Hercules Hits 30 Years of Sisterhood With Tsushima

The City of Hercules had enjoyed a special union with the Japanese city of Tsushima.

On Saturday, November 5th, that union will turn 30.

The 30th anniversary of the sister city relationship between the two municipalities will begin in earnest once the Hercules Friendship Delegation arrives in Japan on November 11th for its biennial visit.

A commemoration ceremony is expected to take place on November 13^th, at which time Hercules Sister City Association president Lynn Fissell will present a proclamation from Mayor Myrna De Vera to Tsushima Mayor Bunro Ito in recognition of the sister city alliance.

Fissell, who wrote the document, will also present Ito with Hercules, a book detailing the city’s history, among other gifts.

“The idea to have a sister city originated from then City Manager Ralph Snyder,” Fissell said. “In 1979, a committee of citizens was formed for that purpose.  They studied several possible cities, and after being contacted by Tsushima, met with a small group of representatives from that city who visited Hercules for the dedication of the Solar Aquacell Wastewater Treatment Plan and stayed for a tour of Hercules and discussion about a possible affiliation.”

That affiliation took a significant step towards being formed when Hercules sent a contingent to visit Tsushima in January of 1981. Fissell, who was known as Lynn Judnich at the time, was part of that delegation as the city’s Vice-Mayor.

After the alliance was approved by both cities, Tsushima sent representatives to sign an affiliation agreement on November 5 of 1981 at Refugio Valley Park, during which time Tsushima Friendship Bridge was dedicated.

“Tsushima Mayor Masaru Igeta had already signed the document, but could not be present, so Vice-Mayor Mitsuya Yagi presented the document and I, as Mayor, signed it on behalf of Hercules,” Fissell said.

The sister city relationship has spawned a number of gifts throughout the years. Hercules dedicated a street, Tsushima Avenue, to its Japanese counterpart, which also renamed a road within its borders Hercules Street.

Hercules delineated an area of Hercules Heritage Garden to be called Sister City Grove, while Tsushima mounted a commemorative plaque on its city hall property near an oak tree that is similar to the city tree of Hercules.

The best gift, of course, has been the friendship delegations. Tsushima has been sending delegates to Hercules since 1991, while the latter has been sending representatives since 1998. In 2009, the cities agreed to send delegates to each city on alternating years.

This year’s rendition of the Hercules Friendship Delegation includes youth ambassadors Grant Bennett, Cherise Cenon, Tanya Krishnakumar, and Trevor Look.  Adults attending the trip include Mariko Lindsey, Bonnie Kidder, John Kidder, Charles Allbon, Sandra Allbon, and Fissell.

The group will tour Kyoto, Tokyo and Hiroshima, ride Bullet Trains, and visit with host families.

“There are so many great memories of the past 30 years,” Fissel said. “ Overall, the one that stands out is witnessing the enthusiasm of the members of both city's delegations when they meet each other for the first time and spend time learning each other's language, customs, and way of life during the few days they spend together.”