Fujisawa, Japan

Website: Fujisawa City, Japan

Declaration:

• The City of Windsor, Province of Ontario, Canada and the City of Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan hereby pledge eternal friendship and wish prosperity to both cities with mutual exchanges of education, culture, tourism, and other programs. This will contribute to a better understanding between the people of Canada and Japan to achieve world peace and prosperity.

The city of Fujisawa is located in the Shonan region of Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan and has a population of 420,254 residents. It sits in the centre of Kanagawa’s industrial infrastructure, characterized by factories and large corporations that have expanded Fujisawa’s mixed economy to include major manufacturing, truck plants, steel factories, and technological centres. Fujisawa is known for its commercial shopping facilities, and it is a commuter city for residents travelling from neighbouring areas. Also, Fujisawa sits on Sagami Bay; it is accessible to many beaches and small islands that are collectively part of Fujisawa. An example is Enoshima Island, which is a small island that attracts many tourists and visitors from around the country. Since the twinning relationship between Windsor and Fujisawa, various exchanges and programs have taken places that have helped relations flourish on all levels. The twinning relationship is demonstrated through reciprocated visits of official delegations, event collaborations, special gift exchanges and memorable anniversary celebrations. The year 2017 is a watermark year for the development of this friendship, as it will mark the 9th consecutive visit of exchange students from Fujisawa’s Misono School through a two-week trip that provides an opportunity for students to experience and immerse in our culture. This year will also mark the celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the Twin City relationship between both cities and the planting of a Cherry Blossom tree, a gift from Fujisawa, which represents the unofficial national flower of Japan.