I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations on the opening ofAMABIKI 2025.

The city of Sakuragawa is located in the midwestern part of Ibaraki Prefecture, within 70-80 km of Tokyo. Surrounded by mountains on three sides, the beauty of the city’s 550,000 wild cherry trees in full bloom in spring have earned it mention in the expression “Yoshino in the west of Japan, Sakuragawa in the east of Japan.” The Sakuragawa River, the city’s namesake, runs north-south through the center of the city, and it is a land that is blessed with a green, natural environment.

The AMABIKI exhibition has been held regularly since 1996; this year marks the 13th time the exhibition has taken place. Over a two-month stretch from September 21 to November 23, magnificent works of art created by 35 artists using a variety of different materials like stone, wood, iron, and fabric were displayed throughout the Abeta, Haneda, Kisaki, Maehara, Nakane, Takaku, and Washijuku districts.

It was a pleasant season for leisurely viewing the pieces, and visitors were able to make the rounds of the sculptures on display while cycling and hiking, experiencing the nature of the countryside and the shifting expressions of the works amid the changing mountain scenery.

This exhibition has established itself as an outdoor event with a certain distinguished rarity for Japan. Spanning 30 years, it has consistently drawn large crowds from both within and outside the city, making it a bustling attraction. We frequently heard visitors say they had been looking forward to attending. The event has also been featured in newspapers, magazines, and electronic media, making it a highly anticipated attraction in Sakuragawa.

Sakuragawa is celebrating its 20th anniversary as an incorporated city this year, and is now positioning this exhibition as one of its commemorative events. By coordinating its timing with the City Cultural Festival and Music Festival, we were able to achieve a synergistic effect that allowed even more people to attend. All of this contributed to making the exhibition a commemorative event for the autumnal season of the arts.

I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the many individuals who were involved to make this event possible. This includes, of course, the participating artists, as well as the landowners who generously provided the exhibition spaces and the local community members who warmly welcomed the artists and our many visitors.

In conclusion, I wish to offer my best wishes for the continued growth of AMABIKI and for the ongoing success of everyone involved.

Mayor of Sakuragawa City
OTSUKA Hideki