[Our Own Branch Cultivation] One year since we started cultivating branches in Toyooka Village | April 2025

I'm Hasegawa, and I'm involved in cultivating ornamental branches in Toyooka Village, Nagano Prefecture. A year has flown by since I took office in April 2024.

Since moving here, I've received a lot of support from the people of Toyooka Village and many others, and I'm engaged in my work with a sense of purpose every day.

Reclaiming idle farmland little by little

Throughout the winter, I continued the reclamation work of converting idle and abandoned farmland back into fields, and prepared seedlings for spring planting.

It was a colder winter than usual, but the Clethra barbinervis and Viburnum tinus that I had already planted survived the winter without a single plant dying.

The Kerria japonica cuttings have sprouted!

In April and May, I'll finally be transplanting the seedlings!

I'll continue to work hard in my second year to make Toyooka Village a wonderful place full of ornamental branches. I would appreciate your continued support.

My neighbor, Mr. Murasawa

The landowner, Mr. Karasawa

Bear claw marks...?