Takaoka, Japan Welcomes Fort Wayne to Their International Exchange Festival This Halloween

On Saturday October 30th, 2021 at 10:15 pm Eastern, members of Fort Wayne Sister Cities and select families connected LIVE via video from the Fort Wayne Sport Club to Takaoka’s 30th year International Exchange Festival happening simultaneously in downtown Takaoka, Japan.

The original intent of the festival is to celebrate and inform the citizens of Takaoka and the larger Toyama Prefecture about their wonderful international connections, programs, exchanges, and sister cities.

Because of the time difference and shear travel distance Fort Wayne has never been able to attend before. But as the world started to change the way it thought of connection in a pandemic era, the idea was hatched for Fort Wayne to be digitally piped into the festival on a jumbo-screen.

Fort Wayne attendees to the event were humbled to be introduced to Takaoka’s newest and youngest mayor in the city’s history, Mayor Yuuki Kakuda.

Meeting some wonderful people that make our connection so strong from the Takaoka-side was so meaningful and exciting.

The festival was very interested in our Halloween preparations and how Fort Wayne celebrates, as the festival just so happened to be on Halloween weekend.

Justin McAfee, the chair of the Takaoka City Committee of Fort Wayne Sister Cities delivered a presentation during the festival on our various Halloween practices, traditions, and rituals. (Photos below)