Visitors from Moriguchi, Japan took in some of the Royal City's traditions during a recent trip to New Westminster.
Back in 1963, the cities of Moriguchi and New Westminster became sister cities, marking the first twinning relationship in Canada between a Canadian and Japanese city. In honour of the 50th anniversary of the sister city relationship, a delegation of 37 people from Moriguchi, including a citizen's delegation of 23 people and an official delegation from the City of Moriguchi, recently visited New Westminster.
"We invited the City of Moriguchi delegation to visit during the Hyack Festival because we felt it was a time when the city really comes alive," Mayor Wayne Wright said in a press release. "It is safe to say the Moriguchi delegation thoroughly enjoyed their stay here and loved the opportunity to participate in the parade and Uptown Live."
From the moment they stepped off the plane at Vancouver International Airport, the visitors were on the go. They toured Westminster Pier Park and Fraser River Discovery Centre, dined at Starlight Casino, enjoyed a boat cruise on the paddle wheeler, shopped at Queensborough Landing and toured Douglas College.
The visitors also attended the Hyack Festival Parade and Uptown Live, as well as the May Day banquet and the Hyack banquet.
"It was a lot of fun for them," Rick Page, the city's director of legislative services, said of the banquet. "They got all dressed up, some wearing their traditional clothes."
The Japanese delegation also attended the New Westminster Senior Salmonbellies home opener against the Victoria Shamrocks at Queen's Park Arena on May 23.
"They never saw anything like that before," Wright said. "They were astounded at the people playing and hitting with the sticks."
The visitors thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the Hyack International Parade, Page said.
"They had the time of their lives," he said. "They were so proud to be in that parade."
Page, who coordinates the city's sister city relationships, was impressed with the way local residents responded to the visitors.
"It is quite touching," he said. "It made me very proud of our city."
Page noted that some parade watchers shouted konnichiwa (Japanese for hello) from balconies as the visitors passed by in the Hyack parade.
During the visit, representatives of the City of New Westminster and the City of Moriguchi exchanged gifts in honour of the 50th anniversary of their sister city relationship.
