Oshu City is located in the southern inland region of Iwate Prefecture, with the Kitakami River flowing through its centre. On the western side of the river, there are great locations for residences surrounded by rich nature.
The city is one of the leading agricultural areas in the prefecture, especially known for its rice, apples and wagyu beef. The city is also famous as the hometown of Shohei Ohtani, a worldwide superstar in Major League Baseball (MLB).
The sister city exchange between Oshu City and Greater Shepparton began in 1979 through the effort of National Diet member Motoo Shiina, establishing a relationship between the former Esashi City and Shepparton. Over the past 45 years, there have been numerous citizen exchanges and student exchange programs.
Although there was a brief hiatus in the exchange due to the Great East Japan Earthquake and the pandemic, the bond between the two cities has never changed.
Oshu City made an official visit to Greater Shepparton for the first time in a while in 2023.
A sister city exchange agreement was renewed with the aim of deepening exchanges more than ever in various fields such as agriculture and education.
Additionally, the Mayor of Oshu City visited multiple Japanese food import and wholesale companies during their stay in Australia. The city made deals with a few companies regarding the sale of Oshu rice.
Now, Oshu rice is available in Australia. A strategic sales plan will be created with the cooperation of Greater Shepparton, based on the sister city exchange agreement.
The city hopes everyone falls in love with Oshu rice.
From the 3rd to the 13th of December, eight selected swimmers from the Fukuoka Swimming Association visited NSW, where they participated in joint training sessions with a local school and competed in the 2024-25 Speedo NSW Senior State Age Championships.
