A celebration of culture and community typically half a world away from Santa Monica residents took place this past week. In its first visit since 2018, before the COVID-19 pandemic, a delegation from Fujinomiya, Japan, came to Santa Monica as part of the ongoing Sister City relationship between the two locations. The Santa Monica Sister City Association acts as a liaison between the city and its international partners, such as Fujinomiya as well as the cities of Kizugawa, Japan, Mazatlan, Mexico and Hamm, Germany.
Greeted at the Santa Monica Airport with signage celebrating their arrival, the 25-member delegation traversed Santa Monica and the Los Angeles area during its stay, including a trip to Universal Studios despite the less-than-favorable weather conditions at the time. Within Santa Monica, the delegation (including Fujinomiya Mayor Hidetada Sudō) visited the Soka Gakkai International-USA World Peace Ikeda Auditorium, the Le Méridien Delfina hotel and Santa Monica City Hall.
During the City Hall visit, the delegation and various Santa Monica officials took part in a traditional exchanging of gifts, with Santa Monica Sister City Association President Jeffrey Jarow complimenting the Fujinomiya gift presentation by saying the wrapping looked like it was "done by machine." City officials received gifts such as artwork and a copy of Akira Isonisi’s book "Fuji from the Sky," while the Japanese delegation received tidings from the City’s Travel and Tourism Department and the Santa Monica Police Department. One of the gifts from the City was a neon version of the famous Santa Monica Yacht Harbor signage.
Jarow was elated by the visit, showing his respect to Sudō and his delegation’s long-term commitment to the Sister City program.
"Every time we see each other, it’s nice, because he respects me for being a head of this," Jarow said of the mayor.
Other Santa Monica dignitaries at the City Hall visit included Santa Monica City Manager David White, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Antonio Shelton and Santa Monica Mayor Pro Tem Lana Negrete, who added that she is "grateful" for the visit and the enduring sharing of culture between the cities.
The sharing of culture goes both ways, as local residents have visited Fujinomiya, including for a 2015 girls’ soccer tournament. During that visit, the Santa Monica delegation was taken to several tourist attractions, including Mount Fuji. The two cities have also continued to partner through student exchange programs, another endeavor that meets the statement of the Sister Cities International network created in the 1950s.
"The statement is peace in the world, one person at a time, one community at a time, and it works because people love the exchange," Jarow added.
Another sister city visit is on the horizon, with a delegation from Hamm in the weeks before the summer homestay exchange program gets underway.
