Seika, Japan, becomes Norman's new Sister City

By Carol Cole
Transcript Staff Writer
The Norman Transcript

Mayor Haralson to attend Nov. 9 celebration overseas

The City of Seika, Japan, officially became a new Sister City for the City of Norman in a day filled with ceremonies, barbecue, tours and new experiences.

"So let us together? The City of Seika and the City of Norman? develop this friendly relationship," said Seika Mayor Kaname Kimura to Norman Mayor Harold Haralson through interpreter Stephen Pitts, a student at the University of Oklahoma.

The signing ceremony took place around the long conference table in the study session room at City Hall, with tiny city flags of Seika and Norman sitting in front of city leaders.

The Honorable Tomoko Samura, vice governor of the Kyoto Prefecture, sat next to Kimura for the signing. Kyoto is the sister state to the state of Oklahoma.

Sister Cities International is "a non-profit citizen diplomacy network seeking stronger economic and cultural ties at the municipal level between United States and international communities."

Kimura invited Haralson to attend the 50th anniversary celebration of Seika's move up from a village to a town Nov. 9.

"It is with great pleasure that I accept your invitation to attend," Haralson said. "We are very appreciative of the honor you have bestowed upon us today."

Several other Norman city officials attended the ceremonies including former Mayor and State Rep. Bill Nations, councilmember’s David Hopper, Mandy Haws, Jim Stanley and Doug Cubberley and City Manager Brad Gambill.

A traditional green tea ceremony followed the signing, featuring gyokuro tea brought with the Japanese delegation.

"This tea is from a very well respected place for tea in Japan," Kimura said, showing off the bag of bright green tea. "It's the flavor of nature. There's nothing else like it."

The tea was infused with an earthy, grassy flavor and was accompanied by small flower-shaped candies in pastel colors. It was served cold in small decorative cups.

"It's delicious. I can taste the leaves," Haws said.

"This is also the best green tea I've ever had," Nations said.

The Norman and Seika groups dined on barbecue from the Rib Crib in the multi-purpose room of City Hall, before their departure for tours of the Fred Jones Museum of Fine Art, Weathernews offices, Stevenson Research Center and a driving tour of Hitachi and Astellas.

The evening concluded with a dinner hosted by the City of Norman and the Japan-Oklahoma Society at the Oklahoma Memorial Union.

A signing ceremony reaffirming the sister state relationship between the state of Oklahoma and the Kyoto Prefecture is scheduled today at the state Capitol with Gov. Brad Henry, along with tours of the Capitol and several state landmarks.

Carol Cole 366-3538 ccole@normantranscript.com