Sister Cities

Chitose became Anchorage’s first sister city in 1969. Located in Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido, Chitose is well-known for its outdoor activities, such as baseball, fishing, and skiing. In 1983, a boys’ baseball exchange program started, in which Anchorage and Chitose residents visit each other every four years. Also that year Chitose began welcoming the recipient of the Miss Anchorage award annually.

In 1994, Sand Lake Elementary’s Japanese Immersion Program began a student exchange program with Chitose Elementary School. The Chitose-Anchorage Friendship Association in Japan has been a strong support of the exchange program. Students and chaperones from each school travel to their respective sister city in alternating years.

In 2024, the Anchorage Sister Cities Commission welcomed the Chitose Mayor and guests from Chitose City to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the relationship. During this visit a park here in Anchorage was rededicated as Chitose Park in honor of the longstanding relationship.

Here is a link to website of Consular Office of Japan in Anchorage:
Celebrating 55 Years of Friendship: Chitose Delegation Visits Anchorage

 

Fairbanks formed a private, friendly sister city relationship with Monbetsu in 1987. The two cities participated in exchanges mainly focused on culture and agriculture. A formal sister city relationship between Fairbanks and Monbetsu was established on February 8th, 1991.
 

Teshio became Homer’s sister city in 1984. Professor Junzo Hasegawa made annual visits to Homer with his leadership camp. Professor Hasegawa recommended Teshio to Steve Yoshida, who became chair of the Homer-Teshio Sister City Association, as a sister city for Homer because of its similar climate and culture.
 
Over the years, students from Homer and Teshio have participated in student exchanges. These exchange help students foster communication between Homer and Teshio.

Homer and Teshio, which have built a relationship through various means such as online exchange sessions and correspondence, are celebrating their 40th anniversary as sister cities this year in 2024.
 
Related Links
We have provided a document that outlines the significant events that have taken place celebrating this 40^th anniversary sister city milestone.
Sister City Celebration (Credit to Dave Berry, Director of the Homer Public Library) 

Student Exchange between Homer City and Teshio Town　
Courtesy Call to Homer Mayor Ken Castner
 

The Kenai-Akita relationship dates back to 1989, when Japanese born Yasuko Lehtinen began teaching Japanese language at Soldotna High School. Feeling homesick, she met with the Consular Office of Japan in Anchorage and worked with the University of Alaska Anchorage and the University of Alaska Fairbanks towards establishing a sister city relationship. After Akita expressed interest in a sister city in Alaska, Lehtinen accompanied the Kenai Peninsula delegation to Akita.

Kenai and Akita officially became sister cities in 1992. Since then, student and professional exchanges involving Kenai and Akita residents occur every two years.

In August 2023, seven students from Kenai visited Akita City to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Kenai-Akita sister city relationship, and a celebration was held to honor Mr. Reineton, who received the 2022 Foreign Minister’s Commendation.
 
Here is a link to website of Consular Office of Japan in Anchorage:
Yasuko Lehtinen and Hiroko Harada received the 2022 Foreign Minister’s Commendation
Exchange events for Akita city-Kenai Peninsula Borough 30^th anniversary of sister city partnership
 

The towns of Ketchikan and Kanayama began an exchange program in 1986, after the first teacher from Ketchikan visited Kanayama. Both towns signed a sister city agreement in 1989. In 2004, the town of Kanayama, along with four other towns, merged into the greater city of Gero. Ketchikan and Gero signed a new sister city agreement in 2005.

In 2014, the Ketchikan Gero Kanayama Exchange program won the Governor’s North Star Award for International Excellence in education.

The exchange program, which was suspended for a time due to the pandemic, resumed in March 2024 with a 15-member delegation that visited Ketchikan  and was later featured in a local newspaper in Ketchikan.
 

In August 1977, Edward Holmes of Palmer made contact with Mutsuhiro Ishiguro of Saroma via ham radio. After years of frequent communication, Holmes visited Saroma in 1980, which led to Palmer and Saroma becoming sister cities.

Since becoming sister cities, Palmer and Saroma have engaged in short-term and long-term student exchanges and language teacher exchanges. Official delegations from each sister city have also visited each other. In July 2015, 21 Palmer-Saroma Sister City delegates from Saroma visited Palmer to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the sister city relationship.

In June 2024, four Palmer High School students will visit Saroma as the “Palmer High School Saroma Delegation”.
 
Here is a link to website of Consular Office of Japan in Anchorage:
Palmer Saroma Sister City Exchange (Palmer Onigiri Action Campaign)

Seward and Obihiro establishedkou a sister city relationship in 1968. Since 1973, high school student exchange programs have been active, strengthening the friendship between the two cities.

In addition to the exchange programs, the two cities also exchanged artwork: in September 2013, The Mayor of Seward and eight other guests from Seward visited Obihiro and created a mural with help from a total of 70 Obihiro residents.

In August 2023, a delegation was sent to each of the two cities to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the sister city relationship and to deepen friendships.

Sitka and Nemuro have long deepened their friendship through their fishing economies. Nemuro city is a port city that sees many fishing vessels come and go throughout the northern seas of Japan. These similarities lead them to become sister cities on December 19^th 1975.

Since then, various exchange programs have taken place, such as sister school programs for elementary and high schools, cultural exchange, and homestays by both sides.

In 2023, for the first time in seven years, five students, including high school students from Nemuro, were sent to Sitka.