The entire East wing of the third floor of the Salt Lake City & County Building is dedicated to Salt Lake City's Oldest Sistes City, Matsumoto Japan.
Matsumoto was Salt Lake's first Sister City.
The Sister City relationship with Salt Lake City was created in 1958 when the Mayor of Salt Lake City, Adiel F. Stewart, signed a Sister City Proclamation with the mayor of Matsumoto, Japan. Since then, the Sister City relationship between Matsumoto and Salt Lake City has received numerous awards for special activities and programs. There have also been many official and unofficial visits, student art and gift exchanges, and teacher and municipal employee exchange programs.
Matsumoto, population 210,000, is located 110 miles northwest of Tokyo in what is called the "Japan Alps." It is situated in a beautiful high valley with a temperature range much like Salt Lake City's only with three times the annual precipitation. Several ski resorts are located nearby.
Matsumoto is famous for its magnificent castle, built in the 1500's. It is a National Treasure, being one of only four Japanese feudal castles preserved in its original condition. The castle and its landscaped gardens with moat comprise 98 acres in the heart of the city. It receives over 800,000 visitors annually.
The sister city relationship between Matsumoto and Salt Lake City has received numerous awards for some of the special activities and programs that have been developed. There have been many official and unofficial visitations, student art and gift exchanges, and teacher and municipal employee exchange programs.
HISTORY OF MATSUMOTO SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP:
1956 – President Dwight D. Eisenhower establishes the Sister City Program.
1957 – Tamotsu Murayama, Japan Times writer, meets with Utah Nippo publisher, Kuniko Terasawa, Henry and Alice Kasai, former Mayor Earl J. Glade and, University of Utah President, Dr. A. Ray Olpin, to negotiate the establishment of a Sister City relationship between the two cities.
1958 – November 29, Proclamation of Sister City affiliation is formalized by Salt Lake City Mayor Adiel F. Stewart and Matsumoto City Mayor Tokuya Furuhata.
1958 - 1976 – Sister City activities continue with visits from mayors and cultural exchanges. Local Issei groups hosted the visitors during this period. 1965 Matsumoto Honorary Citizenship recognition to former Mayor Earl J. Glade, Dr. A. Ray Olpin, Henry Kasai and Kuniko Terasawa. Shinichi Suzuki introduces the Suzuki Method of teaching violin and piano
1977 – The program takes on a new focus as respective Chambers of Commerce and the Rotary International groups take an active role in the exchanges. Matsumoto citizens and students take part in the Days of ‘47 activities. Student exchanges are established.
1983 – 22nd Annual Sister Cities International Award sponsored by the Reader’s Digest Foundation, presented to Salt Lake City.
1991 – Matsumoto trade show held in the Salt Palace.
2008 - 50th anniversary of the Matsumoto Salt Lake Sister City Relationship. 40 delegates from Japan visit Salt Lake City in July 2008 for the city’s anniversary celebrations. In September 2008 Salt Lake City delegates will visit Japan for their city’s celebrations.
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