Introduction

Sister-City NOBEOKA

Sister City Pledge

  • dated August 29, 1980

History of the Sister City Pledge

  • The chairman of the Medford Chamber of Commerce visited Nobeoka and talked about friendship between Medford and Nobeoka with many people in July, 1977. It was the very beginning of the sister city relationship. The chairman founded a group of Medford citizens to propose the tie as sister cities between the two cities, to the Medford City Council. The council reached the agreement to support the proposal in June, 1978 and offered it to the City of Nobeoka. The Nobeoka City Council decided to accept the offer, in July 1979. After this process, the delegation lead by the Mayor of Nobeoka visited medford to sign the Sister City Pledge on August 29, 1980.

iIntroduction of Nobeoka

  • The Nobeoka area was called Agata in ancient days. In 1587, Mototane Takahashi governed and constructed the Agata area. Beginning in 1614, Naozumi Arima developed the city. He also changed the name of the area from Agata to Nobeoka.
  • Mt. Mukabaki
  • In 1747, the Naitos came to rule Nobeoka. They made great contributions in both education and culture. After the Meiji Restoration, Nobeoka became the economic center of northern Miyazaki.
  • You will find unlimited beauty in the variety of the natural surroundings in the city. There is the virgin forest and the 77meter high Mukabaki Waterfall, which has been chosen as one of the 100 most beautiful waterfalls in Japan.
  • Mt. Shiroyama
  • At Mt. Shiroyama Park, citizens go to relax and enjoy the flowers and scenery.
  • ayu trap
  • Ayu or sweetfish, caught in traps and cooked on the river banks on the Gokase river, is a part of the autumn culture.
  • Golde  Games in Nobeoka
  • Golden Games in Nobeoka is one of the biggest and unique European style athletic competition in Japan. The spectators cheer the top athletes right next to the race track. This atmosphere creates a high level of enthuasm for all athletes.
  • Takigi Noh
  • Nobeoka Tenkaichi Takigi-noh is the Japanese traditional dance which plays on the open-air stage.
  • One of the main companies in Nobeoka, Asahi Yukizai Kogyo Company (a chemical manufacturing company) has a pan-American representative dealer, Asahi America, Inc., which had its main office in Medford, Massachusetts in the U.S.A. (now moved to the adjoining city of Malden). On August 29, 1980, based on this relationship, Nobeoka signed the sister city declaration with Medford.

Pledge

  • The City of Medford in U.S.A. and The City of Nobeoka in Japan have decided to affiliate in order to promote better friendship and understanding between the peoples of both cities, through exchange of culture, education, economy, and other media. We wish that the affiliation will lead to the goodwill between the two nations and world peace. Whereas, on behalf of both citizens. The Mayor of Medford and The Mayor of Nobeoka hereby pledge that both cities will maintain friendly relations everlastingly.