Japan Emperor Attends National Tree-Planting Festival

   Chichibu, Saitama Pref., May 25 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Emperor Naruhito attended the 75th National Tree-Planting Festival at Chichibu Muse Park in Saitama Prefecture, near Tokyo, on Sunday afternoon.
   In his address at the annual event, the Emperor looked back on climbing mountains in the Chichibu region and said that the importance of forests is increasing further as the effects of climate change have become even more evident.
   "It is our mission to cherish forests, nurture healthy forests while promoting the cyclical use of trees and wood, and pass forests on to the future," he said.
   The Emperor then planted three kinds of seedlings, including zelkova, and sowed two kinds of seeds, including loose-flowered hornbeam.
   Ahead of this, Emperor Naruhito visited Chichibu Shrine and inspected "kasaboko" and "yatai" floats used in the Chichibu night festival, one of the three major "hikiyama" festivals featuring floats.

(2025/05/25-17:04)