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San Jose-Okayama Sister City Relationship
Now in its 51st year, the San Jose-Okayama Sister City relationship was the third sister city linkage established following the founding of the national Sister Cities program in 1956.
The city-to-city linkage was formally established on May 26, 1957. The sister city relationship is a source of civic pride by the people of San Jose and Okayama. For over 50 years, exchanges in art, culture, sport, music, civic affairs, education, business and government have forged close ties between the people of San Jose and Okayama. The Sister City linkage led important universities in San Jose and Okayama to establish an educational partnership that provides opportunities for student and faculty exchanges and academic collaboration. The San Jose State University-Okayama University Bilateral Agreement is an important component of the Sister City relationship.
San Jose's Japanese Friendship Garden in Kelley Park is modeled after the renowned Korakuen Garden in Okayama.
Photographs of Okayama 2008
Okayama Scenes
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Okayama Castle
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Korakuen Gardens
Okayama Symphony Hall
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Current Pictures
San Jose Delegation Celebrates 50-Year Sister City Ties in Okayama
A 35-member delegation from San Jose, led by City Councilmember Forrest Williams, visited Okayama, Japan March 24-27, 2008 to join members of the Okayama community in celebrating the 50-year anniversary of the Sister City relationship.
The delegation included community leaders, business representatives, university officials, city representatives, and members of the San Jose community that have contributed for many years to the important San Jose-Okayama Sister City linkage.
The delegation was received at the Okayama City Hall by Mayor Shigeo Takaya and City of Okayama officials, met with Okayama businesses, Okayama University, visited Okayama’s famed cultural sites such as Okayama Castle and Korakuen Garden, and strengthened friendships with the people of Okayama.
Photographs of San Jose Sister City Delegation Visit to Okayama to Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the San Jose-Okayama
Sister City Relationship.
Councilmember Forrest Williams, leader of the San Jose Sister City delegation that visited Okayama, Japan to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Sister City relationship, provides remarks to over 300 guests attending a Gala Dinner hosted by the City of Okayama.
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Okayama Taiko performs at the March 24 Sister City Gala Dinner in Okayama.
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“Sisters,” a glass sculpture produced by noted artist Kathleen Elliot, was commissioned by the City of San Jose as a gift to the City of Okayama in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Sister City relationship. The sculpture, which symbolizes the rich agricultural history of San Jose and Okayama, is a peach (representing Okayama) and apricot (representing San Jose) growing on the same branch. Ms. Elliot, a San Jose native, has her studio in Cupertino.
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Chuck Erickson, President of the US Market Access Center and Software Business Cluster, with staff of the City of Okayama International Affairs Division. From left to right – Miyuki Akioka, Mitsutoshi Yasuda, Masanori Iwaya, Shuji Yamamoto and Michihiro Hiroaki.
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Councilmember Forrest Williams receives a briefing from an official of the Hayashibara Biochemistry Research Institute in Okayama.
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Councilmember Forrest Williams is shown reusable materials that were generated at Okayama’s East Clean Center Refuse Incineration Facility.
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Okayama’s Terminal Square Building was illuminated during the San Jose delegation’s visit. Several hundred Okayama elementary school students suggested the design for the illumination of the building to mark the 50th Sister City anniversary
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San Jose Delegation members visited the historic Okayama Castle, which was completed in 1597.
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Korakuen, considered one of Japan’s three most beautiful gardens, was completed in 1700. Owned and operated by Okayama Prefecture since 1884, Korakuen Garden is designated as a Special Scenic Location under Japanese Law.
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Korakuen Garden in Okayama, which was the model for San Jose’s Japanese Friendship Garden.
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Okayama Delegation Celebrates 50-Year Sister City Ties in San Jose
A 310-member delegation from Okayama, led by Mayor Shigeo Takaya, visited San Jose March 27-30, 2007 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the sister city relationship.
Video commemorating Okayama Sister City Delegation Visit to San Jose, Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Sister City Relationship (video Courtesy of Civic Center TV, wmv)
Photographs of Okayama Sister City Delegation Visit to San Jose to Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the San Jose-Okayama
Sister City Relationship.
Photographs courtesy of City of Okayama
The city of Okayama chartered a Japan Airlines Boeing 747 for their 300-Plus Sister City Delegation to travel to San Jose to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the historic San Jose-Okayama Sister City relationship.
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The City of Okayama Japan Airlines 747 charter aircraft on its final approach over downtown San Jose.
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The Japan Airlines 747 Charter carrying the Okayama Sister City Delegation on its final approach to the Mineta San Jose International Airport on March 27, 2007.
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Mayor Chuck Reed and Councilmember Forrest Williams join several hundered San Jose and Okayama residents at the San Jose City Hall Welcome Ceremony.
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Mayor Chuck Reed welcomes the Okayama Delegation to San Jose and reflects on the importance of the Sister City relationship.
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Mayor Chuck Reed, Okayama Mayor Shigeo Takaya and Councilmember Forrest Williams. Mayor Reed presents Mayor Takaya with an official City Proclamation.
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Okayama Mayor Shigeo Takaya provides remarks at San Jose City Hall Plaza.
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Japan Counsul General Makoto Yamanaka reflects on the Okayama-San Jose Sister City relationship during remarks at the San Jose City Hall.
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Mayor Chuck Reed and Mayor Shigeo Takaya receive proclamations from the State of California in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the San Jose-Okayama Sister City relationship.
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Members of the San Jose Police Department and San Jose Fire Department Color Guard units participate in the flag raising ceremony at the San Jose City Hall.
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The flags of the United States, Japan, San Jose and Okayama fly at the San Jose City Hall to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the San Jose-Okayama Sister City relationship.
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Members of the Okayama Sister City Delegation are welcomed to San Jose by Mayor Chuck Reed and Councilmembers at a City Hall Welcome Ceremony.
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Members of the Okayama delegation stand for the U.S. and Japanese anthems at the City Hall Welcome Ceremony.
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San Jose officials join members of the Okayama delegation at the City Hall Welcome Ceremony
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Okayama Delegation members attend the Welcome Ceremony at San Jose City Hall Plaza that included remarks by Mayor Chuck Reed, Mayor Shigeo Takaya and Japanese Consul General Makoto Yamanaka.
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Okayama Delegation members enjoy the festivities at the Welcome Ceremony.
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Okayama Delegation members incldued 50 high-school students that were hosted by families in the San Jose Region.
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Members of the Okayama Delegation visit the San Jose City Hall to commemorate the 50th anniversary San Jose-Okayama Sister City relationship
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The San Jose Police Department Mounted unit participates the City Hall ceremony and helps to welcome friends from Okayama
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Okayama Delegation members enjoy the festivities at the Welcome Ceremony.
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The Okayama delegation included 73 members of the city's renowned youth orchestra. The Okayama Youth Orchestra performed in a joint concert with the San Jose Youth Symphony at San Jose's Repertory Theatre.
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A member of the Okayama Delegation with a member of the San Jose Police Department at City Hall.
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Mayor Chuck Reed meets members of the Okayama Delegation following the City Hall Welcome ceremony.
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Mayor Chuck Reed and his wife Paula and Councilmember Forrest William and his wife Dorothy with Okayama Mayor Shigeo Takaya and Japan Consul General Makoto Yamanka and Mrs. Yamanka (far right).
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Mayor Chuck Reed and Okayama Mayor Shigeo Takaya with members of the Okayama Sister City Delegation.
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Mayor Chuck Reed, Japan Consul General Makoto and Okayama Mayor Shigeo Takaya participate in a traditional breaking of the barrel of sake as part of the ceremony for the 50th anniversary celebration.
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Members of the Okayama Sister City Delegation visit San Jose’s Japanese Friendship Garden at Kelley Park. The Friendship Garden, opened in 1966, was modeled after Okayama’s famed Korakuen Garden.
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Okayama Mayor Shigeo Takaya greets the members of the San Jose community at a celebration at the Japanese Friendship Garden.
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Members of the Okayama Sister City Delegation board a special light rail train to travel to the Children’s Discovery Museum.
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Okayama Sister City Delegation members experience the many hands-on exhibits at the Children’s Discovery Museum.
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Members of the Okayama Sister City Delegation participate in the 30th annual Nikkei Matsuri Festival in San Jose’s historic Japantown neighborhood.
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News
Okayama, Japan
Located in Southwestern Japan, Okayama has a population of nearly 700,000 residents. Okayama is also the capital city of Okayama Prefecture, which has a population of 1.9 million.
A city of 790 square kilometers, Okayama is bounded by highlands to the north and the Seto Inland Sea to the south, with plains along the coast and at the mouths of the Asahi and Yoshii Rivers.
In ancient times, the Okayama region prospered as the center of the Kibi culture. The construction of the famed Okayama Castle in 1597 and the town which developed led to the growth of a major city. Today Okayama is the political, economic, cultural and educational capital of southwestern Japan.
The Okayama Municipality was incorporated in 1889. Today Okayama's six key policies for city development include Health and Welfare; Life and Environment; Education and Culture; Roads and Infrastructure; Industry and Communication; and City Management.
The 1988 completion of the Seto Ohashi Bridge, which links the main Japanese island of Honshu with Shikoku, and the opening of the Okayama Airport, enhances transportation linkages with Japan and the world. The Okayama Airport provides non-stop air service to cities throughout Japan and to Korea, China, Guam and the Asian-Pacific regions.
Agriculture, manufacturing and tourism are among the leading industries in Okayama. Peaches and grapes are noted fruits grown in Okayama. A popular tourist destination, Okayama is well known across the globe for its Bizen pottery. The Okayama Symphony Hall, built in 1991, is a notable landmark in the city and home to the well known Okayama Philharmonic Orchestra. The stunning Korakuen Garden, built in 1700, is one of Japan's most important traditional gardens.
In addition to its Sister City relationship with San Jose, Okayama has friendship city ties with San Jose, Costa Rica (also a Sister City of San Jose); Plovdiv, Bulgaria; Luoyang, China; Bucheon, Korea; and Hsin-Chu, Taiwan.
Archived Pictures
2004 Delegation Visit
(Pictures)
Lisa Rosenblum of the San Jose Public library provides a briefing to an Okayama
City Council delegation that visited the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library on
May 11, 2004.
A delegation of Okayama City Council members visited the Martin Luther King,
Jr. Library on May 11, 2004. Pictured from left to right, Shigetsuna Matsushima,
Francis Zamora of the office of San Jose City Council member Nora Campos,
Takeshi Sato, staff member to the Okayama City Council, Lisa Rosenblum of
the San Jose Public Library, Takeshi Wake, Tadashi Kusunoki, Kenji Shibata
and Yoritake Fujiwara.
Members of the Okayama City Council met Randy Turner and Sharon Russell with
the City of San Jose Public Works Department to receive a briefing on San
Jose's new city hall currently under construction.
San Jose City Council member Nora Campos welcomes Okayama City Council members
to the San Jose City Hall on May 11, 2004. The Okayama delegation traveled
to San Jose to help celebrate the 48-year San Jose-Okayama Sister City relationship.
Members of the Okayama City Council toured San Jose's La Rochelle Winery
on May 11, 2004. The winery is the oldest in California.
The Reverend Gerald Sakamoto of the San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin joins
Mayor Ron Gonzales, Council members Terry Gregory and Nora Campos, and Japan
Consul General Makoto Yamanaka at the May 11 dedication ceremony of the new
gate at San Jose's Japanese Friendship Garden.
Tadashi Kusunoki, Vice Chairman of the Okayama City Council joins San Jose
officials and members of the community in the dedication of the new gate at
the Japanese Friendship Garden on May 11, 2004. Citizens of Okayama donated
over $25,000 to the City of San Jose to enhance the Japanese Friendship Garden,
an enduring symbol of the San Jose-Okayama Sister City relationship.
San Jose Council members Campos (third from left) and Terry Gregory (sixth
from left) join members of the Okayama City Council and Dennis King (fifth
from left) of Pacific Neighbors in front of of the newly dedicated lower gate
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