Father of Fireflies in Beppu: Toyoo Takahashi

On Saturday 18th December, 2021, the memorial 『百箇日』”Hyakkanichi” was held in memory of toyoo takahashi san. The event began from 10am till 5pm with the local community paying their respects to the Takahashi family. During 12pm the monk was invited to perform the buddhist service and at 1pm the APU current & alumni students created a hybrid event to share their parting messages to Toyoo san as they shared videos, songs in thanks to such an incredible person. the event ended with a final “kenpai” 『献杯』to toyoo san in thanks for his compassion for his community, hometown, friends & family.

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“高橋様のご逝去に際し、惜別の念をきんじえません。高橋様の亀川の発展に対するご情熱・ご尽力に敬意を表しますとともに、心からご冥福をお祈りいたします。また、高橋様のご意志を引き継いだ皆さまの益々にご活躍を祈念しています。”

— APU President Deguchi

“３年前、自分が高校１年生だった頃亀川での活動に参加させていただきました。あれから月日が経ち、今は大学1年生になりました。当時色々なことを教えていただき楽しい時間を過ごせたことありがとうございました。今は宮崎にいるので現地に行けないこと、申し訳ありません。心よりご冥福をお祈りいたします。”

— Kazu,Japan

“It was a good experience to work with you in the garden. May peace be with you in your new journey.”

— Alan, Taiwan

“I missed the memory with Takahashi-san.
I remember working in a volunteer activity together with Takahashi-san on the farm. We cleaned, planted, and ate foods together on the farm. Then, we had a cleaning activity with the other friends in somewhere woods in Beppu. I loved that moment and discovered many precious experiences there. It was an adventurous moment. We climbed the hills, explored the woods, and worked together. We had farming activities together, and he always assisted us on the farm. I am in a different country now. However, the memory with Takahashi-san will remain forever.We will keep remembering you and your kindness. Thank you for supporting & teaching us. ”

— Auria, Indonesia

“I wish and pray for the goodness of your teachings and blessing to continue on.”

— Arif, Malaysia

“I came to APU to learn how to protect the nature that is surrounding us the seen and not seen. Takahashi-san is one of the most inspiring person i have ever met as he love what he does so much. So he ignores Mahichi when ever she wants to take pictures. His action made me motivated to go future and to really achive what’s in my mind and ignoring the people that say otherwise. So for teaching everyone that I would love to say thank you so much.”

— Kazuki, Malaysia & Japan

“Dear Takahashi san, thank you for teaching us how to value nature and everything it offers. I’ve always felt welcomed by you and I am grateful for the short time we’ve spent working and spending enjoyable moments together. I will always remember your kindness and generosity in imparting us with knowledge that is rare to find. ”

— Ari, India

“Thank you Takahashi san for being so kind and engaging with the student community at APU. I never would have met so many of my good friends if I didn’t participate in BGG and the river cleanings. I remember the day we all boiled the potatoes we picked from BGG and ate them together. Thank you for the wonderful memories!”

— Proma, Bangladesh

“Your love and dedication to protect nature is really inspiring to us. It is an honor to work together to conserve & enjoy nature with you. I hope your passion and energy continues on. Thank you for everything. ”

— Jacob, Indonesia

““My parents used to tell me stories about their hometown in Indonesia called bagansiapiapi. It was named after a flickering light of fireflies that my ancestors saw while sailing as God’s guide to the land. Now we live in the city and never have the chance to see fireflies. Thanks to Takahashi san, I finally get to see a firefly for the first time. Every June i always invite different friends to watch the fireflies together. Watching fireflies not only makes me feel emotional but also hopeful. I will always pass on Takahashi san’s spirit of protecting the environment to more people. I believe if more people see the beauty of fireflies, more people will be inspired and take action to protect the environment. Thank you very much for uniting us together. I hope you are remain happy and peaceful in your new place.”

— Evita, Indonesia

“I am touched by your dedication to your family, your community and nature. Us students learned a lot from you about how individuals can make positive impacts that reverberate far beyond what they initially intended. Thank you a lot Takahashi san. Rest in peace.”

— Dzuy, Vietnam

“Having the opportunity to meet Takahashi san, Nobuko san and Masami san is one of the best gift I have ever received in my life. Thank you Takahashi san for all the lessons about farming and fireflies and for being my inspirer. Nobuko-san and Masami san, thank you for all the happy moments we have shared, I miss all your smiley faces a lot.
P.S with love”

— Dani, Vietnam

“Rest in peace, Takahashi san 💔 Thank you so much for all of your dedication and effort to preserve the environment, cleaning the river and the beach, until finally the number of fireflies are finally increasing gradually. Thank you so much for welcoming us, APU students to work together with you and learn a lot from you. I was grateful to meet you. Because of you, I was able to meet the beautiful fireflies, and watching them with my own eyes. Also because of you, I was able to meet a lot more amazing people who care for the environment. Thank you for everything, you will always be remembered, Takahashi san 🌹”

— Nada, Indonesia

“Dear Takahashi-San, you were one of the kindest soul I met in Japan since the first day I met you. I didn’t ever feel like a foreigner when I worked with you because I always felt very welcomed by your side. You’ve done so much for the students of APU and the local community, that I’m sure everyone will always remember you. Thank you so much for all the memories and I hope I get to come across you in another life.”

— Ren, Bhutan

“Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.”

— Wang, China

“Dear Takahashi-san, thank you for passing the fire to the next generations. Your life is shining as a brightest star and has shed light on my life. Let us carry the fire on and spread the love and passion to more people. May you rest in peace and love with many fireflies around you. ”

— Helen, China

“To Toyoo Takahashi,
We were born from the giant mountains,
Strong and humble as it bows to the adventurous sea that surrounds it’s vision,
Between the blue sky and the bluer ocean lays our tiny world,
A world of hot springs and history,
A world of concrete and wooden dwellings with wise elders,
A world of compassion and education,
A world of many people,
A world that we share and learn from together.
A rush of cool water flows down the mountain, blessing us with a gift we won’t ever forget.Please accept my respect for you, my appreciation for all the times you’ve gone out of your way to help me, the memories you’ve gifted me.Please forgive the crudeness of these words, they don’t convey my gratitude to have known such an honorable, patient man. May you reach the ocean safely, may we visit you someday when it’s our turn to swim. May our ancestors light our path to you in the afterlife, like how the fireflies light the night covered trails. ”

— Minami, Kenya＆Japan

“高橋さんのようにいつも力を入れて積極的で熱心に自然、地域や若者たちのために生きていた人は会ったことはなかったです。高橋さんのおかげで自然のこと、ホタルのこと、畑のこと、別府のことや日本の文化までも勉強することができて、色んなことも初めて経験できて、いっぱい楽しい思い出ができました。可愛い別府のおじいさん、おばあさんたちにも出会えて、別府はもうひとつの実家で、自分の家族が増えたみたいと感じました。

私たち学生たちは高橋さんたちと活動した時に、迷惑をかけた時もいっぱいあったと思いますけど、私は高橋さんにAPUの学生と活動するの難しいことはなんでかと聞きいた時　高橋さんは「言語の壁で学生たちに自分の伝えたいことや感謝を届けることが難しい」一つだけの難しいことと答えました。その答えを聞いてとても感動しました。高橋さんの優しさと真面目でいつも感動します。

私はこれからも高橋さんがやってきた活動を応援しつ続けて、高橋さんみたいに積極的に自然や地域を大切にして、次の世代のために頑張って生きていきたいと思います。いつも高橋さんのことを思うたびに、感謝しています。

— Anna, Thailand

“To our Beppu Fireflies’ Father, Takahashi Toyoo San
Nine-years ago, in one of my lecture classes, I asked students; “What are we (I and you) doing for the protection of biodiversity, the protection of nature, and reducing our carbon footprints? What adaptations in our lifestyles have we implemented? With which nature-protection volunteer groups are we collaborating with?”
After hearing the students’ answers and the discussions around the topic, I requested them to share with us in case they know of any volunteer groups in Beppu or nearby cities that we could join and support their activities. I never imagined that in the next class, one of my Japanese male students would hand me a typed page with the information about your group. The KEPC , volunteer group that you had founded for protecting fireflies in the Hiya river and sea turtles in Sekinoe beach, Beppu since 2003.
Nine years have passed since the first time I met you on the cleaning day of the Hiya river. We have collaborated for nine years, during which my students and I have learned a lot from your love of saving lives in nature.
I have always had this question in my mind that despite the challenges of an aching body due to the age, how and why this kind man in his seventies can manage the volunteer groups for these many years while adding new activities every time. After the research, my seminar student, Anna, and I have conducted on your volunteer group and its impact on protecting fireflies and sea turtle habitats, I have learned that you were a retired firefighter. Through all your working life, you have been saving valuable lives and you have put extra care and attention into saving humans’, fireflies’, and sea turtles’ lives.
With your fatherly kindness and warm love, you have connected me and my students to the local community in Kamegawa and to Beppu city. With your wife, your daughter, and volunteers in the Kamegawa Environmental Protection Club (KEPC) Beppu became our hometown. We; me, my students, and fireflies made Beppu our home. We hope soon sea turtles will also select Beppu as their home and return back to Sekinoe beach.
I am grateful to you for teaching us how to love and care for fireflies, sea turtles, and the value of saving the life of every insect, species, plant and safeguarding the health of nature.
Father of Beppu fireflies, we will remember you while enjoying watching every magical firefly in Beppu.

From your Iranian daughter,
Faezeh Mahichi
Associate Professor of APU
Sustainable nature and society
Nov 17, 2021”

— Prof. Mahichi, Iran