you all and have fun together.
"I pray that this energy will continue to circulate and be passed on to those in their 40s and 50s who are in the prime of their working lives, those in their 20s and 30s who are in the prime of their learning, and to the children who will lead the future, and that they will continue to live healthy, happy and cheerful lives. I would like to conclude my remarks on the 30th anniversary with this. Thank you," said Vice-Chairman Ozaki.
Guest Introduction
- Hokuryu Town Deputy Mayor Masaaki Okuda, Hokuryu Town Council Vice-Chairman Keiko Ozaki, Hokuryu Town Board of Education Superintendent Yoshiki Tanaka, Hokuryu Town Sports Association Chairman Masato Sawada, NPO Himawari Representative Mitsuyuki Koshida (Shiomi Construction Representative), Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen Manager Manabu Hashimoto
Toast and toast led by Yoshiki Tanaka, Superintendent of the Hokuryu Town Board of Education
"Congratulations on your 30th anniversary. I think it's really amazing that this event has been passed down year after year since it first began.
I'm sure you'll have a lot of stories to share about the past 30 years. I hope you'll drink and talk a lot and have a great time. And I hope you'll start your 31st year tomorrow.
So, congratulations on your 30th anniversary. Cheers!!!" said Superintendent Tanaka.
Banquet
The delicious food and drinks created a great atmosphere.
Banquet course menu
In a friendly and harmonious atmosphere
Closing with three cheers: Hokuryu Town Athletics Association Chairman Masato Sawada
"Congratulations on the Park Golf Association's 30th anniversary.
The banquet is in full swing, but we would like to pray for the good health of all members of the Park Golf Association and for the continued prosperity of the Association, so we would like to shout ``Banzai'' three times, and we ask you to join in.
"Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah! Congratulations!" the crowd concluded with three powerful cheers.
Hokuryu Town Park Golf has been passed down and protected for over 30 years!
With boundless love, gratitude and prayers to the Hokuryu Town Park Golf Association, where people can enjoy playing golf while deepening their relationships with others, all with the aim of promoting healthy longevity.
Youtube Video
More Photos
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◇ Reporting and writing by Ikuko Terauchi (Photography and editorial assistance by Noboru Terauchi) 
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