The Tokyo Branch of the JFE Shoji Labor Union held a hanami (flower-viewing) party on March 30 at Sarue Onshi Park, with around seventy employees and their family members attending. The weather was unseasonably warm for March, reaching a high of 22°C.

The party began with a greeting from Tokyo Branch Executive Committee member Motoki Shimokawatoko . Over appetizers and pizza, attendees interacted with senior and junior colleagues and those from other departments whom they rarely have the chance to talk with. A bingo game started around the mid-point of the party, with the prizes including home fragrance, hand soap and other useful items. The crowd cheered for every new winner. To the delight of the children, there was a ring toss game, bubble makers, balls and more for them to enjoy.

While the cherry blossoms unfortunately were not yet in bloom, the thoroughly congenial party was a good opportunity to deepen bonds between employees and their families. One employee said: “I enjoyed attending my first big social event since the start of the pandemic. It was a great reminder of just how pleasantly open our company culture is.”

A family member who attended added: “I didn’t know any of the people I talked to today, but everyone was so friendly that I soon found myself making new friends. The organizers also prepared things for the children to enjoy, so our kids had a great time.” Everyone seems to agree that the event was a big success.