Namerikawa's Sister Cities

In 1974 Namerikawa became Sister Cities with Komoro City in Nagano Prefecture. Komoro City developed around a castle on a plateau at the southwestern foot of Mt. Asama, an active volcano, and has since ancient times been an important exchange and trade point. The city is known as the temporary home of literary great Touson Shimazaki in his younger days, and it was while at a position at Komoro Private school that Shimazaki turned from modern poetry to literature. Even in today’s Komoro, traces of the times captured by Shimazaki’s work remain.

Komoro City Planning Division Tel 0267-22-1700

Over the border to the Tokachi area of Hokkaido lies our sister city since 1984, Toyokoro Town. Perched on the delta of the Tokachi River, home to the Akiaji salmon known as the true taste of Hokkaido, Toyokoro Town boasts a history stretching back to the origin of the Tokachi area along with well preserved natural beauty. The sights of Akiaji Salmon traveling upstream and the flowers of the four seasons blooming along the meandering coastline are a magnificence only Hokkaido can offer.

Toyokoro Town Planning Section Tel 01557-4-2211

Ever since a former resident of Namerikawa on a pioneering mission entered the Nasuno wilderness in 1886, our towns have had an ongoing exchange and, in 1996, we established a sister city relationship. Located in the northern part of the Kanto region, Nasushiobara is a transportation hub where, National Highway #4, the Northeast Auto Roadway, and the Northeast Main Line come together. This key location helps the city boast one of the top population growth rates in the region. Many famous attractions add to Nasushiobara City’s appeal, such as Nasu Canal, one of Japanese three largest, and spots for viewing cherry blossoms, azalea, iris, hydrangea, and the ravens of Forest Park.

Connected by a shared interest in advancing industrial development, Namerikawa and Schaumburg began an exchange in 1995 and, in 1997, Schaumburg became Namerikawa’s first international sister city. Schaumburg, with a population of 74,000, is a suburb 42k northwest of Chicago. Historically, settlers first arrived from the US east coast and from Germany in the mid 19th century. In Schaumburg’s name we can see the influence of some of its earliest settlers, who named their new town after their birthplace in Germany. Over 7000 of the city’s residents are employed at Motorola’s global headquarters, which calls Schaumburg home. Another famous local landmark is the Woodfield Mall, America’s second largest.