Miyako Tonosaki, who has been a traffic controller for 25 years in the Toyota district of Hirosaki, will retire this month.

The traffic controller, who is nicknamed "Green Aunt", is a city contractor who stands on the school road of a local elementary school to control traffic and ensure the safety of school children. Mr. Tonozaki, who currently has three employees in Hirosaki City and has the longest cumulative working period among the three, will retire on the same day because he has reached the retirement age of 60 under the civil service regulations. "When I started working as a traffic controller, I had more than 20 people, but the number has decreased year by year, and I have no successor," he said.

Mr. Sotozaki was a company employee before becoming a traffic controller, but he left the company because his physical condition made it difficult to work full-time. It was triggered by my predecessor who lived in my neighborhood. “When I consulted with my child, I was encouraged to do it.” Now, I'm sometimes told that it's a perfect job for my mother.”

The work is about one hour when going to school and leaving school. In addition to school days, traffic control will be performed when school events such as sports events and events are held at Hirosaki City Sports Park near Toyota district. “When I had the flu or when I couldn't go, I had my friends and neighbors take over for me. It was 25 years when I was able to support and support you,” he recalls.

The place where Mr. Sotozaki is in charge is a five-road road with no traffic light, which is along a river, so one road has a bridge. "When I first stood on the scene, I was worried that I was being guided properly because cars came from five roads and children went to school one after another," he said.

I once gathered a written opinion through the city's board of education and visited the site with the police officers in charge. According to Mr. Tonozaki, it was not possible to install a traffic signal on the same five-way lane because it did not meet the traffic signal installation standards.

Looking back over 25 years, Mr. Sotozaki said, "I was always energized by the children." "I'm proud of the fact that I remembered all the children's names. I also celebrated the passing at a cafe with a child who passed the examination, and sometimes called out at shopping and in the city. May become a parent, and the child may be going to school now."

“I'm afraid that I have no successor,” said Tozazaki, “Last year there were two car-to-car accidents on the five-way road. It was too late after the accident. I want you to create an opportunity to think more about things."

After retiring, Mr. Tonozaki smiles, saying, "I want to create a place where children can gather. For example, a place like a traditional candy store. The name of the store is, of course, "Green Lady".