Okayama Castle

Korakuen Gardens

Okayama Symphony Hall

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.

Councilmember Forrest Williams is welcomed to the Okayama City Hall by members of the Okayama City Council.
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An elaborate Welcome Ceremony at the Okayama City Hall, which included a city band and members of the Okayama City Council, awaited Councilmember Forrest Williams and members of the San Jose Sister City delegation upon their arrival in Okayama.
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Members of the San Jose Sister City delegation arrive the Okayama City Hall to begin their official visit to Okayama.
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Ed Shikada, San Jose's Deputy City Manager, is welcomed to the Okayama Mayor's office by Mayor Shigeo Takaya. Councilmember Forrest Williams is behind Mr. Shikada.
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Councilmember Forrest Williams provides remarks at the formal welcome ceremony at the Okayama City Hall to begin the week-long community celebration of the 50-year San Jose-Okayama Sister City relationship.
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Councilmember Forrest Williams receives a gift from Okayama Mayor Shigeo Takaya at the City Hall Welcome Ceremony.
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Dr. Ida E. Heckenbach, Public Affairs Officer of the U.S. Consulate General Osaka-Kobe, spoke of the historic San Jose-Okayama relationship at the City Hall Welcome Ceremony.
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Members of the San Jose Sister City Delegation meet with Mayor Shigeo Takaya in his City Hall office.
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Councilmember Forrest Williams, Miyuki Akioka of the City of Okayama International Affairs Division, Mayor Shigeo Takaya, and Dr. Ida E. Heckenbach of the U.S. Consulate General Osaka-Kobe, at the March 24 Gala Dinner at the Okayama Granvia Hotel.
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Hisako Kunitomi, Okayama community leader, Dr. Ida E. Heckenbach of the U.S. Consulate General Osaka-Kobe, Mayor Shigeo Takaya, Councilmember Forrest Williams, and Dorothy Williams split the sake barrel, a Japanese ceremony.
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Councilmember Forrest Williams spoke of San Jose's commitment to the 50-year San Jose-Okayama sister city relationship at a Gala Dinner hosted by the City of Okayama. Mayor Shigeo Takaya joined Councilmember Williams on the stage.
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Councilmember Forrest Williams receives a framed photograph of a rose, the flower symbol of San Jose, from Okayama Bara Kai.
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Mayor Shigeo Takaya presents a gift to Warren Hayashi, a community leader in San Jose.
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A Lion Dancer performs at the 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner.
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Members of the San Jose delegation join in mochi pounding, a traditional Japanese ceremony.
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An Okayama Street Car "Kuro" was decorated and customized to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the San Jose-Okayama Sister City relationship.
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Members of the San Jose Sister City delegation join Okayama municipal officials in riding the customized "Kuro" Okayama street car.
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Tim Quigley, Executive Director of the Volunteer Center of Silicon Valley, speaks about volunteerism to the Okayama community at a symposium scheduled as part of the 50th anniversary week festivities.
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Nearly 200 guests attended the San Jose-Okayama Symposium as part of the Sister City Week Celebration.
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Tim Quigley, Executive Director of the Volunteer Center of Silicon Valley, meets with Okayama NGO leaders.
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Members of the San Jose Sister City delegation attend a cultural performance.
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Members of the San Jose Sister City delegation
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Members of the San Jose Sister City delegation visit the countryside to traditional Japanese customs
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Members of the San Jose Sister City delegation visit the countryside to traditional Japanese customs
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Members of the San Jose Sister City delegation meet an Okayama resident
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A member of the San Jose Sister City delegation enjoying a spring day in Okayama.
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Members of the San Jose Sister City delegation in Okayama.
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Dennis Jaehne, Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication Studies at San Jose State University (center) joins Akihiko Namba, Director of CDM Japan (left), and Takako Usui of You Go Service (right) at a private dinner.
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Members of the San Jose Sister City delegation toast Okayama officials at a celebratory dinner on the final night of their visit to their Japanese sister city.
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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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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 at the Japanese Friendship Garden.