Chula Vista Friends of Odawara Celebrating Tomodachi Friendship Since 1981

<figure id="attachment_14409" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-14409" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a class="highslide" onclick="return vz.expand(this)" href="http://laprensa-sandiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/terryjapanpic-0… loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-14409" title="terryjapanpic 003" src="http://laprensa-sandiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/terryjapanpic-0…; alt="" width="300" height="154" srcset="https://dev-laprensa.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/terryja… 300w, https://dev-laprensa.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/terryja… 410w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-14409" class="wp-caption-text">Pictured from left to right: Aiko Hillman, Michiko Delaney, Thelma Press, Terry Thomas, Chieko Campbell, Kimekomi Doll Making Teacher.</figcaption></figure>
    This is a special time for the Chula Vista Friends of Odawara. During Chula Vista’s Centennial year, we are also celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of our Sister Cities relationship.
    The Sister Cities relationship with Odawara was started in 1981 through the efforts of Mr. Sabouro Muraoka joined by the Yamamoto and Tachiki Families. Mr. Nick Slijk of the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce, as well as the late Mayor Will Hyde and the Chula Vista International Friendship Commission.
    Odawara City is a charming, hospitable and historical city overlooking Sagami Bay in the prefecture of Kanagawa on Japan’s coast near Mount Fuji and Hakone. It is a very special city, family oriented, friendly, historic, and beautiful.
    Every year, during Japan’s springtime Golden Week, the entire city will go back in time in dress, ceremony, and parade with the famous Odawara castle in the background and beautiful bay, landscape, and natural beauty of the city to participate in a weeklong celebration of its history and cultural heritage. Chula Vista sister cities citizen-ambassadors have had the privilege of participating in this re-living of the past and amazing cultural experience for the past thirty years.
    The people-to-people relationship was greatly strengthened under former Mayor and current San Diego County Supervisor Greg Cox. Official delegation visits to Odawara City were carried out by former mayors Gayle McCandliss, Shirley Horton, city manager John Goss, and Vice-Mayors Len Moore and Patty Davis joined by local members of the community. Chula Vista Mayor Cheryl Cox, City Council Members and the International Friendship Commission currently support our sister city programs in Japan and Cebu City, Philippines and provide links to other international friends, including former sister city with Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.
    Mission TOMODACHI brings forth stronger grass-roots involvement.  In 1992, the Chula Vista Odawara Sister Cities Association or “Friends of Odawara” was founded in Professor Terry Thomas home with a core Steering committee that included Roy Muraoka, the late Doris Cox, a long time leader of sister cities relationships and international exchanges, and Johnny Dunkle. The grassroots Friends of Odawara was a response to their dedication to enhance the programs and to bring more opportunity and participation by members of the community and various institutions.  It has been a flourishing “people-to-people” relationship ever since. The goal of our Tomodachi mission is to promulgate long-lasting friendship, understanding, cultural pride, and sharing with both regional and global friends in our Sister Cities and community.
    We are celebrating our 30th anniversary this year. A delegation of Odawarans is visitng Chula Vista this weekend, Oct. 14, 15, 16. A Meet and Greet reception will be held  Friday, Oct. 14, from 5 to 7:30 pm at the El Primero Hotel on Third Avenue in Chula Vista.