Manly council has a sister city relationship with Taito, Tokyo and this year marks the 30th Anniversary of the relationship this year.
Delegates from Taito, including the Mayor and Chairpersons of the city Assembly visited Manly from 11th of July to 13th. At the mayoral welcome dinner at the council function room, delegates enjoyed a dinner in a friendly atmosphere, and the delegates performed the official city dance and song called ‘Taito Ondo’. All attendees somehow danced along by copying each other, and the room was filled with excitement.
In commemoration of the 30th anniversary, an exhibition, the complete series of Utagawa (Ando) Hiroshige’s Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido is being held at the Japan Foundation Gallery until 9th August 2012. At the opening ceremony on 12th of July, many attendees enjoyed looking at the Japanese woodblock prints.
The strong sister-city relationship between Manly and Taito will continue henceforth to contribute to the advancement of Australia and Japan.