The Oakland Fukuoka Sister City 60th Anniversary Celebration in August 2022

The week that Bridge Club and the Oakland Fukuoka Sister City Association (OFSCA) had been looking forward to finally arrived! The 60^th Anniversary celebration week included enjoying Oakland’s local cuisine, the beautiful redwood tree forests, and the scenic Lake Merritt, to name a few. Prathana (JA 2020/2021), Brittany (JA 2009, Bridge Club President), JJ and Linda (Liaison Officers) attended the unveiling of the beautiful glass mosaic mural art that was located in the Lake Merritt Lakeside Park. Prathana and Brittany spoke to the attendees of their experiences as JAs for the Asian Pacific Children’s Convention, of their involvement with creating the mosaic mural and of their continued connections with Fukuoka.

After the unveiling of the mosaic mural, Oakland’s Mayor Schaaf hosted a reception for Fukuoka’s Mayor Takashima and the Fukuoka City Council members as the guests of honor. As his special treat for all the guests, Mayor Takashima had coordinated with Ippudo in Fukuoka to have the local Ippudo serve delicious authentic Fukuoka tonkatsu ramen at the reception.  

(Pictured above: Brittany (JA 2009, Bridge Club President, OFSCA Director), Prathana (JA 2020/2021, OFSCA Director), Linda (Liaison Officer, OFSCA Director), Mayor Soichiro Takashima, Mayor Libby Schaaf, Paul (OFSCA Director), Valerie (OFSCA VP), Liane (OFSCA Treasurer), JJ (Liaison Officer, OFSCA Director), Julie (OFSCA Director), Gary (OFSCA President), Mona (EBRPD), Jackie (SF Consulate, OFSCA Director))

The celebration week ended with a farewell dinner overlooking Lake Merritt for Mayor Takashima and his staff.

**All photos were provided courtesy of photographer Jeremy Wong.