Friday, February 20, 2026
- 1 Celebrating the birth of life: A presentation ceremony for the one-of-a-kind original picture book "Your Picture Book" and the spirit of harmony woven by Hokuryu Town
- 1.1 Building a town that puts children at the center: A message from Mayor Sasaki Yasuhiro
- 1.2 A gift that creates a place in the heart: A message from Hokuryu Town Community Supporter, Noboru Terauchi
- 1.3 My encounter with picture book author Nagao Takuma and the one and only picture book in the world
- 1.4 The presentation ceremony was full of smiles. Cheers for Azusa-chan and Gai-kun.
- 1.5 A peaceful and prosperous future woven by compassion
- 2 YouTube videos
- 3 Other photos
- 4 Related articles and sites
Celebrating the birth of life: A presentation ceremony for the one-of-a-kind original picture book "Your Picture Book" and the spirit of harmony woven by Hokuryu Town
As snow gently fell in Hokuryu Town, warm smiles like those in the spring sunshine filled the air. On this day, a presentation ceremony for the original picture book "Your Picture Book" was held at the town hall to celebrate the new life born to the whole town.
The main characters are 9-month-old Ono Azusa and her 4-month-old son, Michishita Kai. In this place where the love of their parents and the deep compassion of the townspeople intersect, they were presented with a special, one-of-a-kind picture book.
A baby clutching a picture book tightly in his small hands, while his family gazes on with tenderness.
The venue was filled with pure and innocent prayers for the healthy growth of new life. It was a miraculous moment when the "spirit of harmony" that quietly lives deep in the hearts of the people of Hokuryu came to fruition in one form. We would like to share this heartwarming day with you all.
The event was moderated by Nozomi Tanaka, a public health nurse and head of the Health Promotion Section of the Children and Lifestyle Support Division.
Building a town that puts children at the center: A message from Mayor Sasaki Yasuhiro
At the beginning of the presentation ceremony, Mayor Yasuhiro Sasaki spoke warmly and thoughtfully to the family.
"I'm really sorry that we didn't have a chance to talk at length. It took almost a year of careful thought, many people were involved, and with the families of both of them in mind, to finally complete this picture book.
The city hall staff and Mr. and Mrs. Terauchi, who had been involved in the editing from the beginning, worked hard and found picture book author Nagao Takuma.
We are talking about putting children firmly at the center and building a town with children at the center. At the March assembly meeting where the budget for fiscal year 2026 will be decided, the first thing we will do is make a "Child-rearing Declaration." We truly hope that the town will develop with children at the center.
I had a lot of trouble deciding on the picture book, but I decided to include a short handwritten message from me.
To Kai, I said, "Little hero born on the land of Hokuryu, may you have the strength to get back up even when you fall, the strength to believe even when you are lost, and may your new path be filled with light."
To Azusa-chan, "Smile like you're singing, walk like you're dreaming, and may your days be filled with love. The whole town is on your side."
"Hokuryu Town will be undertaking a variety of initiatives from now on, so we hope you will cooperate with us in developing the town," said Mayor Sasaki in his warm and heartfelt words.
From what he said, it was clear that he cared for each and every child in the town as if they were his own, and that he was determined to carve out a future that puts children at the center.
A gift that creates a place in the heart: A message from Hokuryu Town Community Supporter, Noboru Terauchi
Next, Terauchi Noboru, a village support worker in Hokuryu Town who has been working hard on this project since its inception, shared his hopes for the picture book.
"Congratulations to Azusa-chan, Gai-kun, and their parents, Ono-san and Michishita-san. All of us residents are truly happy that a new treasure has descended upon Hokuryu Town.
Looking back, one year ago in January, Mayor Sasaki gave us a certain "homework." He asked us to "come up with a plan that will bring the town together to celebrate and support the new life that is being born. A warm gift that is unique to Hokuryu, like your chair in Higashikawa." It was a passionate request.
His wife, Ikuko, who is a qualified librarian, came up with the idea of creating a one-of-a-kind picture book with a newborn baby as the main character, with the baby's name engraved on it.
A chair creates a physical "place to be," but a picture book can create a "place in the heart." I want children to realize how much love they were born with and to treasure that story for the rest of their lives. This was the hope behind the proposal.
The mayor encouraged us to go ahead with it, and we used the internet to meet Nagao Takuma, the author of the original picture book.We had many conversations with Nagao Takuma via email and Zoom, and we worked together with the town's project team to move forward with the project.
This picture book is filled with the town's thoughts, including Himawari Saki, local specialties, and beautiful nature, as well as the parents' thoughts on naming the child and a handwritten message from the mayor.
Raising a child is not always fun and exciting, and there may be times when you can't sleep at night or feel anxious. When that happens, please open this picture book. It is filled with messages of "Congratulations" and "We love you" from all over Hokuryu Town.
We, and everyone in the town, are always on the parents' side and are a cheering squad watching over Azusa and Kai's growth.
"I sincerely hope that this picture book will be a warm light that illuminates the lives of Azusa and Kai, and that it will deepen the bonds between the family," said Terauchi with great passion.
My encounter with picture book author Nagao Takuma and the one and only picture book in the world
The completed picture book vividly depicts a world in which the baby is the main character.
With each turn of the page, the baby's name is woven into the book, and the design is carefully crafted down to the smallest detail, with ribbons and slightly different expressions, gently embracing the individuality of the baby holding it.
Hokuryu Town's "Your Picture Book" is extremely rare nationwide, and is part of a chain of groundbreaking and loving initiatives.
The face-to-face relationships and careful attention that are only possible in a small town are preserved in the eternal form of a book, a love shared by the entire town.
The presentation ceremony was full of smiles. Cheers for Azusa-chan and Gai-kun.
Mr. and Mrs. Ono and Mrs. Michishita received the picture book directly from Mayor Sasaki at the presentation ceremony.
Azusa reaches out curiously to the picture book and smiles as she tries to touch the pages with her little fingers.
Everyone in the audience was captivated by his innocent appearance and sent their heartfelt congratulations.
Fathers and mothers also expressed their joy.
Although Ono looked a little nervous, he spoke of his overflowing joy.
"I'm so grateful that the whole town came together to create such a wonderful book for my daughter. I hope to read it to her many times."
Michishita also spoke with deep emotion.
"I was born and raised in Hokuryu Town, so I was really happy to hear that my child would be given a book like this. Even as the number of children is decreasing, I am very pleased to see efforts being made to cherish our own children and other children."
When asked what prompted Hokuryu to start working on this picture book,
Mayor Sasaki said, "Hokuryu Town currently has a population of 1,551, and I can see the faces of each and every one of our townspeople.
"With the birth of two new babies to the couples, the town's treasures will be increasing. As a town, we wanted to do something. We wondered what would have a story, what would connect to the future, and so we came up with the idea of a picture book," he replied.
A peaceful and prosperous future woven by compassion
In today's society, where efficiency and speed are required, connections between people tend to become weaker. However, in Hokuryu Town, the "spirit of harmony" - where people simply wish for the happiness of others and share their joys without expecting anything in return - is deeply rooted in everyday life.
Through one picture book, the entire town becomes one big family, warmly embracing new life. This chain of "kindness" enriches the community and is a small but definite step towards world peace.
The smiles exchanged in this small room in Hokuryu Town and the prayers contained in this picture book are undoubtedly a light that will illuminate the future.
We hope that "Your Picture Book" will gently illuminate the lives of Azusa-chan and Kai-kun, and become a source of comfort that deepens the bonds between the family.
With boundless love, gratitude, and prayers, this "One and Only Picture Book for You" will be a place where all the townspeople celebrate the birth of a new life, watch over its growth, become a light that brightens the hearts of each child, and become an anchor for their souls that long for their hometowns.
(Please forgive us for pronouncing Hokuryu Town as "Kitaryu-cho")
YouTube videos
Other photos
Related articles and sites
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