Recently, I had the chance to listen to a talk by Kazufumi Miyazawa, a former member of
THE BOOM well known for the popular song “Shimauta“, and I knew about the project.
He said that its big hit led to more people come to like Okinawan music, on the other hand, the sales of sanshin increased, and ebony wood, material for its neck (it is called kuruchi in Okinawa) had cut with no plan. So now there are few ebony wood in Okinawa.
Therefore, supporters including Miyazawa who agree with the thought that they would like to fill up Okinawa with ebony wood 100 years later, launched the project in 2012.
Ebony wood takes 100 years to grow, and they are aiming to plant and grow the trees
in Yomitan Village first.
Admiring the ebony wood grows little by little every year, they sing and drink there.
Also, they do hope that their grandchildren’s grandchildren will play sanshin
made from the ebony wood grown sometime in the future.
Then they are mowing grass and working hard even in hot weather. (H.S)
(from Facebook page of the project)
The originator Kazufumi Miyazawa(right), and the head of supporters Daiichi Hirata(left),
who has another name “Southern island poet” and has been active in a variety of fields.
