60 Years of Friendship - 

Boston, Massachusetts & Kyoto, Japan

This year, we celebrate the 60th anniversary of Boston's first formal Sister City partnership signed with the City of Kyoto on June 24, 1959.

The friendship began when Mayor Takayama of Kyoto visited Boston for a conference. He was struck that both cities were centers of culture and education. He proposed that Boston and Kyoto partner for official cultural exchange and Mayor John Hynes of Boston accepted.

The similarities between the two cities remain striking. Both Kyoto and Boston have thriving populations of several million people, living in urban areas with distinctive, historical landmarks. Residents of both cities enjoy outdoor recreation along the riverside - the Charles River in Boston and the Kamogawa River in Kyoto. Their climates are also similar and both are destinations for tourists to view autumn foliage.

Boston "Sister City" head welcomed in Kyoto, Japan. (From the City of Boston archives.)