Sister City and Friendship Cities of Shinagawa
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Shinagawa City has been a sister city and friendship city with Portland, Maine, United States, Geneva, Switzerland and Auckland, New Zealand over a quarter century as a part of its international exchange programs. In this issue, we will introduce the ties and exchange programs Shinagawa City has with these three cities.
Inquiries: International Affairs, Community Promotion Section
(Tel: 03-5742-6691, Fax: 03-5742-6878)
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Portland is a quiet port town located in southwestern Maine, United States. It is a beautiful summer resort with a historic cityscape that is the economic and cultural center of the state. Shinagawa’s exchange program with Portland began because of Portland native Dr. Edward Sylvester Morse, who discovered the Omori Shell Mounds, a Jomon Period historical remnant in Shinagawa City. The sister city programs between the two cities center mostly around youth, such as conducting youth sports exchange program and sister school program between elementary and junior high schools in Shinagawa and Portland. Agreement date: October 13, 1984 |
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Surrounded by the majestic natural scenery of the Alps and the Jura Mountains, Geneva is a Swiss city on the southern shore of vast Lake Geneva (known as Lac Léman in French). This is a popular tourist destination filled with beautiful historical structures. International institutions such as the United Nations Office at Geneva and the International Committee of the Red Cross headquarters are located here, and the city is known as a global center of diplomacy and finance. Agreement date: September 9, 1991 |
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Auckland is located to the southeast of Japan on the northern end of New Zealand’s North Island. New Zealand’s largest city, it is a richly cosmopolitan place where various nationalities gather, creating a diverse culture. Shinagawa City originally established friendly ties with Mount Roskill City (now Auckland’s main suburban area) because two shared many similarities. Both have declared nuclear-free peace, are located at roughly the same latitude (opposite to each other in the Northern and Southern hemispheres) and are in countries surrounded by the sea. Shinagawa City continued exchange programs (such as mutual youth sending programs) even after Mount Roskill City merged with Auckland in 1989. Agreement date: May 17, 1993 |
| Let’s Go! Places Connected with Our Sister City and Friendship Cities |
Here are some recommended walking courses that tour places where you can feel the connection between Shinagawa City and our sister city and friendship cities.
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① Shinagawa Aquarium—Tunnel tank (within Shinagawa-kumin Park; 3-2-1 Katsushima) Nearest station: Omorikaigan Station This aquarium was constructed using Kelly Tarlton’s design for the Sea Life Aquarium of Auckland as a model. |
 About a 19-minute walk |
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② Omori Shell Mounds Garden (6-21-6 Oi) Nearest station: Omori Station Dr. Morse of Portland discovered this remnant of ancient Jomon culture in 1877 while in Japan doing research. |
| About a 25-minute walk |
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③ Shinagawa Post Office Mailbox (5-23-34 Higashi-Oi) Nearest station: Oimachi Station Portland donated this mailbox in 1994 to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the sister city agreement. |
| About an 13-minute walk |
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④ Honsenji Temple’s Bell (3-5-17 Minami-Shinagawa) Nearest station: Aomono-yokocho Station This bell disappeared in Europe, was later found at the Ariana Museum in Geneva and returned to Honsenji Temple. |
| About an 11-minute walk |
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⑤ Flower Clock (Plaza in front of Aeon Style Shinagawa Seaside; 4-12-6 Higashi-Shinagawa) Nearest station: Shinagawa Seaside Station Geneva presented Shinagawa City with clock hands to commemorate the tenth anniversary of their friendship city agreement. Shinagawa then constructed this flower clock using Geneva City’s own flower clock as a model. |
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