The Springfield Sister Cities Association will mark the 40th anniversary of its relationship with Isesaki, Japan this week. It’s planning a flag-raising ceremony at Sister Cities Plaza on E. Trafficway, just west of National.
The flags of Springfield, Isesaki and sister city Tlaquepaque, Mexico will be raised to fly with the national flags of each country.
The Sister Cities agreement was signed on July 18, 1986, by former mayors George Scruggs and Yasuku Shimojo before the 35-member Isesaki City Council, according to SSCA.
It said one of the earliest exchanges was a visit by Isesaki gardeners who helped the Springfield-Greene County Park Board develop the Japanese Stroll Garden at Nathanael Greene-Close Memorial Park. This week, gardeners from Isesaki will work with the parks team on pruning, maintenance and landscaping projects to ensure the garden maintains its Japanese authenticity.
The flag raising ceremony will be held Tuesday, July 14, at 3.
