Wednesday, April 28, 2021
Mr. and Mrs. Isamu and Nobuko Kubo will move to Sapporo, where their son lives, at 08:00 on Tuesday, April 27, 2021.
Members of the Wa Neighborhood Association and other townspeople with whom we have been associated gathered in the Kubo family garden to send them off with a final farewell chant of "Banzai Sansho" (Three Hail Marys).
Since Isamu Kubo's grandfather settled in Hokuryu Town in 1920, three generations of the Kubo family have made great achievements in building the agricultural foundation of Hokuryu Town over the past 102 years. He has also been active as the town chairman and has made a great contribution to the town.
Words from Hideyuki Hasegawa, Chairman, Wa Neighborhood Association
I heard that Isamu Kubo's grandfather came from Amaryu Town to Hokuryu Town in search of farmland. He settled here more than 100 years ago.
At that time, Hokuryu-cho was not like today's rice paddies, and the land was of various sizes and heights, with insufficiently maintained irrigation and drainage channels, etc. It was a time of great hardship for the settlers.
Later, the infrastructure was developed, and around 1965, in a structural improvement project, I believe the foundation for the paddy fields of today was laid. At that time, the young Mr. Kubo became a central figure in the community and worked hard to develop the infrastructure for modern agriculture.
In the beginning of the Heisei era, there was a merger (around 2005) of the Wa Neighborhood Association with the Double Head Office Neighborhood Association. In the beginning, there were some differences in the agreements and other matters among the merged neighborhood associations. However, Mr. Kubo, as the head of the neighborhood association, was able to coordinate the situation and manage the association smoothly, which remains in my strong memory.
We would like to express our sincere appreciation to Mr. Kubo for his long years of service to the community.
After this, Mr. and Mrs. Kubo will move to Sapporo, where their son lives, and set up a house. We hope that they will be able to spend a relaxing and leisurely time together.
We hope that Mr. Kubo will remember Hokuryu-cho during this time. We hope you will visit us at the Himawari Festival and other events, and if you see people you know, we would be happy to hear from them.
We have received a donation from Mr. Kubo as a "thank you" to the neighborhood association for their support. Once again, we would like to thank Mr. Kubo.
In accordance with the rules and regulations of the neighborhood association, we would also like to present a parting gift. On behalf of the neighborhood association, I would like to present this gift to Mr. Kubo. We will miss you, but truly, thank you for all your hard work over the years," said Chairman Hasegawa as a representative of the Wa Chonai-kai.
Words from Isamu Kubo
I would like to thank everyone for taking time out of their busy schedules to see us off early this morning.
It has been 102 years since my grandfather moved from the then village of Uryu to Hokuryu Village in March 1920, and I would like to thank everyone for their support over the past three generations.
Please take good care of yourselves and I wish you continued good health and happiness. Thank you very much for your kind attention in the cold weather today.
Three Hail Marys send off
Everyone chanted three Hail Mary's and saw them off.
We express our unlimited love, gratitude and prayers to the spirit of "harmony" of the Hokuryu citizens who love the town, cooperate, help and support each other, and protect and carry on the town.
◇ Photography and Editing: Noboru Terauchi Reporting and Writing: Ikuko Terauchi
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