A GROUP from Japan visited the Last Command Post in Marpi on Thursday to pray for peace, plant trees, and use floral art to call for an end to world conflict.
The visit and ceremony were organized by Ayumi Kanamori, owner of Greenpiece, a floral art business in Japan.
At the ceremony, Kanamori’s husband, Mikkyo priest Koji Kanamori, led prayers in front of the ruins of a World War II era tank.
Ayumi Kanamori said she first visited Saipan at the age of four with her grandfather, and the ruins at Last Command Post and Banzai Cliff had left a lasting impression upon her.
“What struck me at the time was the sight of a brilliant blue sky and a blue sea with a single rusting tank left behind,” she said through a translator. “That image stayed with me [to this day].”
Kanamori said her business works to “deliver creative experiences to people and society through nature,” and she aims to share floral art while highlighting the beauty of living close to nature.
She used social media to crowdfund the trip, bringing 18 other Japanese with her. She said the day’s floral art and prayers were part of an art project she entitled, “Memento Mori,” Latin for “remember you must die.”
She encouraged participants to use the awareness of their mortality to better appreciate the lives they live in the present. The floral art is part of her broader call for peace.
“Among our initiatives, especially important to us is peace art using flowers. Through it, we hope to soften the boundaries within our hearts and build a world without conflict,” she said. “We would like to display our flowers in this art so that all of us can wish and pray for lasting peace.”
Ayumi said she hopes to raise more funds to conduct additional floral art installations on Saipan. She also believes Japanese people are losing awareness of their nation’s historical connection to the region and are not promoting peace enough.
To organize locally, Ayumi first connected with a Japanese influencer affiliated with Saipan, who introduced her to Pacific Development Inc. Other local collaborators included the Mayor’s Office of Saipan and CNMI Forestry.
Speaking through a translator, she said that some participants became emotional seeing Japan’s legacy in the Pacific.
“They went through some of the historical sites, and you could tell they were tearing up while learning something about the Japanese connection that they had never known before,” she said. “That’s something I want to bring back to Japan and share, so people can learn about the history of Saipan and its relationship with Japan.”
From 1914 to 1944, the Northern Marianas, Palau, the Marshall Islands and what is now known as the Federated States of Micronesia were under Japanese administration.
Saipan Mayor RB Camacho and other participants say “Hafa adai!” as they pose for a group photo.
Ayumi Kanamori, left, organized the day’s events.
Local residents participate in the peace ceremony.
Visiting Mikkyo priest Koji Kanamori offers prayers in front of a World War II-era tank in Marpi.
