Marquette Mayor Pro Tem Cody Mayer, left, presents Consul General Yusuke Shindo with a gift bag on behalf of the City of Marquette. (Journal photo by Brennan White)

MARQUETTE — This year marks 43 years of friendship between Marquette and Higashiomi, Japan.

Yusuke Shindo, a consulate-general of Japan working out of Detroit, is visiting Marquette on behalf of Marquette’s sister city with his wife Seiko Shindo.

A meet-and-greet was held at the Peter White Public Library on Thursday during which the couple met and spoke with local residents.

At the event, the Marquette Area Sister Cities Partnership was presented with a certificate of recognition on behalf of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for building friendships, promoting cultural awareness and for serving as an inspirational example to others.

Marquette Mayor Pro Tem Cody Mayer presented Shindo with a gift on behalf of the city. The gift included a bottle of locally sourced maple syrup and a set of stationery inspired by a shared love of the maple tree. Illustrations were drawn and designed by Marquette’s Arts and Culture staff member Amelia Pruiett.

“This Sister City relationship is one of the most active relationships here in Michigan,” Shindo said. “There are about 30 Sister City relationships. But between Marquette and Higashiomi is probably (one of) the most active. It makes me so happy that both sides are so dedicated to the friendship.”

Shindo and his wife have been touring the city with MASCP members participating in Marquette must-dos, including visiting Lake Superior and trying pasties and other local cuisine.

“People are smiling, yesterday the Sister City Partnership people took me around town and it seems that everybody knows each other, everybody says hello, how are you, and of course the very fact that you are able to walk freely without fear or anything is so wonderful, so the whole atmosphere I like very much,” Shindo said.

Shindo works in the Japanese Consulate office in Detroit, which was established in 1993 by the government of Japan to strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance through furthering relations with local governments, companies, cultural organizations and more.

The Marquette Area Sister Cities Partnership said it is sending a delegation to Higashiomi in 2023.

Brennan White can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 248. His email address is bwhite@miningjournal.net.