Welcome to Ikeda City

Ikeda City, which is located in the northern part of Osaka Prefecture, boasts a population of 100,000. The total area of the city is about 22 square kilometres and has a long shape that stretches vertically. The city has prospered as a key transportation hub for a long time. Today, it still remains a city easily accessible to key places in Osaka, located just a 20-minute train ride from Umeda, the central district of Osaka, and also just a 20-minute train ride from Osaka International Airport. Despite its proximity to the city centre, it is rich in various natural landscapes including the Ina River and Mt. Satsuki. 

Ikeda City is well-known for being the birthplace of Japan’s popular instant noodles called ‘Chicken Ramen’, which also is the very first instant noodle to be created in the world, and the popular CupNoodles Museum Osaka Ikeda also attracts many tourists from all over the world. 

Although Satsukiyama Zoo in the city is the second smallest zoo in Japan, it is a hotspot for wombat fans in Japan, as three of the only four wombats in Japan are kept here. One of the three named ‘Wine’ holds the Guinness World Record as the oldest bred wombat in the world. Another attraction of the city is Gangara Fire Festival, where people parade through the city holding big torches lit with fire up to Mt. Satsuki to light the characters ‘大’-Dai and ‘大一’-Daiichi on the mountain slopes. This festival is held on 24 August every year. The city’s Shin Inagawa Bridge that crosses over the Ina River is also a favourite location for many and is affectionately nicknamed the ‘Big Harp.’

Ikeda City formed a sister city relationship with City of Launceston, Tasmania in November 1965, and they will be celebrating their 60th anniversary next year. This relationship has an interesting beginning; it was established by two high school students from each city who were pen friends and wrote to each other about their own cities. Eventually, they ended up requesting their respective local councils to become sister cities.

Since then, the cities have strengthened their bond through activities such as a youth delegation program and commemorative delegation visits on anniversaries. This year, Ikeda City was able to send a high school student to Australia, again, in August.

During the program, the participant stayed in Sydney for one week to attend language school, and visited CLAIR Sydney office where he was given a presentation on differences between Australia and Japan. He also experienced his first homestay in Sydney, and was able to experience a different culture and broaden his perspective, although cross-cultural communication would have been challenging for him.

In Launceston, the participant was very pleased to be given the unique opportunity to pay a courtesy visit to the city mayor and deputy mayor and visit local schools which cannot be experienced in a regular overseas study program. When he visited Launceston college, he gave a presentation introducing Japanese culture, and was also given the opportunity to teach origami. Not only was it a good opportunity for him to practice speaking English, but it was also a rare opportunity for him to interact with local students. Although it was his first visit to Launceston, he was sad to leave the city and wanted to stay longer as the people he met were so welcoming.

Ikeda City believes people-to-people exchange is the foundation and most important aspect of a sister city relationship. The city sincerely hopes that exchanges between the two cities will continue to further deepen in the future.

 

カテゴリー: Discover Japan

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  • *English only.

    The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this Correspondence in PDF.

     

  • *English only.

    The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this Correspondence in PDF.

  • *English only.

    The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this Correspondence in PDF.

  • *English only.

    The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this Correspondence in PDF.

  •  環境問題への取組を調査するため、7月下旬~8月上旬にかけて滋賀県立彦根工業高等学校の高校生1名および引率者1名がオーストラリアを訪問し、クレアシドニー事務所は、7月29日にはオーストラリアの概要(文化、風習等)についてブリーフィングを実施し、7月31日にはブリスベンの訪問先企業へのアテンド行いました。

    ブリスベンの訪問先においては、カーボンニュートラルの観点から、カギケノリという海藻を用いて畜産動物が排出するメタンガスを減少させる取り組みについての情報を得ることができました。生徒が、将来は自らも環境のための取り組みを実施したいとの思いから、積極的にミーティングに臨んでいる姿が印象的でした。

    当事務所は今回、ブリーフィング及びアテンドのほか、ブリスベンの訪問先企業に対するアポイントメント取得のサポートも行いました。
     クレアシドニー事務所は、今後もオーストラリアでの調査に取り組む日本の自治体の活動を支援していきます。

  • *English only.

    The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this Correspondence in PDF.

  • *English only.

    The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this Correspondence in PDF.

  • *English only.

    The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this correspondence in PDF.

  • *English only.

    The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this Correspondence in PDF.

  •  名古屋市とシドニー市の姉妹都市交流は、2025年に45周年を迎えます。11月24日(金)には、豪州多文化主義政策交流プログラム(11月27日から12月2日まで)参加にあわせて渡豪した名古屋市職員がシドニー市役所を訪問しました。
     両市の姉妹動物園(タロンガ動物園と東山動物園)の交流の状況や名古屋市における国際交流についての情報共有に加えて、2023年12月に予定されている松雄副市長のシドニー市訪問の事前打ち合わせが行われ、クレアシドニー事務所はこの訪問をアテンドしました。
     節目の年を2年後に控え、両市の交流がさらに活発になるよう、クレアシドニー事務所は引き続き支援して参ります。