Matsudo city x White Horse @ Japan Festival in Box Hill 2015

The Japan Festival was held in Box Hill on May 17th this year.
This Festival has been holding for 16 years, organized by Japan Club of Victoria, known as JCV.

JCV is a non-profit-organization, consist of Japanese-Australian and people who are interested in Japanese culture. They are engaged in cultural exchange, volunteer work and the above mentioned festival is also part of their main activities.

People with Japanese cartoon character outfit

There were over 20 different Japanese cultural entertainments to experience and you could also try authentic Japanese take away food during the event.

Takoyaki – Octopus Ball

ODEN-Seafood Skewers and Vegetables stewed with dashi

The city of Matsudo, the sister city of White Horse was visiting Melbourne as a guest and providing ZENZAI (Shiratama and chestnut in warm red been soup) at the food court.

It is all made with ingredients from Japan, and Zenzai is normally eaten as a dessert in winter to warm yourself up.

Zenzai – normally served with some sticky rice cakes and chestnuts in red been soup

Matsudo is also famous for producing mocha powder, below are some basic information about Matsudo-city.

Prefecture – Chiba Prefecture
Area – Total 61.33 km2 (23.68 sq mi)
Population (April 2012) – Total 481,574

So why Matsudo and Whitehorse? How did they become sister cities?

The relationship between these 2 cities has built almost 45 years ago.
In the early 1958, following a written request from students of a Matsudo municipal school, the Australian Ambassador to Japan gifted 100,000 eucalyptus seeds to the City of Matsudo, to assist with tree planting and improve greenery in their city.

In 1969, the then Mayor of Box Hill, the late Cr Ron Gleghorn, initiated discussion between the Japanese Consulate and the Australian Embassy, with a view to establishing a Sister City relationship.
Following a visit in June 1970 by the then Mayor of Matsudo, the late Mr Kiyoshi Matsumoto, the two cities formalised the affiliation with a ceremony in Matsudo on 12 May 1971 which became as their anniversary day later.

The sister cities contract between two cities, displayed at Whitehorse civic hall

After the festival, the officials from Matsudo visited city hall of Whitehorse and have discussed about the coming memorial event for celebrating their 45th sister city relationship anniversary.

A monument placed at a backyard of Whitehorse civic hall, to memorize their anniversary of 2013

Even though both cities are located far away but seems the sister city relationship is getting stronger day by day…wishing the coming 45th anniversary event will be successful and so as their friendship.