Utsunomiya, Japan (Since July 1992) Located about 60 miles north of Tokyo, Utsunomiya is the capitol of Tochigi Prefecture with a population of 400,000 people. Utsunomiya has given the City of Tulsa cherry seeds with the hope that one day Riverside Drive will be lined with blooming cherry blossoms in spring. Tulsa reciprocated by presenting redbud seeds to Utsunomiya. The city is rich with a mixture of historical landmarks: the rock-carved Buddhas at the Ohya Temple, and modern technology such as the Nissan plant. Japan's most famous park, Nikko, is not far from Utsunomiya. The youth exchange is very important to this partnership. This year a group of 28 middle school students from various Utsunomiya schools and 18 high school and college students were hosted by area host families. Now, the Partnership is focusing on the outgoing exchange that sends Tulsa area students to Utsunomiya in June. Next year, we'll begin the process all over again. Consider your involvement to host in late March next year and consider sending your children to Japan.

Tulsa Partnership Utsunomiya Partnership Chair Dr. Debbie Landry Student Exchange Coordinator Rebecca M. Fowler Communications Chair Open (mainly responsible for newsletter) If you are interested, contact Gayle Long. Recent Events Read the latest The Utsunomiya Shinbun Japanese Sister City Partnership's official newsletter. Past newsletters: Issue 4 / Issue 5 / Issue 6 (2006) Issue 1 / Issue 2 / Issue 3 (2005) See Sister Cities Highlights   To add a recent event, send information and photos to TGA webmaster.

Utsunomiya representatives at the 2005 "Connecting Cultures" Sister Cities Summit. Taken at Opening Ceremony, October 26, 2005, Williams Atrium For more photos of the Summit, click here.

Tulsa-Utsunomiya Sister City Partnership Celebrated its 15th Anniversary with a Bon Odori Party. See photos The Bon Odori is a dance that is prominent at festivals and events surrounding the Bon season that honors the dead. August is a holiday month in Japan when many people return to their home town to visit relatives and participate in their town’s festivities. Tulsa’s Japanese sister city relationship was established with Utsunomiya in July 1992 with the signing of the sister city agreement by the respective Mayors at the Sister Cities International convention held in Tulsa.     Bon Odori Party 2007 - Slide 1 of 2 Bon Odori Party 2007 - Slide 2 of 2 2007 Utsunomiya-Tulsa Student Exchange Trip Students from Utsunomiya, Japan, visited Tulsa March 25-April 1 for the annual student exchange trip, coordinated by the Utsunomiya-Tulsa Sister City Partnership. While in Tulsa, exchange students participated in a service day at the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, shadowed their host family children at local schools, toured City Hall and met Mayor Kathy Taylor, Councilor and Utsunomiya Ambassador John Eagleton and attended a farewell dinner at John Knox Presbyterian Church where students performed skits.