The United States has more sister-community relationships with Japan than any other country, with over 400 sister city and sister state relationships. These linkages connect 46 US states with all but one of Japan's 47 prefectures.
The first US sister-city relationship with a community in Asia was formed between St. Paul, Minnesota, and Nagasaki, Japan, on December 7, 1955, based on a desire for peace and a celebration of historical ties.
Interactive Map: Zoom in to see totals for each state, and rollover a state or icon for more information.
State | U.S. City | Japanese City | Prefecture | State Total |
---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama | Total: 7 | |||
Anniston | Tatsuno-shi | Hyogo | ||
Birmingham | Hitachi | Ibaraki | ||
Birmingham | Maebashi | Gunma | ||
Dothan | Sakado | Saitama | ||
Mobile | Ichihara | Chiba | ||
Montevallo | Echizen | Fukui | ||
Tuscaloosa | Narashino | Chiba | ||
Alaska | Total: 9 | |||
Anchorage | Chitose | Hokkaido | ||
Girdwood | Myoko-Kogen | Niigata | ||
Homer | Teshiro | Hokkaido | ||
Ketchikan | Kanayama | Gifu | ||
Kenai Peninsula Borough | Akita City | Akita | ||
North Pole | Itadori-mura | Gifu | ||
Palmer | Saroma | Hokkaido | ||
Seward | Obihiro | Hokkaido | ||
Sitka | Nemuro | Hokkaido | ||
Arizona | Total: 2 | |||
Avondale | Kaizu | Gifu | ||
Pheonix | Himeji | Hyogo | ||
Arkansas | Total: 2 | |||
Hot Springs | Hanamaki | Iwate | ||
Pine Bluff | Bando | Ibaraki | ||
California | State of California | Osaka Prefecture |
Total: 83 | |
Alameda | Arita-machi | Saga | ||
Anaheim | Mito | Ibaraki | ||
Antioch | Chichibu | Saitama | ||
Bakersfield | Wakayama | Wakayama | ||
Berkeley | Sakai | Osaka | ||
Burbank | Ōta | Gunma | ||
Carlsbad | Futtsu | Chiba | ||
Carson | Soka | Saitama | ||
Chula Vista | Odawara | Kanagawa | ||
Concord | Kitakami | Iwate | ||
Corona | Gotsu | Shimane | ||
Culver City | Kaizuka | Osaka | ||
Cupertino | Toyokawa | Aichi | ||
Davis | Inuyama | Aichi | ||
Encinitas | Hondo (now Amakusa) | Kumamoto | ||
Escondito | Maebaru (now Itoshima) | Fukuoka | ||
Eureka | Kamisu | Ibaraki | ||
Fairfield | Nirasaki | Yamanashi | ||
Fremont | Fukaya | Saitama | ||
Fresno | Kochi | Kochi | ||
Fullerton | Fukui City | Fukui | ||
Gardena | Ichikawa | Chiba | ||
Gilroy | Takko | Aomori | ||
Glendale | Hiroshima | Hiroshima | ||
Glendale | Higashi Osaka | Osaka | ||
Glendora | Moka | Tochigi | ||
Hayward | Funabashi | Chiba | ||
Hemet | Kushimoto | Wakayama | ||
Hemet | Marumori | Miyagi | ||
Hercules | Tsushima | Aichi | ||
Hollister | Takino | Hyogo | ||
Irvine | Tsukuba | Ibaraki | ||
La Mirada | Isehara | Kanagawa | ||
Livermore | Yotsukaido | Chiba | ||
Livingston | Wakami-machi (Now Oga) | Akita | ||
Lodi | Kofu | Yamanashi | ||
Lomita | Takaishi | Osaka | ||
Long Beach | Yokkaichi | Mie | ||
Los Angeles | Nagoya | Aichi | ||
Mendocino | Miasa (Now Omachi) | Nagano | ||
Milpitas | Kukizaki (Now Tsukuba City) | Ibaraki | ||
Modesto | Kurume | Fukuoka | ||
Montebello | Ashiya | Hyogo | ||
Monterey | Nanao | Ishikawa | ||
Monterey Park | Nachikatsuura | Wakayama | ||
Morgan Hill | Mizuho | Tokyo | ||
Mountain View | Iwata | Shizuoka | ||
Napa | Iwanuma | Miyagi | ||
Newport Beach | Okazaki | Aichi | ||
Oakland | Fukuoka | Fukuoka | ||
Oceanside | Fuji | Shizuoka | ||
Oceanside | Kisarazu | Chiba | ||
Palo Alto | Tsuchiura | Ibaraki | ||
Pasadena | Mishima | Shizuoka | ||
Pittsburg | Shimonoseki | Yamaguchi | ||
Redlands | Hino | Tokyo | ||
Richmond | Shimada | Shizuoka | ||
Riverside | Sendai | Miyagi | ||
Rohnert Park | Hashimoto | Wakayama | ||
Sacramento | Matsuyama | Ehime | ||
Salinas | Kushikino (Now Ichikikushikino) | Kagoshima | ||
San Bernadino | Tachikawa | Tokyo | ||
San Bruno | Narita | Chiba | ||
San Diego | Yokohama | Kanagawa | ||
San Francisco | Osaka | Osaka | ||
San Jose | Okayama | Okayama | ||
San Mateo | Toyonaka | Osaka | ||
Santa Barbara | Toba | Mie | ||
Santa Clara | Izumo | Shimane | ||
Santa Cruz | Shingu | Wakayama | ||
Santa Monica | Fujinomiya | Shizuoka | ||
Saratoga | Muko | Kyoto | ||
Sausalito | Sakide | Kagawa | ||
Sebastopol | Yamauchi | Saga | ||
South San Francisco | Kishiwada | Osaka | ||
Stockton | Shimizu | Shizuoka | ||
Temecula | Nakayama (Now Daisen) | Tottori | ||
Torrance | Kashiwa | Chiba | ||
Tracy | Memuro | Hokkaido | ||
Vallejo | Akashi | Hyogo | ||
West Covina | Kurobane (Now Ohtawara) | Tochigi | ||
Yuba City | Fujishiro | Ibaraki | ||
Colorado | State of Colorado | Yamagata Prefecture |
Total: 8 | |
Aspen | Shimukappu | Hokkaido | ||
Boulder | Yamagata | Yamagata | ||
Broomfield | Maruko (Now Ueda) | Nagano | ||
Canon City | Kahoku | Yamagata | ||
Colorado Springs | Fujiyoshida | Yamanashi | ||
Denver | Takayama | Gifu | ||
Longmont | Chino | Nagano | ||
Connecticut | Total: 2 | |||
New Britain | Atsugi | Kanagawa | ||
Wethersfield | Nagayo | Nagasaki | ||
Delaware | State of Delaware | Miyagi Prefecture | - | Total: 1 |
District of Columbia | - | - | - | Total: 0 |
Florida | State of Florida | Wakayama Prefecture | Total: 10 |
|
Clearwater | Nagano | Nagano | ||
Delray Beach | Miyazu | Kyoto | ||
Lakeland | Imabari | Ehime | ||
Largo | Tosayamada | Kochi | ||
Miami | Kagoshima | Kagoshima | ||
Miami Beach | Fujisawa | Kanagawa | ||
Orlando | Urayasu | Chiba | ||
Pensacola | Gero | Gifu | ||
Saint Petersburg | Takamatsu | Kagawa | ||
Georgia | State of Georgia | Kagoshima Prefecture | Total: 11 | |
Americus | Konu (Now Miyoshi) | Hiroshima | ||
Atlanta | Fukuoka | Fukuoka | ||
Augusta | Takarazuka | Hyogo | ||
Columbus | Kiryu | Gunma | ||
Dublin | Sanbongi (Now Osaki) | Miyagi | ||
Elberton | Mure (Now Takamatsu) | Kagawa | ||
Gainesville | Ohito (Now Izunokuni) | Shizuoka | ||
Lagrange | Aso | Kumamoto | ||
Macon | Kurobe | Toyama | ||
Rome | Ueki | Kumamoto | ||
Hawaii | State of Hawaii |
Ehime Prefecture |
Total: 20 | |
State of Hawaii | Fukuoka Prefecture | |||
State of Hawaii | Hiroshima Prefecture | |||
State of Hawaii | Okinawa Prefecture | |||
Hawaii County | Hawai-cho (Now Yurihama) | Tottori | ||
Hawaii County | Nago | Okinawa | ||
Hawaii County | Oshima | Tokyo | (Sister Islands) | |
Hawaii County | Shibukawa | Gunma | ||
Hawaii County | Sumoto City | Hyogo | ||
Honolulu | Hiroshima | Hiroshima | ||
Honolulu | Naha | Okinawa | ||
Honolulu | Nagaoka | Niigata | ||
Honolulu | Tokyo | Tokyo | ||
Honolulu | Uwajima | Ehime | ||
Kauai County | Ishigaki | Okinawa | ||
Kauai County | Moriyama City | Shiga | ||
Kauai County | Suo-Oshima | Yamaguchi | ||
Maui County | Fukuyama | Hiroshima | ||
Maui County | Hachijo Island | Tokyo | ||
Maui County | Hirara City (Now Miyakojima) | Okinawa | ||
Idaho | Total: 3 | |||
Idaho Falls | Tokai-mura | Ibaraki | ||
Pocatello | Iwamizawa | Hokkaido | ||
Sun Valley | Yamanouchi | Shiga | ||
Illinois | Total: 8 | |||
Bloomington-Normal | Asahikawa | Hokkaido | ||
Carbondale | Nakajo (Now Tainai) | Niigata | ||
Chicago | Osaka | Osaka | ||
Decatur | Tokorozawa | Saitama | ||
Schaumburg | Namerikawa | Toyama | ||
Shelbyville | Okuwa | Nagano | ||
Springfield | Ashikaga | Tochigi | ||
Waukegan | Kiyotake (Now Miyazaki) | Miyazaki | ||
Indiana | State of Indiana | Tochigi Prefecture | Total: 14 | |
Carmel | Kawachinagano | Osaka | ||
Columbus | Miyoshi | Aichi | ||
Evansville | Tochigi | Tochigi | ||
Fort Wayne | Takaoka | Toyama | ||
Franklin | Kuji | Iwate | ||
Greenfield | Kakuda | Miyagi | ||
Lafayette | Ota | Gunma | ||
Mishawaka | Shiojiri | Nagano | ||
Princeton | Tahara | Aichi | (Friendship Cities) | |
Richmond | Daito | Shimane | ||
Shelbyville | Kambara (Now Shizuoka) | Shizuoka | ||
Speedway | Motegi | Tochigi | ||
Terre Haute | Tajimi | Gifu | ||
Iowa | State of Iowa | Yamanashi Prefecture | Total: 9 | |
Ames | Enzan (Now Koshu) | Yamanashi | (Partner Cities) | |
Clarinda | Tamana | Kumamoto | ||
Des Moines | Kofu | Yamanashi | ||
Keokuk | Kai | Yamanashi | ||
Marshalltown | Minami Alps | Yamanashi | ||
Muscatine | Ichikawadaimon (Now Ichikawamisato) | Yamanashi | ||
Sioux City | Yamanashi | Yamanashi | ||
Winterset | Minami Alps | Yamanashi | ||
Kansas | Total: 4 | |||
Abilene | Omitama | Ibaraki | ||
Lawrence | Hiratsuka | Kanagawa | ||
Leavenworth | Omihachiman | Shiga | ||
Olathe | Maebashi | Gunma | (Friendship Cities) | |
Kentucky | Total: 6 | |||
Berea | Hokuto | Yamanashi | ||
Bowling Green | Kawanishi | Hyogo | ||
Elizabethtown | Koori machi | Fukushima | ||
Georgetown | Tahara | Aichi | ||
Lexington | Shizunai (Now Shinhidaka) | Hokkaido | ||
Owensboro | Nisshin | Aichi | (Sister Regions) | |
Louisiana | Total: 1 | |||
New Orleans | Matsue | Shimane | ||
Maine | State of Maine | Aomori Prefecture | Total: 3 | |
Bath | Tsugaru | Aomori | ||
Portland | Shinagawa-ku | Tokyo | ||
Maryland | State of Maryland | Kanagawa Prefecture |
Total: 2 | |
Baltimore | Kawasaki | Kanagawa | ||
Massachusetts | State of Massachusetts | Hokkaido Prefecture | Total: 14 | |
Amherst | Kanegsaki | Iwate | ||
Arlington | Nagaokakyo | Kyoto | ||
Boston | Kyoto | Kyoto | ||
Cambridge | Tsukuba Science City | Ibaraki | ||
Concord | Nanae | Hokkaido | ||
Fairhaven/New Bedford | Tosashimizu | Kochi | ||
Gloucester | Tamano | Okayama | ||
Longmeadow | Takikawa | Hokkaido | ||
Marlborough | Akiruno | Tokyo | ||
Medford | Nobeoka | Miyazaki | ||
Plymouth | Shichigahama | Miyagi | ||
Salem | Ota-ku | Tokyo | ||
Springfield | Takikawa | Hokkaido | ||
Michigan | State of Michigan | Shiga Prefecture | Total: 28 |
|
Adrian | Moriyama | Shiga | ||
Ann Arbor | Hikone | Shiga | ||
Battle Creek | Takasaki | Gunma | ||
Birmingham | Ritto | Shiga | ||
Chelsea | Shimizu | Hokkaido | ||
Clinton Township | Yasu | Shiga | ||
Detriot | Toyota | Aichi | ||
DeWitt | Konan (Now Koka) | Shiga | ||
Dundee | Yoshida (Now Tsubame) | Shiga | ||
Fremont | Yahaba | Iwate | (Friendship Cities) | |
Garden City | Imazu (Now Takashima) | Shiga | (Friendship Cities) | |
Grand Rapids | Omihachiman | Shiga | ||
Kalamazoo | Numazu | Shizuoka | ||
Lansing | Otsu | Shiga | ||
Marquette | Yokaichi (Now Higashioumi) | Shiga | ||
Marshall | Koka | Shiga | ||
Midland | Handa | Aichi | ||
Mount Pleasant | Okaya | Nagano | ||
Muskegon | Omuta | Fukuoka | ||
Novi | Owani | Aomori | ||
Petoskey | Takashima | Shiga | ||
Pontiac | Kusatsu | Shiga | ||
Saginaw | Tokushima | Tokushima | ||
Sault Ste. Marie | Ryuo | Shiga | ||
St. Johns | Kosei (Now Konan) | Shiga | ||
Traverse City | Tsuchiyama (Now Koka) | Shiga | ||
Wyandotte | Komaki | Aichi | ||
Minnesota | Total: 10 | |||
Anoka | Taishin village (Now Shirakawa) | Fukushima | ||
Bloomington | Izumi | Osaka | ||
Braham | Yuasa | Wakayama | ||
Cambridge | Yuasa | Wakayama | ||
Duluth | Isumi | Chiba | ||
Minneapolis | Ibaraki | Osaka | ||
Red Wing | Ikata | Ehime | ||
St. Cloud | Akita City | Akita | ||
St. Paul | Nagasaki | Nagasaki | ||
Winona | Kagota (Now Misato) | Miyagi | ||
Mississippi | - | - | - | Total: 0 |
Missouri | State of Missouri | Nagano Prefecture | Total: 8 | |
Columbia | Matto (Now Hakusan) | Ishikawa | ||
Grandview | Haruna | Gunma | ||
Independence | Higashi Murayama | Tokyo | ||
Kansas City | Kurashiki | Okayama | ||
Lee's Summit | Aizuwakamatsu | Fukushima | ||
St. Louis | Suwa | Nagano | ||
Springfield | Isesaki | Gunma | ||
Montana | State of Montana | Kumamoto Prefecture | Total: 2 | |
Livingston | Naganohara | Gunma | ||
Nebraska | Total: 3 | |||
Araphaoe | Ozu | Kumamoto | ||
Hastings | Ozu | Kumamoto | ||
Omaha | Shizuoka | Shizuoka | ||
Nevada | - | - | - | Total: 0 |
New Hampshire | Total: 2 | |||
Hanover | Nihonmatsu | Fukushima | ||
Portsmouth | Nichinan | Miyazaki | ||
Portsmouth | Nango (Now Nichinan) | Miyazaki | ||
Portsmouth | Kitago (Now Nichinan) | Miyazaki | ||
New Jersey | State of New Jersey | Fukui Prefecture | Total: 6 | |
Allendale | Omachi | Saga | ||
Elizabeth | Kitami | Hokkaido | ||
Marlboro Township | Nanto | Toyama | ||
New Brunswick | Fukui City | Fukui | ||
New Brunswick | Tsuruoka | Yamagata | ||
New Mexico | Total: 2 | |||
Albuquerque | Sasebo | Nagasaki | ||
Santa Fe | Tsuyama | Okayama | ||
New York | Total: 8 | |||
Buffalo | Kanazawa | Ishikawa | ||
Corning | Kakegawa | Shizuoka | ||
Glens Falls | Saga | Saga | ||
Horseheads | Bato (Now Nakagawa) | Tochigi | ||
New Paltz | Niimi | Okayama | ||
New York City | Tokyo | Tokyo | ||
Rochester | Hamamatsu | Shizuoka | ||
Warren County | Saga | Saga | ||
North Carolina | Total: 1 | |||
Durham | Toyama | Toyama | ||
North Dakota | Total: 1 | |||
Grand Forks | Awano (Now Kanuma) | Tochigi | ||
Ohio | State of Ohio | Saitama Prefecture | Total: 15 | |
Bellefontaine | Suzuka | Mie | ||
Celina | Nandan (Now Minami-Awaji) | Hyogo | ||
Cincinnati | Gifu | Gifu | ||
Dayton | Oiso | Kanagawa | ||
Euclid | Naraha | Fukushima | ||
Lima | Harima | Hyogo | ||
Mansfield | Funehiki (now Tamura) | Fukushima | ||
Middletown | Furukawa (Now Osaki) | Miyagi | ||
Milan | Yawata (Now Hachiman) | Kyoto | ||
Saint Marys | Awaji | Hyogo | ||
Toledo | Toyohashi | Aichi | ||
Troy | Takahashi | Okayama | ||
Van Wert County | Goshiki (Now Sumoto) | Hyogo | ||
Worthington | Sayama | Saitama | ||
Oklahoma | State of Oklahoma | Kyoto Prefecture | Total: 5 | |
Norman | Seika | Kyoto | ||
Shawnee | Nikaho | Akita | ||
Stillwater | Kameoka | Kyoto | ||
Tulsa | Utsunomiya | Tochigi | ||
Oregon | State of Oregon | Toyama Prefecture | Total: 21 | |
Beaverton | Gotemba | Shizuoka | ||
Canby | Kurisawa | Hokkaido | ||
Coos Bay | Choshi | Chiba | ||
The Dalles | Ikeda (Now Miyoshi) | Tokushima | ||
Eugene | Kakegawa | Shizuoka | ||
Florence | Ijira (Now Yamagata) | Gifu | (Friendship Cities) | |
Forest Grove | Nyuzen | Toyama | ||
Gresham | Ebetsu | Hokkaido | ||
Hillsboro | Fukuroi | Shizuoka | ||
Hood River | Tsuruta | Aomori | ||
Madras | Kitamimaki (Now Tomi) | Nagano | ||
Milwaukie | Iwaki | Fukushima | ||
Newport | Monbetsu | Hokkaido | ||
Ontario | Sayama | Osaka | ||
Oregon City | Tateshina | Nagano | ||
Pendleton | Haramachi (Now Minamisoma) | Fukushima | ||
Portland | Sapporo | Hokkaido | ||
Roseburg | Shobu | Saitama | ||
Salem | Kawagoe | Saitama | ||
Wilsonville | Kitakata | Fukushima | ||
Pennsylvania | Total: 5 | |||
Bethlehem | Tondabayashi | Osaka | ||
Chambersburg | Gotemba | Shizuoka | ||
Lancaster | Sano | Tochigi | ||
Philadelphia | Kobe | Hyogo | ||
Pittsburgh | Saitama | Saitama | ||
Rhode Island | Total: 1 | |||
Newport | Shimoda | Shizuoka | ||
South Carolina | - | - | - | Total: 0 |
South Dakota | Total: 1 | |||
Rapid City | Nikko | Tochigi | ||
Tennesee | Total: 5 | |||
Hendersonville | Tsuru | Yamanashi | ||
Knoxville | Muroran | Hokkaido | ||
McMinnville | Mikawa | Yamagata | ||
Oakridge | Naka | Ibaraki | ||
Smyrna | Zama | Kanagawa | ||
Texas | Total: 15 | |||
Austin | Oita City | Oita | ||
Beaumont | Beppu | Oita | ||
Belton | Ebino | Miyazaki | ||
Corpus Christi | Yokosuka | Kanagawa | ||
Dallas | Sendai | Miyagi | (Friendship Cities) | |
Fort Worth | Nagaokakyo | Niigata | ||
Galveston | Niigata | Niigata | ||
Houston | Chiba | Chiba | ||
Huntsville | Niharu | Gunma | ||
Lubbock | Mushashino | Tokyo | ||
Nacagdoches | Naze | Kagoshima | ||
Pasadena | Hadano | Kanagawa | ||
San Antonio | Kumamoto | Kumamoto | ||
Southlake | Tome | Miyagi | ||
Tyler | Yachiyo | Chiba | ||
Utah | Total: 1 | |||
Salt Lake City | Matsumoto | Nagano | ||
Vermont | Total: 2 | |||
Burlington | Nishinomiya | Hyogo | ||
Rutland | Ishidoriya (Now Hanamaki) | Iwate | ||
Virginia | Total: 4 | |||
Newport News | Neyagawa | Osaka | ||
Norfolk | Kitakyushu | Fukuoka | ||
Richmond | Saitama | Saitama | ||
Virginia Beach | Miyazaki | Miyazaki | ||
Washington | State of Washington | Hyogo Prefecture | Total: 35 | |
Anacortes | Kisakata (Now Nikaho) | Akita | ||
Auburn | Kasuga (Now Tamba) | Hyogo | ||
Bellevue | Yao | Osaka | ||
Bellingham | Tateyama | Chiba | ||
Bremerton | Kure | Hiroshima | ||
Camas | Taki | Mie | ||
Camas | Hosoe (Now Hamamatsu) | Shizuoka | ||
Chehalis | Inasa (Now Hamamatsu) | Shizuoka | ||
Chelan | Tojo (Now Kato) | Hyogo | ||
Edmonds | Hekinan | Aichi | ||
Everett | Iwakuni | Yamaguchi | ||
Federal Way | Hachinohe | Aomori | ||
Ferndale | Miyoshi (Now Minamiboso) | Chiba | ||
Kelso | Sagara (Now Makinohara) | Shizuoka | ||
Kent | Kaibara (Now Tamba) | Hyogo | ||
Kititas County | Sanda | Hyogo | ||
Lakewood | Okinawa | Okinawa | ||
Longview | Wako | Saitama | ||
Moses Lake | Yonezawa | Yamagata | ||
Olympia | Yashiro (Now Kato) | Hyogo | ||
Port Angeles | Mutsu | Aomori | ||
Port Townsend | Ichikawa | Hyogo | ||
Pullman | Kasai | Hyogo | ||
Renton | Nishiwaki | Hyogo | ||
Seattle | Kobe | Hyogo | ||
Sequim | Yamasaki (Now Shiso) | Hyogo | ||
Spokane | Nishinomiya | Hyogo | ||
Tacoma | Kitakyushu | Fukuoka | ||
Tukwila | Iwaka (Now Miyoshi) | Tokushima | ||
Vancouver | Joyo | Kyoto | ||
Walla Walla | Sasayama | Hyogo | ||
Wenatchee | Kuroishi | Aomori | ||
Wenatchee | Misawa | Aomori | ||
Yakima | Itayanagi | Aomori | ||
West Virginia | - | - | - | Total: 0 |
Wisconsin | State of Wisconsin | Chiba Prefecture | Total: 14 | |
Appleton | Kanonji | Kagawa | ||
Madison | Obihiro | Hokkaido | ||
Manitowoc | Kamogawa | Chiba | ||
Menasha | Maebashi | Gunma | ||
Menomonie | Minaminasu (Now Nasukarasuyama) | Tochigi | ||
Racine | Oiso | Kanagawa | ||
Rice Lake | Miharu-machi | Fukushima | ||
Sheboygan | Tsubame | Niigata | ||
Superior | Ami | Ibraki | ||
Waupaca | Nio (Now Mitoyo) | Kagawa | ||
Waupun | Isumi | Chiba | (Sister School Districts) | |
West Bend | Aisho | Shiga | ||
Wisconsin Dells | Iwaizumi | Iwate | ||
Wyoming | - | - | - | Total: 0 |
Total Sister States: 23 | Total Sister Cities: 391 | Combined: 414 |
Data Sources: Sister Cities International; Government of Japan -The Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR); The East-West Center in Washington (From information collected from individual states and municipalities).