Hey, Richmond. 👋 Or should we say “こんにちは”?

Here’s a pop quiz for you. What do Richmond + Saitama City have in common? The two might seem completely unrelated, but they are actually sister cities.

The Saitama Super Arena in Saitama City, Japan. | Photo by Kakidai

According to Sister Cities International, “A sister city is a broad-based, long-term partnership between two communities in two countries, officially recognized after the highest elected/appointed officials sign off to become sister cities.” The idea is to cultivate international relationships, explore other cultures, and stimulate economic development.

Saitama City became one of our sister cities in 1993, and the two locations have a lot in common. We are both capital cities with several universities + lots of rich history.

Saitama City, Japan is the capital of Saitama Prefecture | Screenshot via Google Maps

Saitama is part of the Greater Tokyo Area and has hosted parts of the Olympic basketball and soccer tournaments at the Saitama Super Arena + Saitama Stadium. Omiya Station is the largest railway hub in the city, used by a lot of passengers + freight train lines. The city is comprised of lowlands and plateaus and has a subtropical climate — humidity is another thing we have in common.

Saitama City becoming our sister city was a big deal for Richmond culturally + economically, but we actually have more than one sister city — Windhoek, Namibia; Olsztyn, Poland; Zhengzhou, China; Ségou, Republic of Mali; and Richmond upon Thames, England are Richmond’s other current sister cities.

Poll:

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Photos courtesy Bries, Umix, Lyfengine, Diliff, Windmemories