Wellington celebrates 30-year sister city anniversary with Sakai

Here’s a look at the timeline of how our cities have come together over the years.

1994
On 4 February 1994, Sakai Mayor Hideo Hataya and Wellington City Council Mayor Fran Wilde formally sign the sister-city agreement.

1995
In 1995, the Wellington Sakai Association (WSA) is established. Made up of volunteers, WSA organises cultural events and supports and maintains the relationship between Wellington and Sakai. 

Wellington Sakai Youth Exchange Programme begins in 1995, with both cities hosting students every second year. Around 600 students have participated in the programme.

1996
Wellington is invited to send a marathon runner to enter the Senshu International Marathon, fully funded by Sakai.

2001
The Sakai Sister Cities Children’s Art Exhibition is started in 2001 as an art exchange between Wellington and Sakai. Artworks from young Wellington artists are sent to Sakai for the exhibition every year.

2007 
The Sakai Cherry Garden opens in Katherine Mansfield Park. 28 cherry blossom trees are planted in the garden through a donation by the (Sakai-based) Sakai Wellington Association.

2009 
The first Japan Festival is held in 2009 and features a range of traditional and modern Japanese cultural activities and events and is enjoyed by thousands of Wellingtonians. The festival has grown to become a popular festival in Wellington’s events calendar. 

2011 
Mayor Celia Wade-Brown visits Sakai and presents donations from Wellingtonians for people affected by the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.

2012 
Sakai becomes an imaginary sister city of the Shire of the Hobbit movie in 2012. 

2014 
Mayor Wade-Brown accompanied by a business and education delegation visits Sakai to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the sister city relationship. 

2016 
The Wellington–Senshu Marathon Exchange MOU is signed, resulting in the first Sakai runner to participate in the Wellington Marathon in June, 2016.

2017 
46 students from Sakai Rugby School visit Wellington, with a programme that includes games and training with Wellington College, St Mark’s and Pōneke Rugby Club.

The first Wellington Children’s Art Exhibition is held in Wellington, providing an opportunity for Wellington’s youngest residents to participate in a sister city activity through art. 

2019 
Kurimoto Ltd, a 110-year-old Sakai-based manufacturer of seismic resilient water pipe infrastructure, choses the Wellington region as the location of their first international venture, with Hynds Pipe Systems Ltd.

A master class with a Sakai “Togishi” is held with local Wellington chefs, restauranteurs and hospitality staff.  Sakai knives are crafted using the same blacksmith techniques used previously for Japanese swords and are renowned for their amazing sharpness. These knives are used by an astonishing 90 percent of professional Japanese chefs. 

2020
The COVID-19 pandemic and the border closures mean that for nearly three years engagement with Sakai is online. Wellington Mayor Andy Foster and Sakai Mayor Hideki Nagafuji hold several online meetings during this time.

2021
HONEYWA makes her debut! WSA holds a yuru-chara design competition - a mascot character to promote a place or region, event, organisation or business.

The winning design represents a combination of Wellington's Beehive and the Haniwa clay sculptures, which were famous during the Kofun period. "Honey" is a nod to New Zealand's famous honey production, and "Wa" means harmony in Japanese; she is named with the hope that Wellington and Sakai continue to be harmonious sister cities for many years.

2023
Mayor Tory Whanau leads a large delegation to Asia in September 2023, stopping off in Sakai for meetings and engagements, including a visit to Daisen Elementary School.

2024
This year, the Japan Festival returns on 14 September at the Michael Fowler Centre. Wellington will also host Mayor of Sakai Hideki Nagafuji on his first official visit to Wellington later this year.