HAMAMATSU CITY

In 1994 the Principal of Eastman School of Music, one of America`s leading music schools, visited Hamamatsu and proposed that the two cities begin cultural exchange through music. In 1996 the two cities signed a Declaration of Sister Cities in Music and Culture, beginning a programme of musical and cultural exchange between the citizens of the Sister Cities. Following the 2002 Joint Statement by Hamamatsu and Rochester, this has been expanded into a broad programme of exchange including visits to Rochester by Hamamatsu City employees and a display of Louisana Irises by Rochester City in the Hamamatsu Pacific Flora. The exchange between the two cities developed beyond musical and cultural exchange and, as they were virtually sister cities, in 2006, on the tenth anniversary of the Declaration of Sister Cities in Music and Culture, Hamamatsu and Rochester signed a Sister Cities Agreement in order to strengthen their ties and broaden exchange further.

Rochester is New York state`s third largest city after New York City and Buffalo. Its climate is directly influenced by Lake Ontario so the winters are harsh with a great deal of snow. In the time of the pioneers it was known as the "flour city" but has now become the "flower city", with many tourists from throughout America visiting for the Lilac Festival held in May each year. The city is also home to many companies operating in the fibre optics industry such as Kodak and Bausch and Lomb.

Two invitations to become a Sister City of the City of Chehalis were received between 1987 and 1988.

In October 1989 a delegation of inspectors visited Inasa from Chehalis. In October 1990 a Sister City Agreement was signed in Chehalis and a programme of exchange between the two cities established. In June 1990 Inasa International Exchange Association was established to further exchange between the Sister Cities.

In July 2005 twelve cities, towns and villages merged to create the new city of Hamamatsu, so exchange with the Sister City of Chehalis transferred to Hamamatsu.

Chehalis lies between Washington`s main commercial industrial city Seattle and Portland, Oregon, the gateway to the West Coast`s famed blue skies and ocean. The city has made use of its rich environment and has a flourishing agricultural economy under Lewis County`s fiscal policies.

Chehalis is also twinned with neighboring Centralia. The two cities are working together to improve the services they offer to their citizens in fields such as health, education and industry.

Mikkabi International Exchange Association was established in January 1981 in order to increase awareness of international society through Sister City exchange. Mikkabi is the leading producer of satsumas in Japan, and Porterville, California also produces oranges. As the two towns had this in common , preparations for a Sister City agreement were begun in 1981.

In April 1981 the Mayor of Porterville and the Porterville student choir visited Mikkabi, and in October of the same year twenty eight officials from Mikkabi, including the mayor, visited Portville to sign a Sister Cities Agreement.

In July 2005, when the new city of Hamamatsu was formed by a merger of twelve cities, towns and villages, Sister City exchange with Porterville was transferred to Hamamatsu.

Porterville City is surrounded by the San Joaquin valley, one of the world`s most fertile areas, and located on the Western side of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. It is blessed with a warm climate and four distinct seasons. Its economy is primarily agricultural and, taking advantage of the fertile land, orange and olive groves are cultivated on the plains. A wide variety of nut and fruit trees are grown together with crops such as cotton plants, grapes and vegetables. The city`s colours are orange and green and its flower is the Iris.

It was originally an English teacher at the town`s high school who proposed to the local assembly that his hometown of Camas be twinned with Hosoe due to the similarities in the nature and topography of the two cities. As a result in 1980 the Hosoe International Sister City Committee was established and preparations for signing a Sister City Agreement with Camas were begun.

In 1981 a delegation from Hosoe, led by the Mayor, visited Camas for the first time and signed a Sister City Agreement.

In 2005 when Hamamatsu City was created by the merger of twelve cities, towns and villages, Sister City exchange with Camas was transferred to Hamamatsu.

Camas is located along a latitude of forty degrees north, almost the same latitude as Wakkanai on the northernmost tip of Hokkaido. It has a comparatively warm climate due to the Pacific Ocean and little snowfall in winter. Many of the place names in the area are still the same as those used by the Native Americans. It is a small city blessed with a beautiful natural environment with an abundance of greenery as well as rivers and streams.

Camas is thirty minutes by car from nearby Portland International Airport. In recent years businesses in the area have been expanding and urbanization of the area has also been proceeding apace. Factories of the major Japanese electronic firms are also being established in the area.

Warsaw is the capital of the Republic of Poland and is a strategic city as regards Central European politics, economics and transport. It is located in the Mazovia region on the banks of the River Vistula, which also runs through the city.

The city is home to a number of industries including manufacturing, iron, electronics and the automobile industry. Poland`s leading higher education institutions, notably Warsaw University, are concentrated in this city of culture which is also home to the National Opera and the Warsaw National Philarmonic Orchestra.

The Historic Centre of Warsaw is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the city also has a Chopin Museum. The city is the birthplace of Frederick Chopin (1810-1849), a 19th century composer known as the "piano poet" who composed many famous works.