14 Sunflower Tourism Ambassador
The Sunflower Tourism Ambassadors are appointed by the mayor to promote Hokuryu Town's distinctive products, such as sunflowers and sunflower rice, throughout the country.
Kengo Kuma
Born in Yokohama in 1954. Graduated from the Graduate School of Architecture at the University of Tokyo. After serving as a visiting researcher at Columbia University, he heads up Kengo Kuma and Associates. He is currently a professor of architecture at the University of Tokyo Graduate School. He proposes architecture that opens up new relationships between nature, technology, and humans. He develops original, unconventional work using a wide range of materials, from washi paper and stone to bamboo, earth, plastic, and shape-memory alloys.
He is one of Japan's leading architects, having designed many famous buildings, including the New National Stadium, which will be the main stadium for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Takanawa Gateway Station on the Yamanote Line, and the Suntory Museum of Art in Roppongi.
In 1997, the "Sunflower Symposium" was held in Hokuryu Town, with panelists including STV announcer Toyoko Hashimoto, Terutaka Suzuki, and Kengo Kuma. At the symposium, Kengo Kuma said, "Hokuryu Town has a wonderful landscape. We should use this to develop the town."
In 2017, he was appointed Hokuryu Town Tourism Ambassador. He subsequently commissioned Kengo Kuma and Associates to draw up the master plan for the Sunflower Village in 2020, and also designed the Hokuryu Town Yawara Nursery School, which was built in 2020. He also proposed the creation of a tree-lined path called "Ipponmichi" connecting Hekisui Shrine and Shinryu Shrine, which would create a new axis for the town, linking history and nature.
Makoto Umehara
Born in Kochi City, Kochi Prefecture in 1950. Japanese graphic designer. Representative of Umehara Design Office. Winner of the 2016 Mainichi Design Award Special Award. Visiting professor at Takenaka Art University.
After graduating from the Faculty of Economics at Osaka University of Economics, he joined the art department of RKC Productions (Kochi Prefecture-based company responsible for the production of television programs, commercials, and promotional videos, as well as graphic design, and the planning, setup, and management of various events).
He was appointed Hokuryu Town Tourism Ambassador in October 2017. In March 2018, he announced the design of Hokuryu Town's "Bright Farming Method" logo and rice bag for hometown tax donations, which had been created by Umehara Makoto and Suzuki Terutaka.
Terutaka Suzuki
Born in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture in 1949. After graduating from the Faculty of Agriculture at Hokkaido University, he worked at Kobe City Hall and Yamanashi Prefectural Government before joining the National Institute for Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (NAIST) in 1995, Edogawa University in 2000, and Rissho University in 2017.
With the theme of "creating a sustainable region," we continue to work to enhance local autonomy, cultural power, and economic strength.
Regional producer. Chief producer of regional collaboration at Rissho University Regional Collaboration Center. Advisor for creating attractiveness in Higashikawa Town, Hokkaido.
Professor Emeritus at Edogawa University. He has traveled around Japan for nearly 40 years, focusing on the theme of "thinking about the country from the local level," and is working to bring diversity and innovation to local autonomy and enhance culture and economic power through the creation of local design. He has also organized the "Honeybee Professor Suzuki Terutaka Exhibition" at Matsuya Ginza (2012), hosted the Japan Design Committee, and worked with architect Kengo Kuma and others to comprehensively produce the Japan Heritage Site Hitoyoshi Kuma (Kumamoto Prefecture).
The relationship between Suzuki and Hokuryu Town began in 1996 when Suzuki, who was then a NIRA researcher, was invited to the Chamber of Commerce to give a "Town Development Lecture" on the theme of tourism. The following year, a Sunflower Symposium was held as part of the Sunflower Festival, inviting Suzuki Terutaka and Kengo Kuma as panelists.
He was appointed Hokuryu Town Tourism Ambassador in October 2017. In March 2018, Umehara Makoto and Suzuki Terutaka held a presentation to unveil the Hokuryu Town "Bright Farming Method" logo and rice bag designs for hometown tax donations, and in August of the same year, they launched the "Project to Revitalize Hokuryu Town through Design."
Hiroshi Mizohata
Born in Kyoto Prefecture in 1960. After graduating from the Faculty of Law at the University of Tokyo in 1985, he joined the Ministry of Home Affairs (now the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications).
After joining the Ministry of Home Affairs in 1987, he was seconded to the Hokkaido Prefectural Government, where he visited all of the prefecture's cities, towns, and villages (212 at the time), experiencing Hokkaido's vast land, beautiful nature, and rich food culture, and was impressed by the great potential of each region of Japan.
In 1990, he was seconded to the Oita Prefectural Government, where he served as chief of the Planning and Coordination Division of the General Planning Office, head of the Finance Division of the General Affairs Department, counselor and head of the Cultural Promotion Division of the General Planning Office, and deputy director of the Planning Department (in charge of the World Cup and universities), and was responsible for hosting the 2002 FIFA World Cup and establishing Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University.
He resonated with the "One Village, One Movement" philosophy of then Oita Prefecture Governor Hiramatsu, and contributed to the promotion of decentralization and regional development by "developing people and products from Oita that can compete on the world stage."
He also served as CEO of Oita Trinita, and retired from his civil service position in 2006 to focus on his company duties. He was instrumental in the success of the team, including leading Oita Trinita to victory in the J.League.
He was appointed Commissioner of the Japan Tourism Agency on January 4, 2010, and on August 18, he held the 2nd Regional Development Seminar with Hiroshi Mizohata, Regional Power Creation Advisor to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, and appointed him as the Hokuryu Town Tourism Ambassador. In April 2016, he became the second Director General of the Osaka Convention and Tourism Bureau.
Hisashi Sonehara
Born in Nagano Prefecture in 1961. After graduating from Meiji University, he worked part-time before becoming a management consultant. After the collapse of the bubble economy, he felt a crisis in the management guidance he received from banks and other institutions, so he moved to Yamanashi Prefecture in 1995. He practices a self-sufficient lifestyle centered on agriculture and forestry. In 2001, he founded the NPO "Egao Tsunagete."
He has reclaimed abandoned farmland and terraced rice fields in Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture, together with young people working in the city, and is an advisor for the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications on creating regional power.
In July 2015, he gave a lecture as a Regional Strength Creation Advisor at the "1st Regional Development Seminar." Through coordination by Mr. Sonehara, the "Hokuryu Town Sunflower Oil Revitalization Council" was established with the Nisshin Oillio Group to develop specialty products using sunflowers, attract tourists, and create jobs. This led to the creation of "SanSan Sunflower Oil."
Hokuryu Hometown Ambassador
Masayuki Tanigaki
Residing in Osaka Prefecture, Chairman of Marche Co., Ltd., PhD in Economics
Since October 2018, we have purchased 15 tons of sunflower rice and are selling it at 21 stores in the Kansai region. We are currently planning a "Great Grilled Rice Project" and will further expand sunflower rice throughout the country. Agriculture in Hokuryu Town is a "bright
Let's work together to brighten up the dining tables of Japan!
Mountain Mouse
Maashii & Maachan
Hello, we are Yamaguchi Prefecture residents, fishermen, musicians, and Yamaguchi Hometown Ambassadors! We are Mountain Mouse Maashii and Maachan, the lucky siblings from Suo-Oshima Town, Yamaguchi Prefecture!
Since our connection with Hokuryu Town in August 2017, we have been sharing the charm of Bon Odori and sunflowers, as well as the exciting energy of the people of Hokuryu Town, through live performances in Yamaguchi Prefecture!
When I was wearing a sunflower hat at a nursery school live performance, the children asked me, "Why are you wearing a sunflower hat?" When I told them, "There's a place in Hokuryu, Hokkaido, that has the most sunflowers in Japan, and as far as the eye can see, it's covered in sunflowers," the children's eyes sparkled just like sunflowers and they were fascinated!
I hope to continue sharing the charms of Hokuryu Town from Yamaguchi Prefecture with children and people who love their hometowns, and to build a sunflower bridge between the happy, smiling Suo-Oshima Town in Yamaguchi Prefecture and Hokuryu Town in Hokkaido!
Thank you so much, hurrah for the chain of happiness!!
Hananotane Mutsumi
Singer and lyricist living in Chisho City, Hokkaido
"I love Hokuryu Town!"
I was deeply moved by the magnificent sight of sunflowers I saw for the first time at Sunflower Village! And I believe that it is the "power of people" who have been involved for many years in creating these magnificent sunflowers that brings smiles to the faces of those who see them!
We will continue to distribute sunflower seeds to promote Hokuryu Town and so that people all over the country can enjoy them!
Sunflowers are flowers of smiles! I hope they will bloom in full bloom all over Japan!
