Promoting Sports
“Ever Onward With Okinawa”: Boldly Taking on the Future, Together With Okinawa
A number of participants in the amateur tournament have gone on to take part in the pro tour
As part of our commitment to good corporate citizenship, we help boost community spirit by hosting the Daikin Orchid Ladies' Golf Tournament, a pro event. By promoting such events, we also foster greater interaction between Okinawa and mainland Japan.
The Daikin Orchid Ladies' Golf Tournament was inaugurated in 1988 as the opening round of the Japan Ladies' Pro Golf Tour. As its sponsor, Daikin contributed the slogan "Ever Onward With Okinawa," indicating our desire to join with Okinawa in boldly addressing the challenges of the future.
Local Amateur Golfers Invited to Participate in Daikin Orchid Ladies' Golf Tournament.
Midori Yoneyama was the winner of the tournament's 20th edition
The Daikin Orchid Ladies' Golf Tournament was created to help develop and revitalize the Okinawa golf scene. It has been an open tournament since 1997, giving Okinawa's amateur golfers the chance to compete with top professional players. Those aspiring to play in the tournament proper must first qualify in the Daikin Orchid Ladies' Amateur Golf Championship, which has been the proving ground for many of today's active professional female golfers such as Ai Miyazato, Shinobu Moromizato and Mika Miyazato.
Bridging Okinawa and the Mainland
The pro and amateur tournaments and the pre-tournament festival enable representatives of local and mainland businesses to interact in an informal setting and gain a better understanding of each other's perspectives. This has led to the emergence of the Okinawa Konwakai, an organization created to consider future development in Okinawa. The association organizes a variety of vibrant activities that include forums and presentations on how to promote and develop Okinawa.
Local Volunteers Contribute to a Successful Tournament.
Local volunteers from the village of Tamashiro can be counted on to provide their invaluable time and labor to help run the tournament. Launched in 1997, the volunteer program now brings together more than 200 local volunteers every year. In appreciation of their efforts, Daikin donates books to the local Tamashiro Junior High School.
The Orchid Bounty Foundation: Promoting the Culture and Sports of Okinawa
All competitors in the professional and amateur tournaments provide their assistance by raising money through the "Orchid Bounty" fundraiser. These funds, augmented by donations from the sponsors, are used to aid the development of Okinawa prefecture, the tournament venue. Specifically, funding is provided to public organizations promoting artistic, cultural, sporting and educational activities. At the 20th tournament in 2007, ¥5.6 million was donated to a total of ten organizations and individuals*, bringing the total contributions since 1995 to ¥72.4 million.
*Okinawa-ken Junior Golfer Ikuseikai, the Okinawa Hurricanes, Amawari Roman no Kai, Veterinary Association for Saving Okinawa Rail, Ryukyu Symphony Orchestra, Okinawa Prefecture Kakuryoku Sumo Association, Okinawa Umi to Nagisa Hozenkai, Michiko Uehara (weaver), Tetsuo Koike (opera promoter and human resources trainer), Okinawa International Exchange and Human Resources Development Foundation.
Local Junior High School Students Invited to Watch Tournament.
Many students from the local Tamashiro Junior High School were invited to watch the tournament. This gave the students a valuable opportunity to learn about and experience the joy of golf. The students gained a close-up look at the demanding world of the professional golfer and took an exciting tour of the tournament site.
