Yuriage Zakura

[Machine Translation] In April 2011, Shiori entered Yuriage, Natori City, Miyagi Prefecture, at the urging of Dr. Naoyuki Kawahara, a doctor who heard "Smile" on the radio while visiting evacuation centers in Miyagi Prefecture (he is still traveling between Sudan and Miyagi, Africa, to conduct medical and educational activities). She planted a cherry tree on Hiyoriyama, a small hill in Yuriage, Miyagi Prefecture, with some students from Yuriage Elementary and Junior High Schools, which were closed due to the tsunami. The tree was named "Yuriage Cherry Blossom" by the children. The children vowed to gather under the cherry tree to view the cherry blossoms in the future. The powerful message ballad "Yuriage Sakura" was completed based on the scene of that day. Since then, it has become one of the most popular songs at live performances. The CD cover of this album is a picture of a cherry tree with the title written by Shiori and 12 pictures submitted by the general public. The single includes four songs, including "LIFE ~Mirai e~", a song from the Orion Beer Zero Life commercial in which Shiori herself is currently starring.

2011年4月、宮城の避難所で巡回診療中にラジオで「Smile」を聴いた医者・川原尚行氏(現在もアフリカのスーダンと宮城を往来し医療や教育活動を実施中)の呼びかけで、しおりは宮城県名取市閖上に入り、津波の被害を受け閉校となった閖上小中学校の生徒数名と、まだ肌寒い風や塵が舞う中、閖上の小高い丘・日和山(ひよりやま)に1本の桜の木を植樹。子供たちによってその桜は「閖上桜」と名付けられる。そしていつかこの桜の元に集まり花見をしようとそれぞれの未来に誓う。この日の光景を元に、力強いメッセージバラード「閖上桜」が完成。以来ライブで最も人気の高い定番曲となる。今作のCDジャケットは、しおりのタイトル文字と一般公募による12枚の絵で、1本の桜を描いたもの。シングルには現在しおり本人が出演中のオリオンビール・ゼロライフCMソング「LIFE～未来へ～」他、全4曲を収録。