Sister City
Zentsuji City, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan

Historic relations:

The famous monk Kûkai, or Kôbô-Daishi, introduced Mantra Tantric Buddhism from China to Japan and made contributions to various sciences such as civil engineering, architecture, medical care, education and liberal arts. All over Japan, the teachings of Kûkai and stories about him remain. In July of 804, a delegation to the Tang Dynasty containing four ships sailed from Hizenkokutaura (now known as Tanoura in Hirado). According to records, Kûkai was on board of one of these ships.

Exchanges:

Zentsuji, the historical cultural city where Kûkai was born, and Hirado, the city from which Kûkai left for China, became sister cities in July 1985. Every year exchanges among the citizens of the two cities occur, for example in the form of visits.

Friendship City
Nan'an City, Fujian Province, China

Historical relations:

Born in Kawachi village on Hirado Island, Zheng Chenggong (his Japanese name is Tei Seikô) had a Japanese mother and a Chinese father. Later he moved to China with his parents. During the turbulent days of the decline of the Chinese Ming Dynasty and the rise into power of the Qing Dynasty he was active in the movement supporting the Ming. Famous for achievements such as conquering Taiwan and making valuable efforts towards the country’s national land development, he was also called Kokusenya or Koxinga. These major achievements were used by dramatist Chikamatsu Monzaemon in his dramatic piece `The battles of Kokusenya`.

Exchanges:

In 1995, Hirado started a friendship affiliation with Nan'an City, the birthplace and homeground of Zheng Chenggong's Chinese father. The city has a flourishing farming industry and is famous for its stone materials. Exchanges have been set up with this city and have taken shape in the form of mutual visits every year.

Japan-Netherlands Youth Exchange Programme - Football Exchange
VVSB Football Club and City of Noordwijkerhout, the Netherlands

Historical relations:

In 1600 a Dutch ship landed on Japanese shores, marking the first contact between the Dutch and the Japanese. This relation grew stronger as the Dutch started a trading post in Hirado in 1609. In 1641 the Dutch had to leave the trading post in Hirado and move to a man-made island, Dejima, in the port of Nagasaki City where they were the only western nation to be able to trade with Japan for about 250 years. To mark the 400 years of relations between the Japanese and the Dutch, Hirado started this Football Exchange Project between the VVSB Football Club and Hirado in 2000.

Exchanges:

The Football Exchange Programme is an intercultural exchange between the VVSB Football Club and Hirado in which a youth team from VVSB visits Hirado one year and a selected team from local Junior High School football club members visits the Netherlands the following year.

Japan-Netherlands Exchange Programme - 12xHolland
Studio E project, the Netherlands

Historical relations:

The Dutch VOC set up their first trading post in Hirado where they freely traded for 33 years until they were forced to move to Nagasaki city in 1641. To commemorate 400 years of exchange between the Japanese and the Dutch in the year 2000, various projects were organised in Hirado. The 12xHolland project was initiated and produced in 2000 by Studio E - a Dutch-Japanese musical duo from the Netherlands consisting of Wil Offermans and Junko Ueda. This Studio E project has been carried out by and for the people of Hirado with support from Hirado City and other organisations.

Exchanges:

Every year since 2000, Dutch artists that work in various artistic disciplines have come to Hirado to exchange not only on an artistic but also on a personal level. The artists do not only give workshops and present their work; they also participate in Japanese cultural activities and daily life in the town to deepen the intercultural and interpersonal exchange between the Netherlands and Hirado.

Ikitsuki Community Exchange
Esashi Town, Hokkaido, Japan

Historic relations:

Ikitsuki Town in Hirado and Utanobori in Esashi Town, which lies in Esashi County in Hokkaido, got to know each other at the Nainai Summit. This summit used to be held for cities, towns and villages without either a national route or a railway running through their council districts. Both Ikitsuki and Utanobori have now merged with neighbouring places and the summit is no longer held but the exchanges are still taking place.

Exchanges:

Exchanges started in 2002. Children pay mutual visits offering them a chance to experience the totally different weather and culture and to deepen the friendship and goodwill between the two towns. Economic exchanges, for example with regional products, also take place.