The city of Wyandotte agreed to sign a sister city to Komaki in 1963. But the sister-city relationship was not always active at the citizens' level for a long time. In those circumstances, an assortment of people on a grass roots level began getting together to discuss how to foster much good will toward the Wyandotte citizens in 1987. Then, they were determined to form the civic organization.

In 1988, the Association was established as a nonprofit member organization in Komaki to enrich the civic relationships between the two cities. It has served as a valuable bridge between the peoples of Komaki and Wyandotte ever since, providing unique ways for the two communities to come together for a common cause. In fact, despite the cultural difference, the sister-city relationship with our American brothers and sisters in Wyandotte has been cemented more firmly by the citizens of both cities.

In our organization, there are a large cross section of back-ground and ability ranging from students to educators, from homemakers to business people, from engineers to professionals. Our activities are based upon grassroots participation. However, we also believe that we need governmental support so that our programs can be implemented efficiently and successfully. We accordingly have to work together with not only the Komaki city government but the Wyandotte municipal government and the school district government as well.

To take a huge step forward, we have always geared up for a variety of new programs with the cooperation of both cities and their residents. Recently, we have stared out some new programs such as the Komaki English Workshop and E-pen Pal Club. Not to mention that the opening of this web site is likewise included. We regard these totally new programs as a significant vehicle of expanding our sister city relationship.

The programs implemented abound and vary.

1988 : The Komaki Wyandotte Association was founded.

1989 : The Association organized and sent the first delegation of 18 students to Wyandotte.

1990 : The Association helped Komaki city officials request Wyandotte Historical Society President George Gooth to borrow articles from his collection for the city's Urban Fair 91 during their visit to Wyandotte.

Watanabe, liaison of the Association to Wyandotte who lived near Wyandotte at the time, arranged for the city to have the meeting and acted as interpreter when city officials discussed with the president and arranged for shipping them to Komaki.

1991 : The Association sent a college student to Wyandotte to have him attend YMCA's events working with the cooperation of the Wyandotte Jaycees.

Same year : The Association assisted Wyandotte Historical Society President George Booth upon his shipping his collection to Komaki.
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Same year : The Association organized and sent the delegation of 16 people including Funatsu Drum Band to Wyandotte. The band performed at Roosevelt High School , where their performance won loud applause.

1992 : The Association invited Wyandotte Historical Society President George Gooth and Wyandotte Jaycees President Victor Mulero to Komaki and hosted them.

1992 : The Association arranged the joint meeting for the Komaki and the Wyandotte Jaycees in Wyandotte, where the motion that both chapters concurrently plant trees on Earth Day was proposed and carried. Then, this program was administered in both cities.

1994 : The Association invited a Wyandotte university student, Chris Lipo, to Komaki and hosted him.

1995 : For the city of Komaki , Liaison Watanabe arranged for Wyandotte council member Larry Stec (later mayor) and her wife Tracie and Wyandotte Treasurer Andy Swishy and his wife to visit Komaki to attend the Komaki's 49th Anniversary Ceremony. Tracie, being a Wyandotte Jaycee, exchanged the gifts for the tenth anniversary of the sister-chapter relationship with the Komaki Jaycees.

Same year : The Association invited Wyandotte Wilson Middle School teacher Bob Bourassa and his son Marc to Komaki and hosted them.

Same year : The Association helped the city of Komaki to ask the city of Wyandotte to have students execute 50 paintings so that the City of Komaki can display them at the Sister City Fair of Aichi World Park Festival 95 in Japan. Liaison Watanabe directly requested McKinley Elementary School to have its students execute 50 paintings and send them to Komaki.

Same year : The Association received the Certificate of Appreciation from the city of Wyandotte due to the large contribution to the promotion of the sister-city relationship.

Same year : The Association arranged that Komaki Muranaka Elementary School Principal Niwa visit Wyandotte Washington Elementary School..

1996 : The Association arranged that Komaki firefighter Inoue receive on-the-spot training at Wyandotte Central Fire Station visit Wyandotte Washington Elementary School.

1997 : The Association organized the delegation of nine. In honor of the Association's tenth founding Anniversary, they planted 30 cherry trees at Wilson Middle School, McKinley Elementary School, Washington Elementary School, Jefferson Elementary School, the Bacon Memorial Library, and BASF Water Front Park.

Same year : Liaison Watanabe set the stage for the meeting of Komaki and Wyandotte municipal governments for the program of Komaki's junior high school student visitation to Wyandotte at the Wyandotte City Hall. He also acted as interpreter at the meeting.

1998 : As liaison, Watanabe helped both cities with the first junior high school students visitation to Wyandotte. He also arranged the gift exchange Ceremony at Washington Elementary School for Komaki Muranaka Elementary School

1999 : Watanabe organized the first Wilson Middle School delegation of nine to visit to Komaki . Then, they visited Komaki , where the Association hosted them.

2000 : The Association hosted the second delegation made up of nine from Wilson Middle School in Komaki.

2001 : The Association organized the delegation and sent them to Wyandotte, working together with the Komaki Jaycees. This trip was about cultural exchange, education, enriching civic relationships, and laying the foundation for the future sister city exchange between Komaki and Wyandotte.

Same year : The Association hosted the third delegation made up of nine from Wilson Middle School in Komaki.

Same year : The Association set up the Komaki English Workshop.

Same year : The Association opened its web site.

Written by Kenji Watanabe