Monthly meeting and farewell party for village supporters and local revitalization volunteers @Kitchen Seisei

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

The monthly meeting for local revitalization cooperation team members and village support staff, as well as a farewell party for local revitalization cooperation team member Yui Sasaki, whose term ends at the end of March, was held at Kitchen Harebare from 5:30 pm on Wednesday, March 26th.

Monthly meetings for village supporters and local revitalization cooperation team members

Participants included Mayor Sasaki Yasuhiro, Deputy Mayor Okuda Masaaki, Planning and Promotion Division Chief Kawamoto Yayoi, Councillor Mori Chiaki, Village Support Officer Murakami Nobuyuki, Regional Revitalization Cooperation Team Member Sasaki Yui, and Village Support Officers Terauchi Noboru and Ikuko.

A farewell party was held at Kitchen Harebare, a Western restaurant run by former local revitalization volunteers Yasuhide Nishijima and Chiaki Nakano.

Farewell party for Yui Sasaki, a local revitalization volunteer

Greetings from Yui Sasaki

"When I first became a local revitalization volunteer, I fell down the stairs and injured myself, so I went to the local clinic for a checkup. When I said, 'I've been here as a volunteer,' they said, 'The volunteer period is three years, but aren't you going to leave halfway through?!' But I declared, 'I'll do my best to see it through to the end!' and I did indeed see it through to the end of the three years.

There were times when I wasn't used to it and couldn't do things properly, but everyone was very kind to me and I had a great time. I hope to continue working with Murakami on design projects and other projects in the future.

If I have the opportunity, I would like to visit Hokuryu Town again. I hope to have the opportunity to meet you again in the future.

Thank you very much for your help," said Sasaki Yui.

Toast by Deputy Mayor Masaaki Okuda

"Until now, I have been in the Construction Division, so I have not had much contact with the volunteers. From now on, I would like to actively talk to them and have more contact with them, so I would appreciate your help.

In the future, there will be many different jobs available in Tokyo, so I think your horizons will be broadened, so I hope you do your best. I hope you will come back often.

Let's toast to Yui's continued success in the future!" said Deputy Mayor Okuda.

Food

Salmon namero & cream cheese and prosciutto bruschetta

Miso hotpot

Seared bonito with sesame flavor

Fried chicken

Tamagoyaki with wild vegetable sauce

Rice porridge to finish

Closing remarks

Noboru Terauchi has been running the Hokuryu Town Portal for 15 years as a local revitalization cooperation team member and village supporter.

"My husband and I came to Hokuryu in 2010 when we were 53 years old. I'm now 68. At the time, I was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease in Tokyo. When I came to Hokuryu, I was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease at Sunagawa Hospital, and was given two medical certificates, one from a hospital in Tokyo and one from Hokkaido.

Since coming to Hokuryu, the warmth of the townspeople has saved our lives twice. Once when we moved to Hokuryu, and once when we lost our jobs in a traffic accident. At our most emotionally distressing times, the townspeople of Hokuryu offered warm words of encouragement and took turns bringing us home-grown vegetables. Everyone's deep consideration and kindness has saved us and comforted us deeply.

What I think now is that it is important to accept whatever happens (the environment you are given) and how you judge it at that time, and which choice you make, will determine the rest of your life. I believe that accepting everything, rather than denying it or belittling it, is meaningful and important to me, and that is why I am who I am today.

We are promoting the wonderfulness of Hokuryu Town to the world. The world is impressed by the wonderful qualities of Japan: "compassion" and "harmony." We believe that this spirit is the very origin of the soul of Hokuryu Town.

I believe that spreading the word about the wonderfulness of Hokuryu Town in Japan will not only increase sales and make us famous, but will also lead to change the world.

The fact that our lives have been saved and extended can be seen as a way of disseminating information and also as a way of giving back to the townspeople.

What I want to tell Yui is that no matter what happens or what environment she is given, it will have meaning in her life.

There will be many difficult things in your relationships and at work, but no matter what happens, you should understand that there is meaning in it, accept it honestly, and think about how you should judge and act as the next step.

Please enjoy life!!!" says Terauchi.

Regional revitalization cooperation team members and village supporters are breathing new life into Hokuryu Town and shining a light on the residents of Hokuryu!

With boundless love, gratitude, and prayers for the future development of Hokuryu Town, we move forward together in harmony with the town's spirit of harmony.

Other photos

Photos (24 photos) from the February activity report and farewell party for the village supporters and local revitalization volunteers (Kitchen Seisei) are here >>

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◇ Photography, editing, and website management: Noboru Terauchi Writer: Ikuko Terauchi