Wakayama
Prefecture
faces the Pacific Ocean, and is located in the southwestern part of the Kii
peninsula which is the biggest peninsula in
Japan. It has beautiful nature and historical treasures. With
beautiful green mountains and a wonderful coast line whose length is 600km.
There is a beautiful river between the mountains and the sea. The gorgeous
scenery in
Wakayama
attracts visitors year-round. Kumano sanzan and Koyasan have
awed people for ages and were granted World Heritage status. The mild climate
and richness of nature provides gifts from the mountains, river and sea.
Wakayama
is rich in tourism resources and products.
About the Sister-State Relationship
The Sister-state relationship between
Florida
and
Wakayama was formed in 1995. The
State of Florida
and
Wakayama
have been committed to strengthening friendship and mutual
understanding while increasing economic, trade, social and cultural
developments. Their efforts can be
seen on the timeline below.
| May 2006 |
Florida
hosted Mrs. Kimura, former First Lady of the
Wakayama
Prefecture , and members of the Wakayama Chamber of Commerce
and Industry Women’s Business Council, and Mr. Hakuzan Kubo, Noh
Mask Carver, in celebration of the 10 year anniversary of the signing of
the Sister-State Agreement. While in Florida, Mrs. Kimura visited
sites throughout the state, including the Morikami Museum and Japanese
Gardens (tour/food exchange), attend a dinner hosted by the Consulate
General of Japan, toured the Everglades National Park, participated in a
meeting with the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce Women’s Business
Council, toured the Mission San Luis in Tallahassee, attended a dinner at
the Governor’s Mansion and participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony
inaugurating a photography exhibition on Wakayama at the University of
West Florida-Japan House in Pensacola. |
|
April 2005 |
Florida First Lady Columba Bush
visits Wakayama
with a delegation of 14
people, including 2 high school students, for the 3rd First
Lady Project. They
met with the Wakayama Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Businesswomen’s
Club, visited the Elementary School affiliated with the
Wakayama
University Education Department, and visited the World
Heritage
Koya and Kumano areas. The high school students also participated
in artistic exchanges with students from Wakayama High School. |
|
July – Sept.
2004 |
Clara Garcia Mclean, a modem
artist from the Artcenter/South Florida in Miami Beach, visits Wakayama. She works on and displays artwork at the Prefectural
Guest House, the Wakanoura Art Cube and other places. |
|
June – July
2004 |
Shawnea Dawn Tallman, a teacher
from Niceville
High School, visits
Tanabe
Commercial
High School on the
Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program. |
|
April 2004 |
A three-person delegation
including Morris Marx, former president of the University
of West Florida, visits Wakayama. |
|
Dec. 2003 |
Mary Palmer, Executive Director of
the Florida Alliance for Arts Education, and one other visit Wakayama. They visit Wakayama
University
and the Elementary School affiliated with the Wakayama
University Education Department. |
|
Nov. 2003 |
Assistant Professors from the
Education Department of Wakayama University, Etsuko Higashi, Ayako
Nagatomo, and one other, visit the
University
of
West Florida
. |
|
October 2003 |
Florida Secretary of State Glenda
Hood visits Wakayama
with a delegation. |
|
August 2003 |
Two overseas students from
Wakayama
University
spend nine months at the University
of West Florida
. |
|
August 2003 |
Governor Kimura heads a five
person government delegation and visits
Florida
with two students from the Taiko drum club of the
Misato branch school of Taisei High School and an accompanying teacher for the 2nd First Lady Project. The group was honored at an event at Walt Disney World's Epcot Center to highlight the Sister-State Youth Art Exchange Program. The group visited the Kennedy
Space Center and DeLand Museum of Art. |
|
July – Sept.
2003 |
Ken Atelier One, an artist group
from Wakayama have their paintings exhibited at the DeLand Museum
of Art. The late Mafune Yamamoto’s calligraphy works are also put on
display. Twelve people visit Florida
for the tape cutting ceremony. |
|
July 2003 |
Richard Fernandez, a teacher from
Niceville High School, visits
Tanabe
Commercial
High School
on the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program. |
|
May 2003 |
A two-person delegation from Wakayama
Prefecture
is sent to participate in the first Florida-Japan
Summit (Delray Beach). |
|
April 2003 |
Dr. John Cavanaugh, president of
the University
of West Florida
and Dr. Morris Marx, president emeritus of the University
of
West Florida
(total of five members from
Florida) visit Wakayama
University
and discuss future international exchanges. |
|
January 2003 |
Dr. Kei Adachi, professor of
Systems Engineering of Wakayama University, Professor Tomotsune Honda and
Professor Tsuneo Ajisaka accompanied by one other person visit University
of West Florida. |
|
April 2002 |
JoAnn Morgan, member of the
University of West Florida Board of Trustees, visits Wakayama
University
. |
|
March 2002 |
International
Exhibition of Florida’s First Lady’s Art Project in the Wakayama
Prefecture Citizens’ Culture Hall. |
|
October 2001 |
Jerry Cartwright, State Director
of the Florida Small Business Development Center Network, has a meeting
with people in the business and economics related field in Wakayama
Prefecture. |
|
October 2001 |
Miami Beach
High School’s Classical Guitar Ensemble group comes to
Wakayama
and gives a performance at Wakayama Prefectural Guest
Hall. |
|
October 2001 |
Dr. Morris Marx, president of the University
of
West Florida, and other
university
representatives visit Wakayama University Carl Backman, Vice Provost and
Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs of the University
of
West Florida, gives a special lecture at Wakayama
University
. |
|
Dec. 2000 |
Wakayama International Exchange
Association sponsors an Experience Florida Tour (12 people participate) in
order to commemorate their 10 anniversary and also the 5 year anniversary
of sister state ties. |
|
Nov. 2000 |
As part of the events to
commemorate the 5 year anniversary of sister state ties, two Noh
performance artists, Akira Matsui and Richard Emmert go to Florida
to give a lecture on Noh. |
|
October 2000 |
Professor Rick Harper of the
University
of
West Florida
comes to
Wakayama
University
and gives a lecture. At the same time, Professor
Michael Yots also visits
Wakayama
University
to discuss and exchange opinions on the exchange
student and research program. |
|
October 2000 |
As part of the events to
commemorate the 5 year anniversary of sister state ties, Hakuzan Kubo, the
head of the Noh Mask Culture Association, goes to
Florida
to give a lecture on Noh masks. |
|
October 2000 |
In order to commemorate the 5 year anniversary of sister state March 2001 relations, the “The Face of Drama: Contemporary Noh Masks by Hakuzan
Kubo” is exhibited in Delray Beach, Tampa, Tallahassee, Pensacola, and Coral Gables, Florida with the support of the Noh Mask Culture Association
(Wakayama City). |
|
Sept. 2000 |
A student from
Wakayama
University
goes to the University
of
West Florida
to study abroad for 10 months. |
|
Sept. 2000 |
Wings of Women, a delegation of 22
women, visit Florida
and examine an organization related to senior citizen
policies. |
|
August 2000 |
Shunji Moriya, president of
Wakayama
University, and two other people visit the
University
of West Florida
. |
|
June 2000 |
University of West
Florida
(5 students, 5 faculty members) visits
Wakayama
University. |
|
June 2000 |
Beryl Roberts, State
of Florida House of Representatives, comes to
Wakayama
as a Japan Society Local Government and Public Policy
Fellow and attends various workshops and seminars within Wakayama
Prefecture. |
|
April 2000 |
Wakayama
University
and
University of West
Florida
complete exchange student agreement. |
|
March 2000 |
The Sister-City Children’s Art
Exhibition showcases prefecture kindergarten and elementary children’s
artwork at Japan Week 2000 in Miami Beach, Florida. (10 pieces featured) |
|
Feb. 2000 |
A group representing
Wakayama
Prefecture attends the International Days 2000 Conference in
Tallahassee. |
|
Feb. 2000 |
Dr. Albert Canas of the
University
of West Florida
visits Wakayama
University
to discuss joint research projects between the two
universities. |
|
Oct. 1999 |
Dr. Morris Marx, University
of West Florida
president, and 6 other people come to Wakayama. The
University
of West Florida
and Wakayama
University
sign a Sister School Agreement. |
|
Sept 1999 |
Eight members of the Wakayama
Prefecture Youth Agriculture Study Abroad Program visit and take a tour of
Florida. |
|
August 1999 |
Bill Pfeiffer, Assistant Secretary
of State, Dr. Gaylen Phillips of the Florida Department of State Division
of Cultural Affairs and the Howard W. Blake High School Jazz Combo visit
Wakayama
Prefecture
. The Jazz Combo performs at the Experience
Nanki-Kurnano Exposition held in
Southern Wakayama. |
|
October 1998 |
Dr. Glen Goltermann, Co-Director
of the Jikei-American
Center
at the University
of
West Florida
visits Wakayama
Prefecture
and
Wakayama University. |
|
June 1998 |
Carl Backman, Vice Provost and
Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs of the University
of
West Florida
visits
Wakayama
Prefecture
to discuss possible
Sister
School
ties with Wakayama
University. |
|
June 1998 |
Six students from south
Florida
area high schools study at Kinki
University
High School. |
|
March 1998 |
Wakayama Prefecture International
Exchange Association sends 15 Yuzaki Lion Dancers to Florida
as a Cultural Exchange Group and the group performs in
Pensacola,
Panama
City Beach and
Miami. |
|
October 1997 |
Sandra Mortham, Florida Secretary
of State, visits Wakayama
Prefecture
. |
|
Sept. 1997 |
Nine members of the Wakayama
Prefecture Youth Agriculture Study Abroad Program visit and take a tour of
Florida. |
|
Feb. 1997 |
Sixty-nine members of the Wakayama
Agriculture Pension Association visit and have agriculture tour of
Florida. |
|
April 1996 |
Charles Ranson, Vice Chairman of
the Florida International Affairs Commission visits the opening of the
World Tourism Forum in
Tanabe
City
and Shiraharna
Town. Singer Del Suggs accompanies him and performs at the
opening of the forum at the Kinan Culture Hall. |
|
October 1995 |
Wakayama
Prefecture
and the State of Florida
sign a Sister State Agreement at the Wakayama
Prefecture Government Office. |
|
July – Aug. 1994 |
Invitation of the Cypress Gardens
Southern Belles to the World Resort Expo in Wakayama
made possible through the cooperation of the State of Florida Government. |
|
July 1994 |
A group representing the Florida
State Government attends the opening of the World Resort Expo in Wakayama
Prefecture. |
|
October 1993 |
Meeting in Osaka
between Florida Governor Lawton Chiles and Mr.
Nakanishi, Director General of Wakayama Prefecture Governor’s Office. |
|
May 1992 |
Wakayama Prefecture International
Exchange Association officials make a visit to the State of Florida
office in Tokyo. |
