The 2023 Sorachi Block Chamber of Commerce Women's Division Training Seminar (sponsored by the Hokkaido Sorachi Region Chamber of Commerce Women's Division Federation) was held in Hokuryu Town! Terauchi gave a lecture: 13 years of dedication to disseminating information about Hokuryu Town

Today's Content

1. Self-introduction

Self-introduction (some additional information added later)

• Both husband and wife were born in 1956 (Showa 31). When Noboru was in the third grade of elementary school, his father moved from Komaki City, Aichi Prefecture to Fuchu City, Tokyo due to his work in the Air Self-Defense Forces. When Ikuko was in the sixth grade of elementary school, she moved from Kokura City, Fukuoka Prefecture to Fuchu City, Tokyo. They became classmates in the second grade at Fuchu Fifth Junior High School.
• After Noboru enters Tokyo Metropolitan Kunitoshi High School and Ikuko enters Tokyo Junshin Girls' High School, Noboru confesses his feelings to Ikuko, but is rejected.
• During his fourth year at Tokyo University of Mercantile Marine, Noboru embarked on a long-distance voyage training course aboard the Nippon Maru sailing ship to Hawaii. He invited a group of close friends from his junior high school days to come and see the sailing ship when it departed from Harumi Pier in Tokyo. It was Ikuko, a student at Seisen Women's University who was one of the group members, who decided to visit.
• Noboru joined Sanko Kisen Co., Ltd. in 1979 (Showa 54) and while working as a navigator on international routes, he developed a love for his wife through correspondence sent to ports in over 20 countries. He married at the age of 26 and was assigned to work on land at the same time. They had one son and one daughter.
• On August 13th, 1985, when he was 29 years old and about to go to work, he saw in the morning paper that his parent company, Sanko Kisen, had filed for corporate reorganization with 520 billion yen in debt, the largest amount since the war. He recalled that for the past year he had not received a bonus, but had only been paid for ice and rice cakes. When he arrived at work, the office was filled with a storm of commotion. He then quit his job and changed jobs several times.
• At the age of 36 (1992), Noboru joined The Nippon Foundation as a mid-career hire. He has served as head of the Welfare Section, Public Relations Section, Public Relations Department, Information Management Department, and Corporate Planning Department.
• On August 1, 1996, after taking up the position of Director of the Public Relations Division in April, he received a special order from Chairman Yohei Sasakawa to launch the Nippon Foundation website with the goal of "disclosing all information on the support we have received so that people can understand the support we have provided." He conveyed that the reaction within the Foundation as to "why disclose it" was shifting from the concept of "people will understand it eventually, not now" to an era of "people will understand it now."
• In 1998, Chairman Yohei Sasakawa gave the company a special order: "The Nippon Foundation will go out into the field to solve social problems. To that end, digitize all operations as much as possible." A company-wide project team was formed, and a contract was signed with TIS to move the project forward. In terms of details, the company abolished prepayment procedures for business trips and introduced a corporate credit card, helping to improve the convenience of staff traveling to the field.
• On April 1, 2000, the "System NIPPON" was launched, which was an IT-based system that handled all of the Foundation's operations, including accounting processing worth 70 billion yen annually, accepting applications online, accepting applications for grants, tabulating, reviewing, deciding, accounting, remittances, documenting business reports, annual payments, business reports, financial statements, business reports, approval processing, business trip processing, and the Foundation's groupware (Google).
• In April 2005, with the aim of becoming the Yahoo of public interest organizations, the company launched "CANPAN: CAN + PANACEA = can do, panacea = panacea that makes public interest organizations' activities possible," an internet site aimed at public interest organizations seeking to "disseminate information, sympathize, and support." It created a database of public interest organizations and a blog platform for organizations. It also introduced a system that allows people who sympathize with the activities of organizations to make donations. Public interest organizations can now appeal to their activities on an ad-free platform and obtain funding for their activities.
  
  CANPAN FIELDS

  CANPAN FIELDS

  A comprehensive website that helps people engaged in civic activities disseminate information...

  
  　
  moreover"The Nippon Foundation Library (digitized project results, decision projects and organization information search)Furthermore, we aimed to make intellectual property supported by Japanese assets a shared asset for the whole world.
  However, we were bombarded with questions from related organizations, such as, "Why is it necessary to spend so much money?"
  　
• In 2009, he was questioned about his absence from a meeting that lasted from morning to evening, and he frequently experienced strange behavior, such as missing his destination train station and then missing it again when he returned. After visiting the psychiatric department of a hospital in Tokyo, he was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease at the age of 52.
  　
• At the age of 50, Ikuko underwent total hip replacement surgery on her left hip, which had been bothering her since her university days. In the same year, wanting to participate in society, she got a job at the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations in the disabled category. She became interested in agriculture and obtained a Vegiful Meister qualification.
  　
• Due to Noboru's illness, he and Ikuko quit their jobs at the age of 53 in 2010, sold their apartment, and moved to Hokuryu Town. In 2011, he opened the Hokuryu Town Portal, which is still being updated.
  　
• Tokyo Times Blog (CANPAN):Noboru Terauchi、　Ikuko Terauchi

2. The meaning and importance of information dissemination

• Empathize with the sincere way of life of the townspeople → Spread the joy of the townspeople → Share the joy of Hokuryu Town with people all over the world

3. About the Hokuryu Town Portal

• The entire site is run by a married couple, with Ikuko in charge of writing, design and photo selection, and Noboru in charge of photography, web design and editing.
• The aim is to shed light on the town as it is, providing information from all angles on the scenery, agriculture, businesses, and community activities, and to provide daily updates in a timely manner.
• Over the past 14 years, we have published over 12,000 articles, with over 2 million visitors and over 8 million pages read.

4. The energetic activities of Hokuryu town residents

1. Promoting the town throughout Japan and overseas:Visiting various parts of Hokkaido, Osaka, Chiba, Fukuoka, Okinawa, Taiwan (Taipei and Taichung), etc. to promote the town's attractions and local specialties
2. Town activities that bring the town together and cooperate to revitalize it:Weeding at Himawari Village (local volunteers), maintenance of Hokuryu Himawari IC, grass cutting and litter collection activities by the Wa neighborhood association, exhibiting at the Sapporo Autumn Fest (selling local specialties)
3. Full of energy and vitality! Activities that will energize seniors:Hokuryu Town Sunflower University, Hokuryu Town Sunflower Olympics
4. Enjoying health through sports:Hekisui Mini Volleyball Club, Park Friend Cup Park Golf Tournament
5. Continuing to hold fun events for children:Wanpaku Summer Festival, Yukinko Festival, Hokuryu Kendama Festival, Shinryu Shrine Autumn Festival
6. Activities filled with the smiles and laughter of young mothers:Hokuryu Marche, Shimenawa Making Experience

• An article about a visit to JA Kino Hapio (Otofuke Town) to promote rice sales (Read the feature article here >>）
• This article is about a visit to the former village of Motono (now Inzai City, Chiba Prefecture), the hometown of the Hokuryu Town Pioneer Immigrant Group led by group leader Shoichiro Yoshiue, to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the town's founding.
  Through this interview, I was able to feel a deep gratitude towards my ancestors and the spirit of a great pioneer that has been passed down from the present to the future.Read the feature article here >>）

• To promote rice sales, we visited the supermarket Sunplaza Habikino in Habikino City, Osaka Prefecture, and saw the hero show of Hokuryu Town's local hero team, "Agri Fighter North Dragon."Read the feature article here >>）
• The Hokkaido Fair will be held at the JA Okinawa Farmers Market Itoman "Umanchu Market" (Itoman City) (Read the feature article here >>）。
  This event was made possible by the "bridge between Hokkaido and Okinawa" of total food coordinator, Ms. Mizue Takai.Read the feature article here >>）

• Hokuryu Town joins the Green Co-op Union and Rice Production Area Council (Fukuoka City) in 2016 (Read the feature article here >>）
• The 24th Taipei International Travel Fair (ITF2016, Taiwan) Hokuryu Town participated in 2016 (Read the feature article here >>）

• "Received the Grand Prize at the 46th Japan Agriculture Awards" (held at the NHK Hall in Tokyo).
  The Hokuryu Sunflower Rice Producers Association obtained the JAS standard for agricultural products with disclosed production information in 2006 (Heisei 18). They are the first and only rice-growing collective organization in the country to obtain this certification. They were highly praised for ensuring traceability, which allows consumers to check rice production information, and were awarded the Grand Prize.Read the feature article here >>）
• "Yumaoya" in Taichung, Taiwan is a large, high-end supermarket that mainly sells Japanese food. In 2012, they declared that their food and refrigerated/frozen foods would be "free of harmful additives," and based on their basic strategy of "safety, security, health, and nature for customers," they mainly sell additive-free ingredients, with approximately 80% of their products being Japanese food.Read the feature article here >>）

• Courtesy visit to Himawari Rice users in Eastern Hokkaido 2 nights and 3 days: 1,007 km 2019 (Read the feature article here >>）
• The 19th All Right! Nippon Grand Prize Award Ceremony and Gathering of the 18th and 17th Award Winners will be held in Shinagawa in July 2023 (represented by Takeshi Yoro).
  Due to the impact of COVID-19, the award ceremony could not be held, so this year a "Gathering of Award Winners" was held for the three years in total, with approximately 35 award winners and around 70 people, including related parties, gathering.
  The All Right! Nippon Award aims to stimulate the flow of people, goods, and information between cities and rural areas, and to bring vitality to the whole of Japan.
  In 2021, we were the only recipients of the "Lifestyle Award" from Hokkaido, and were highly praised for our inspiring lifestyle of interacting with local residents and integrating into the community, which has inspired great energy in people in similar situations.Read the feature article here >>）

• "Weeding and thinning work at Sunflower Village" by Hokuryu town residents 2023 With deep love and sincerity 2023 (Read the feature article here >>）
• Volunteer activities since the opening of Hokuryu Himawari IC, jointly conducted by the Sapporo Development and Construction Department Fukagawa Road Office, Hokuryu Town Office, and Hokuryu Construction Industry Association, 2020 (Read the feature article here >>）

• Wa Neighborhood Association Senior Citizens Club - Reiwa 5 "Road Cleaning (Garbage Picking)" Energetic seniors clean up the town! (Read the feature article here >>）
• Sapporo Autumn Fest 2022, Hokuryu Town: Delivering new rice "Sunflower Rice" (Read the feature article here >>）

• Tatsumachi Himawari University "Floor Curling Experience" A fun time filled with smiles and laughter 2020 (Read the feature article here >>）
• The 50th Hokuryu Town Sunflower Olympics (Hokuryu Town Board of Education) The smiles and energetic energy of the town's seniors will shine in 2021 (Read the feature article here >>）

• Smiles and laughter reverberate throughout the "Hekisui Mini Volleyball Club" where men and women of all ages from Hokuryu Town gather and enjoy themselves in 2019 (Read the feature article here >>）
• The 5th Park Friend Cup Park Golf Tournament (Hokuryu Town Himawari Park Golf Course) 122 people from all over Hokkaido gathered, and the oldest player, a 93-year-old, played energetically! 2023 (Read the feature article here >>）

• The 24th Wanpaku Summer Festival 2021 ~Let's have fun and blow away the coronavirus and the heat!~ (Read the feature article here >>）
• The 36th Yukinko Festival 2023 (in front of Hokuryu Town Community Center) Let's all play in the snow to our heart's content! (Read the feature article here >>）

• The 3rd Hokuryu Kendama Festival (Hokuryu Kendama Club) Hone your skills and encourage each other to improve and advance further (Read the feature article here >>）
• Shinryu Shrine Autumn Festival in 2023! The children's smiles are heartwarming! (Read the feature article here >>）

• Hokuryu Marche 2022 will be held! A wonderful marche where handmade creators from inside and outside Hokuryu Town gather! (Read the feature article here >>）
• Shimenawa making experience session - Smiles and laughter echo in a friendly atmosphere (Hokuryu Town Straw Craft Group "Nakura") 2022 (Read the feature article here >>）

5. Hokuryu Town is introduced through the mass media (Hokuryu Town portal images are used) Eight examples are introduced from many examples.

6. Video introduction: "The Colors of Hokuryu Town" and "The Four Seasons of Hokuryu Town"

Video "Colors of Hokuryu Town" 2014

Video "The Four Seasons of Hokuryu Town" 2020

7. Today's Summary

For us, disseminating information means "sharing joy"!
By shining a light on Hokuryu Town as it is, we can empathize with each other's current charm and joy, and feel each other's joy as our own.

For us, disseminating information means sharing joy

Today, we see media coverage from around the world portraying Japan as a truly developed country, praising its "culture of compassion and harmony."

Hokuryu Town is one of the places that embodies the greatness of Japan. I am happy to be able to spread that joy, and I would like to continue to savor the charm and joy of Hokuryu Town and do my best to spread the word.

With heartfelt gratitude to everyone

We knew nothing about Hokkaido, but we were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to live in Hokuryu Town, and 13 years have passed since we moved there in 2010.
As soon as I set foot in Hokuryu Town, I was exposed to the magnificent natural beauty of Hokkaido's Hokuryu Town and experienced the warm kindness of the many townspeople. Everything I saw and heard was fresh and moving.

Every day is an exciting "treasure hunt in Hokuryu Town." By shining the light of information dissemination on Hokuryu Town as it is, things that we had previously ignored and passed over without any real notice began to shine with a mysterious sparkle.
It was like a magical light power, a great and inspiring light that spread across the world in an instant with enormous power and speed, shining across the internet radio waves.

There is good and bad in the world alike.
If you focus your attention on complaints and other people's misfortunes and sympathize with them, your own heart will inevitably be pulled down by low vibrations, and you will feel heavy and depressed. That is why, if you make an effort to focus your attention on things that soothe your heart (good things) by shining your magical light on them, you will naturally find yourself smiling and your heart will become lighter and brighter. This is exactly what it means to "search for treasure."

The reason we are able to exist here today is thanks to the people of Hokuryu Town who watch over us with warmth and kindness. We are so grateful that words cannot express it. Thank you!!!
With deep gratitude in our hearts for all that we have received, we will walk through the rest of our lives, hand in hand, as a couple. As long as our minds and bodies are still functioning, we will cherish every moment and continue our "treasure hunt in Hokuryu Town" with all our heart.

With boundless love, gratitude, and prayers for Hokuryu Town, a town filled with magical brilliance, energy, and bright light...

🌻Continue to the meetup >>