The A-Connection Tomo Left Behind—Continuing Community Activities Without Stopping: DECKY ARCHIVE Episode 25

October 31, 2016.

On my calendar, there remains a scheduled entry for an "A-Connection Meeting."

On December 13 of that same year, there was an A-Connection year-end party.

On February 4 of the following year, 2017, we held a stargazing event.

Looking only at the schedule, it shows we held a meeting, a year-end party, and an event.

It might look like just that kind of record.

However, for me, A-Connection during this period held a significant meaning that was not written on the calendar.

August 2016.

Tomo, a precious friend who helped build A-Connection and supported our activities, passed away suddenly.

Only a few months had passed since then.

The schedule remaining from the autumn of that year through the winter of the next is also a record of how we kept A-Connection moving without stopping, even after Tomo was gone.

The Origin of A-Connection

Community activities started with young friends

A-Connection is not an organization that was born suddenly.

Its origin dates back to when I was just around 20 years old.

At that time, I gathered young friends and formed a group called "DANTⅡco. (Dantotsu Corporation)."

Even though we called it a corporation, it was, of course, not a company.

It was a gathering of friends to participate in local festivals and events and do interesting things together.

I believe our first major activity was the Hydrangea Festival.

We held bazaars and sold yakisoba.

Thirty or forty young friends would gather, and we all worked together.

Back then, it wasn't an era where you could easily order original T-shirts over the internet.

So, we prepared the T-shirts ourselves and used spray paint to add the name 'DANTⅡco.'

Just wearing the same T-shirt made us feel like we were one team.

It wasn't just the Hydrangea Festival; at that time, festivals and events were being held here and there.

We went to sell yakisoba or participated in bazaars almost every week.

When there was money left over from sales, we would sometimes rent a bus and go skiing together.

We would hold an event, and then use that money to have fun together again.

It wasn't like anyone had hired us to do this as a job.

We were acting because we thought it was fun.

I have always been unable to sit still whenever I come up with an idea.

'Wouldn't it be interesting if we did this?'

When I thought that, I would gather my friends and start moving immediately.

I think everyone was very patient to go along with my selfish ideas.

From our own play to play for children

As the years passed, my friends got married, started families, and had children.

Work became busier, and it became difficult to gather every time like we did when we were young.

The local events themselves also gradually decreased.

I don't think it was that we were no longer needed, but rather that the shape of the community and the way people gathered had changed.

Even so, I never thought about quitting the activities completely.

By that time, I had three sons: Kazuki, Koyo, and Macky.

I wanted to do more than just enjoy things ourselves; I wanted to pass something on to the children.

That was how I had come to think.

We held a fishing tournament.

We also held a barbecue event.

Through festivals and the PTA, I thought of many events that children could enjoy.

Among them, the one I still remember well was survival fishing.

The only things the children were allowed to bring were salt rice balls, salt, fishing line, and fishhooks.

They had to make their own fishing rods by cutting bamboo on-site.

They had to catch the fish themselves.

They had to start the fire themselves, too.

They would grill the fish they caught, sprinkle them with salt, and eat them.

I also had the children cut the bamboo and use knives.

Of course, this was while adults were watching over them.

Rather than letting them do nothing because it was dangerous, I wanted to teach them how to handle dangerous things safely.

Sometimes they wouldn't catch any fish.

Sometimes they couldn't get the fire started.

Sometimes their tools would break.

In those moments, they would think for themselves, consult with their friends, and find a way.

I wanted children to have those kinds of experiences.

The thoughts behind "Tsugu-toki" (The Time to Inherit)

Passing on local wisdom to the next generation

When we were focusing our activities on children, we used the name "Tsugu-toki".

Inheriting a family business.

Inheriting a family.

Inheriting a community.

Passing on the wisdom and skills that have existed since long ago to the next generation.

I wanted children to inherit the games and experiences I had as well.

It wasn't just about fishing or how to build a fire.

It was about cooperating with friends.

It was about thinking and acting for themselves.

It was about being involved in the community where they live.

Perhaps, after they become adults, those childhood experiences might prove useful somewhere.

With those thoughts in mind, I named it "Tsugu-toki".

Tomo was an important companion who supported the children's activities with me since the days of "Tsugu-toki".

He participated in fishing tournaments, survival fishing, and barbecues with us, helping out from preparation to cleanup.

Tomo was not a companion who suddenly joined when we created A-Connection.

We met through the PTA, continued our activities together at "Tsugu-toki," and A-Connection was the natural progression of that path.

Tomo, whom I met through the PTA

I was thought to be younger

I believe I first met Tomo when I became a PTA officer at the elementary school for the first time.

It was around the time Kazuki was in second grade.

The PTA president at that time was Kohei-kun.

I knew Kohei-kun by sight, but we hadn't talked very deeply before then.

Every time a PTA board meeting ended, I would say to Kohei-kun,

"Where are you taking us after this?"

That's what I used to say.

Following that flow, a few of us started going out together after the board meetings.

Tomo was among those officers.

At first, it seems Tomo thought I was a little younger than him.

Because of that, he initially treated me as if he were talking to someone younger.

However, as we talked, he realized that I was actually one year older than him.

Then, Tomo's way of speaking suddenly became polite.

That change was so funny that I still remember it well even now.

After that, Tomo started coming to see me all the time.

Perhaps the best way to describe it is that Tomo grew fond of me.

He would move along with me no matter what I was doing

Tomo also had children.

My children and Tomo's children would get together and participate in various activities.

Survival fishing.

Fishing tournaments.

Barbecues.

Local festivals and events.

Tomo worked wholeheartedly on activities back when Kazuki and Koyo were in elementary school, and even for the Christmas party in 2015 when Mackie was in the sixth grade.

It was the same when we collected about 2,000 plastic bottles to build a large Christmas tree.

Even when I suggested something unreasonable, he never made a sour face and stayed with me until the very end.

He wasn't the type of person who only showed up on the day of the event.

He would consult with me from the preparation stage, research what was needed, and even help with the cleanup.

That was the kind of partner he was.

He was truly a great guy.

To keep the organization from disappearing

From a voluntary organization to an NPO

Starting with DANTⅡco., the activities shifted toward the 'Time to Inherit' project, centered on children.

However, every time the activities slowed down, I would think.

If things continued this way, the organization itself would eventually fade away naturally.

It was easy to start a voluntary organization.

But if there were no people left to carry out the activities, it could also disappear before anyone noticed.

I hated that.

I didn't want to let the activities I had been doing for so long end in such an ambiguous way.

That was when I thought about turning it into an NPO.

An NPO is a corporate organization that conducts activities for the community or society, not for the purpose of distributing profits to its members.

Once it becomes a corporation, it must submit financial statements and activity reports every year.

Formal procedures are also required when dissolving it.

The workload increases.

However, it is precisely because of that workload that it becomes an organization that won't simply disappear.

There was also the possibility of securing activity funds by utilizing subsidies and grants.

I also shared the direction with Takashi-kun.

I consulted with Takashi-kun about the direction I was thinking for A-Connection.

Takashi-kun was a generation older than me, 12 years my senior, and had retired from the town office.

He was knowledgeable about local affairs and administrative systems, and for me, he was a reliable older figure.

What kind of activities did I want to do?

Why did I want to make it an NPO instead of staying as a voluntary organization?

What kind of organization did I want to build from here on?

I spoke properly to Takashi-kun about what I was thinking.

Takashi-kun, who understood that direction, cooperated with the establishment of A-Connection.

Drafting the articles of incorporation.

Summarizing the purpose of the establishment.

Decide on the officers.

Gather the necessary documents.

There were many things I didn't understand and many tasks that were time-consuming.

I don't think I could have made it happen on my own.

It was because of Takashi-kun's experience and cooperation, and because Tomo was there to work through the actual preparations with me, that we were able to give shape to A-Connection.

A-Connection, which I created with Tomo

The one who gave shape to my ideas

A-Connection was an organization I launched together with Tomo.

It wasn't just about establishing it.

Even back when Tomo was healthy, we had already carried out several projects.

Tomo, as a companion from the time of 'Tsugu Toki' (The Time to Inherit), also lent his strength to the preparation and operation of A-Connection.

I would come up with new activities, Tomo would research how to make them a reality, and together we would give them shape.

I would say,

Let's do this.

And then,

Tomo would say,

How can we make it happen?

He would think about that.

For me, Tomo was more than just a friend.

He was a partner who understood my ideas, looked in the same direction, and worked with me in earnest.

The reason we were able to create A-Connection was because Tomo struggled for us.

Activities that utilize the region's nature

Even after establishing the corporation, we carried out several projects.

We thought of activities that children and local people could enjoy, using the local rivers and nature.

While enjoying ourselves, we also leave something behind for the region.

That was our way of doing things, which had continued since the days of DANTⅡco.

That is why, for me, A-Connection is not just a regional organization.

It is also a precious organization where the time I spent with Tomo and the activities we thought of together remain.

The future we were supposed to move toward together

While operating A-Connection in earnest

Around that time, Tomo came to consult with me several times about his own work.

I want to quit my current job.

What should I do from here on?

Tomo was talking to me about such things.

It seemed that Tomo was thinking about helping with my company's work while moving forward with A-Connection's activities in earnest.

I also thought that if it were Tomo, we could work together not only on regional activities but also on business.

Have him help with my company's work while also moving forward with A-Connection's activities together.

If we did that, we might be able to do even more things.

However, at that point, the talk of him officially joining the company had not yet been decided.

There were parts I wanted to think about a little more, too.

Tomo and I both somehow understood each other's feelings.

However, we hadn't progressed to the point of giving them a concrete form.

I thought that from here on, we might be able to do more work and activities together.

That is what I was thinking.

The evening after we finished ayu scooping

The after-party at the riverbank

On the day the accident happened, we had all gone ayu scooping together.

Ayu scooping involved wearing a wetsuit and goggles, entering the river, and catching ayu.

After the activity ended, we went up to the riverbank and held an after-party, having a barbecue with our friends while still wearing our wetsuits.

The goggles and tools we had finished using were left on the riverbank.

At that time, Tomo said,

I want to deliver these freshly caught ayu to an acquaintance.

He started saying that.

However, Tomo looked quite exhausted that day.

We said,

If you're feeling exhausted, it's dangerous, so leave it for tomorrow.

We stopped him.

There was no need to push himself and go right away.

The ayu could be delivered tomorrow.

That is what was said.

Even so, Tomo said,

"I want to take these freshly caught sweetfish over right away."

And then left.

Tomo got into the car and drove off.

Tomo was involved in an accident on the national highway and passed away.

If I had stopped them more firmly

It was all so sudden.

If I had stopped them just a little more firmly back then.

If I had forced them not to go.

If I had held onto the car keys.

I thought about those things over and over again.

But no matter how much I thought about it, Tomo never came back.

In August 2016, I went to Tomo's wake.

For a long time, we had done various activities together.

We had watched the children grow up together, too.

We had also created A-Connection together.

I had thought that from then on, we might be able to work on company projects together while getting A-Connection fully up and running.

In the middle of that, Tomo was gone.

It was truly heartbreaking.

The word 'sad' was not enough.

Whenever I came up with an idea and said,

'Let's do it,'

he would find it just as interesting and move on it with all his heart.

Just like me, he cared about the children and the community.

That kind of partner was gone.

'There is no one left who thinks the same way I do.'

At that time, that is truly what I thought.

Even so, A-Connection kept moving.

The meeting on October 31, 2016

About two and a half months after Tomo passed away.

On October 31, 2016, we held an A-Connection meeting.

I don't remember the details of how I felt when I attended that meeting back then.

However, I did not want to just stop the organization I had built together with Tomo.

I think that much is certain.

That continuing the activities would be a way to repay Tomo.

It wasn't that I was thinking of such noble things.

I just didn't want to easily end something that I had spent so much time building with Tomo.

That was all.

A Year-End Party Without Tomo

On December 13th, we held the A-Connection year-end party.

We looked back on the year and talked while having a meal.

The usual friends gathered together.

However, that year was different from the usual years.

Tomo was not there.

In the past, Tomo might have been the one doing the preparations and cleanup.

I might have suggested something unreasonable about our next activity, and Tomo might have been the one thinking of a realistic way to do it.

Just by having one friend missing, the atmosphere of the same gathering felt different.

Even so, there was meaning in everyone gathering together.

A-Connection is still moving.

The friends are still connected.

Perhaps it was a year-end party to confirm that fact.

Winter Starry Sky Event

February 4, 2017.

We held a starry sky event with A-Connection.

Winter nights are cold.

It is by no means an easy season to do anything outside.

Even so, local people and children gathered, and we all looked up at the night sky together.

The activities I have done were never difficult ones.

Gathering friends.

Enjoying it ourselves, too.

Having the children experience it as well.

Using what is available in the community to create a little bit of fun time.

The starry sky event was an extension of that.

Even without special facilities, the countryside has a beautiful night sky.

The starry sky that we usually look at without much thought becomes an event when we all gather to watch it together.

If Tomo were alive, what kind of preparations would he have made?

What would he have said, and where would he have been active?

Perhaps that is what I was thinking about.

Preserving activities

From DANTⅡco. to the 'Time to Inherit'.

And then, to A-Connection.

The name of the activity changed.

The people at the center and the children participating also changed.

However, the roots of what I have been doing have always remained the same.

Gathering friends.

Playing in the community.

Passing on experiences to the children.

Making our own community a little more interesting, by ourselves.

The reason I turned A-Connection into an NPO was that I didn't want the organization to disappear easily.

And after Tomo passed away, that meaning became even greater to me.

Tomo is no longer here.

Even so, the organization I built with Tomo remains.

The things we thought about together and the time we spent on activities remain within A-Connection.

Keeping an organization alive is not just about keeping its name or documents.

It might be about passing on the feelings of the people involved and the time spent together to the next generation.

A meeting in October 2016.

A year-end party in December.

A stargazing event in February 2017.

The three events remaining on the calendar were a record of A-Connection continuing to move without stopping.

And for me, it is also a record of not letting what I built with Tomo come to an end.

Information on the Special Edition

In this 25th episode, I wrote mainly about the events from the autumn of 2016 to the winter of 2017, when we continued A-Connection's activities even after Tomo passed away.

In the membership-only special edition, I go back even further in time to cover:

DANTⅡco., which we created around the age of 20.

The Hydrangea Festival and handmade T-shirts.

Survival fishing we did with the children.

The thoughts behind the name 'The Time to Inherit'.

Meeting Tomo through the PTA.

Establishing A-Connection with Tomo and Takashi.

The sudden farewell that happened on the day of the ayu fishing.

And the feelings I couldn't fully convey to Tomo.

I have recorded the details up to that point.

Tomo was a partner who seriously brought to life the things I proposed.

He was a precious person who thought about the community and the children just as I did.

You can read the detailed story of the years I spent with Tomo and how A-Connection was born in the special edition.