Since 2012, Nomura has been working with a local group called Mt. Tohana Cherry Blossom Association to turn Mt. Tohana, located in Watari District, Miyagi Prefecture, into a famous cherry blossom spot. The area was severely impacted by the tsunami from the Great East Japan Earthquake that struck in 2011. We visited Mt. Tohana for our 20th Sakura Project in mid-April when the cherry blossoms were in full bloom.
After the Great East Japan Earthquake, Nomura donated to relief efforts, coordinated donations from employees, organized charity concerts, and donated musical instruments. A year after the disaster, in 2012, we launched the Sakura Project, gathering donations from employees to plant cherry saplings on Mt. Tohana. It had suffered extensive damage from the earthquake and tsunami.
Nomura is supporting a local group, Mt. Tohana Cherry Blossom Association, that started planting cherry trees on Mt. Tohana prior to the earthquake but found it difficult to continue on their own after the disaster struck. Since 2012, we have visited for two days twice a year, in spring and autumn, planting a total of 622 cherry trees with approximately 1,300 employees from Nomura participating. In addition to cherry tree planting, we have also planted hydrangeas and forsythia, protected young saplings, and maintained mountain paths. Locals can now enjoy seasonal flowers at the mountain.
On our 20th visit, we made improvements to provide added comfort for visitors by building stairs and maintaining the mountain paths. We also dug up vinyl that was buried 30 years ago to eliminate pests. To commemorate the 20th event, we planted a cherry tree at the entrance of the mountain, representing our desire to "unite our hearts" with the local people.
When we visited, about 2,000 cherry trees planted both before and after the disaster were in full bloom, transforming the entire mountain into a beautiful light pink. Although the work was challenging, we cooperated with the locals and had a very fulfilling time. After the second day of work, the local women's association treated us to a hot pot dish made with sweet potatoes. We sat under the fully bloomed cherry blossoms and enjoyed the arrival of spring.
In April 2024, we released a Sakura Project video of our first spring event after the COVID-19 pandemic. The video captures the feelings of Nomura’s participants and local residents under the full bloom of the cherry blossoms. You can watch it below.