... a town full of flowers and fruits which spread
a fresh fragrance and fruity flavour!!!

Yatsushiro town is a place which will remain in the album of my heart... Even when I visited for the first time, I felt some nostalgic feelings; it seemed familiar somehow!
The actual population is about 8,626 and this number has been increasing steadily over the last 5 years. Agriculture is the basic economy and it has encouraged Yatsushiro’s growth in the region. Nowadays, Yatsushiro is the No. ONE producer of “kiku” (chrysanthemum) in Yamanashi Prefecture. The flower is also distributed outside the town as well as to other prefectures. Besides chrysanthemum production, the area is also famous for producing peaches and grapes. (Actually, grapes happen to be my favourite fruit!!) Anywhere you go here in Yamanashi, fruits are simply delicious. They taste really good!
A gentle breeze brings the season of spring to the town. It’s an announcement that is the season for the representative Sakura (cherry flower) to start blossoming in the area. Within a few weeks, the city is coloured in pink, especially the “Furusato Park” (right).
Right next to the park there is a playground called the “Shinsui Hiroba”. This is a place where residents go with their families to enjoy paddling and taking a stroll. While I was taking some pictures of the view, some children and their father were enjoying spending time together. Certainly, it is a very enjoyable “hiroba” where both children and adults can have a great time.
Yatsushiro’s logo was designed on the 40th Anniversary of the town. It symbolizes nature’s richness in the shape of a tree and leaves, and also the image of a bird flying toward the future...

With that future in mind, the town has developed various plans and projects, and specific targets it would like to reach by the year 2010:

1) Delineating a picture of Yatshushiro’s future
“Yatsushiro - an Alive & Active town with Nature’s blessings and fellowship between people” is the slogan which heads this new town project. First of all, it encourages the passing on from generation to generation the life, culture and habits born out of the natural environment all around. The second aim is to foster exchange and genuine relationships between people, which help to bring about the residents’ happiness and lead to an active transformation of the town. The third target is to create a healthy environment where people may live comfortably. Finding meaning and vitality in life brings happiness and completness. These are the main objectives of Yatsushiro’s urban policy!

2) Target population
The current population of Yatsushiro is 8,626 people, but the aim is set at 9,300 people for the year 2010!

Yatsushiro town has much to offer to residents and visitors - beautiful surroundings, flowers and fruits, and a vision for the future!

For further information, access the Yatsushiro town website at:
http://www.town.yatsushiro.yamanashi.jp

by Deysi Lika Kamiji