Birmingham becomes 200th U.S. Sister City with Japan
The city of Birmingham now has an official, special tie with a city in Japan.
On July 3, framed by the Birmingham Botanical Gardens Japanese Gardens, Birmingham Mayor William Bell and Maebashi Mayor Ryu Yamamoto signed declarations stating that Birmingham and Meabashi are officially Sister Cities — cities that are linked through a broad-based, long-term partnership, according to Sister Cities International. For more than 20 years, the cities had been "Friendship Cities."
The ceremony took place in front of the tea house in the Japanese Gardens, and the signing also served as a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the botanical gardens’ Sukiya-style Japanese Tea House, which is one of fewer than 12 similar tea houses in the United States. The structure was designed by Maebashi resident and master builder Kazunori Tago in 1993; it was built in Japan before being taken apart and transported to Birmingham. The commissioning of the tea house was an act that cemented Birmingham’s relationship with Maebashi, said Bell.
Tago, in addition to 15 other Japanese diplomats and VIPs from Maebashi, attended the Sister City signing at the botanical gardens, as did members of Birmingham’s Japanese community, representatives from the Birmingham City Council and Secretary of State John Merrill were also present for the ceremony.
“Today is a wonderful occasion,” said Mark Jackson, honorary consul general of Japan. “Not only do we celebrate the joining of two cities, great cities — Maebashi, Japan and Birmingham, Alabama — but we also celebrate that joining as a Sister City agreement, which will be the 200th Sister City between the country of Japan and the United States.”
Jackson took on his role as honorary consul general of Japan three years ago, meaning he serves as Japan’s diplomat to the state of Alabama. During his time in this role, Jackson has been able to visit Maebashi, and said the city is “quite like Birmingham, right in the mountains.”
“Quite a wonderful city. A city full of love and appreciation for the United States, which you can see by the turnout today of 15 delegates who flew all the way from Maebashi here,” Jackson said.
Japan’s Consul General to the Southeast Takashi Shinozuka spoke at the event, noting the Japanese community in Birmingham and the Japanese businesses in the area.
“I am happy that our companies and our citizens are becoming part of a community here,” Shinozuka said.
While the friendship between the two cities had already been known, Shinozuka said that as a Sister City, Birmingham serves as a symbol of friendship between Japan and the state of Alabama.
“It doesn’t start today. It has a long history as a Friendship City for 20 years, and I would like to pay tribute for all who have worked to make this friendship,” Shinozuka said. “…I wish all the best for a long lasting friendship between these two great cities.”
Bell said when he first visited Maebashi, he realized the potential for cultural, student and business exchanges between the cities. While the two cities have been Friendship Cities for several years, Bell said he recognized it was time to elevate that to Sister Cities. He thanked everyone who helped along the way in establishing the relationship between the cities.
“As we finalize our sister city agreement by the signing today, we are not finalizing the growth of our friendship, the growth of our relationship,” he said. “It is our hopes and prayers that this signing will transcend our generation to generations yet unborn, to keep alive the friendship between our two great cities.”
Toward the close of the signing ceremony, Tago presented the botanical gardens with a hand-written calligraphy piece that said Kotohogi, which means “expression of celebration, happiness and joy.” This is the same calligraphy that Tago was presented with by Daien Matsumoto, the former Chief Priest of Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto, Japan and the individual who gave the tea house at the botanical gardens its name — Toshin-an.
“I sincerely pray for Kotohogi – happiness and joy will forever be with Toshin-an,” Tago said. “With this in mind, I present this celebratory frame to congratulate the 25th anniversary.”
Tochi, in Japanese, means torch, Yamamoto said, a torch in the dark.
“It means hope, and hope leads us as a city to the future, I hope so,” Yamamoto said. “Then by upgrading our friendship, relationship to a sister city relationship, I wish our two cities to connect with economic programs and continue to carry on exchange in [the fields of] medical, industry and education and environmental protection.”
Following the ceremony, a dwarf Japanese maple was planted by the tea house. To view the Facebook Live of this event, watch the video below from the July 3 signing.