A chorus of cherry blossoms spreads across the spring landscape.

Thursday, April 30, 2026

Along the roadsides in the town's gardens, you'll find "moss phlox," with its tiny petals resembling cherry blossoms, blooming profusely as they creep along the ground.

A single flower is just a tiny speck. Yet, when thousands of tiny lives come together and overlap, a breathtaking carpet of pink is created.

"You're not alone. It's fun because everyone's here."

The scenery seems to be speaking to me in that way.

Without making a loud noise, they simply and quietly, yet powerfully, take root in the spring earth and bloom to their fullest on the side of the road that everyone else passes by.

As Hokkaido's long winter ends and the lingering effects of the melting snow remain on the soil, moss phlox is the first to announce the arrival of spring.

In each tiny petal that has withstood the cold, I can see the land of Hokuryu Town and the hearts of its people intertwined. Individuals come together and harmonize. That is the very essence of the "spirit of harmony" of the people who live in this town.

In Hokuryu Town, where people support one another and kindness is so abundant that it goes unnoticed, this cluster of moss phlox embodies the everyday life of the town.

A cherry blossom-colored chorus that gently stops the viewer in their tracks. A small yet profound gift from Hokuryu Town in spring.

◇ noboru & ikuko