Commemorating the Birth of Newborn Babies

Japan

Babies and trees both need warm, loving surroundings to grow up healthy and strong.

Pigeon has held annual tree-planting drives since 1986, with the twin goals of sharing the wonder and joy of having and raising babies with more people and helping to ensure that our natural riches remain protected forever for future generations to enjoy. In the spirit of the drive’s slogan, “Raising Children, Raising Trees: The Spirit Is the Same,” participating parents plant a tree commemorating the birth of their baby that year. To date, 34 drives have been held, with trees planted for over 180,000 babies.

Each spring, crowds of parents and babies gather for that year’s tree-planting drive. As they plant their trees, parents not only relive the joy of their own child’s birth but also share their wishes for the healthy development of the other babies in the same cohort present at the event.

Pigeon Miwa no Mori

For the past 34 years, we have organized an annual planting drive in both the national forest in Hitachi-Omiya City, Ibaraki Prefecture and a privately owned site called Pigeon Miwa no Mori, adding 3,500 to 5,000 trees to the area each year. Today, Miwa no Mori is home to a forest of over 150,000 oaks, chestnut oaks, and other broadleaf trees. It has also become a home for animals, including frogs, loaches, and mayflies. In June and July, swarms of fireflies can also be seen. Through this initiative, we are creating a forest that will remain into our children’s future.

Sukusuku House

Miwa no Mori contains a log house called “Sukusuku House” (sukusuku is a Japanese word meaning “grow up healthy”) where any visitor to the forest is welcome to rest, visit the bathroom, or change diapers.

Sukusuku House also contains a chronicle of the tree-planting initiative’s history. The records include babies’ names and messages from their mothers and fathers. Visitors are free to browse through these to recall their own planting activities years earlier.

2023.11

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