The City of Vernon in Canada and Tome City are sister cities.

In August 1906, 102 years ago, the people of Yonekawa Village (present-day Towa-cho in Tome City) were on the verge of starvation due to crop failure. Therefore, in order to help the citizens of Yonekawa, a man named Oikawa Jintaro led an expedition of 82 people by ship to Canada.

Without having been given official permission to emigrate, the ship smuggled its way by disguising itself as a fishing boat.

The party spent 50 days crossing the Pacific Ocean, after which they were not only granted permission to land but were given a warm welcome by the Canadian government. The people found success in Canada processing salmon at an island in the Fraser River near Vancouver.

Many people ended up emigrating permanently to Canada in this way, and there are still many people with links to Tome City living in Vernon City, which has since become Tome's sister city.

This year, an ALT will be joining us from Vernon City. This will be done through the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme, which was established in 1987 to contribute to the internationalization of Japan and the promotion of mutual understanding between Japan and other countries through language teaching and grass-root-level international exchange.

The furthering of this kind of human resource exchange is important for the intercommunication between our sister cities.

I believe that ALTs have a large role to play in the strengthening of these relations.

At the Masubuchi River, nearby our rice field, the Firefly Protection Society has busily been making preparations for the arrival of firefly season and the many visitors it brings with it: setting up a car park, cutting the grass, cordoning off the area, and so on.

The fireflies are now becoming pupae in their cocoons underground. When there is rainfall and some moisture remains on the surface of the ground, the conditions for the emergence of the fireflies will be right.

The emergence of the fireflies is later than usual this year. Today's warm weather means tonight will be a great time to go and see the fireflies, which have been patiently waiting to emerge from the ground.

Watching the fireflies flashing in the dark is a precious experience, and their wild dance is really an event to look forward to.

Yonekawa is known as the "Nagasaki of the Tohoku Region" due to the martyring of Christians that took place here. Many turned out for its 25th Christian Festival, which was held in remembrance on the site of the martyring of 120 people, keeping the area bustling all day long.

With the availability of tours for Christians, many believers made their way here and offered their devout prayers at open-air masses in unison with the many others present.

This year I went to visit Goto City in Nagasaki Prefecture and spoke with the mayor about Kakure Krishitans. Japan's very first church is located in the Goto Islands, which are part of Nagasaki Prefecture. It feels to me as if Nagasaki and Tome City are in a sense linked on a road that leads to Rome. Tsunaki also has a Christian Festival and as its executive committee thinks of a new plan for the festival every year, it has become an event that tourists love and can be enjoyed by both young and old.

Many people now visit Tome City for its Christian Festival, and the links between those people, plus the further increase of those links, is important. The special products on sale, the enjoyment of the local fishing, the folk entertainments on stage, and being blessed with good weather have led to fun event which is vitalizing the region.

"Kakure Krishitan" is Japanese for "Hidden Christian": a modern term for a member of the Japanese Roman Catholic Church that went underground in the 1630s.

Sightseeing Guide to History museums in Toyoma, Tome City

Education Museum
The building was used as an elementary school under the old system of education. It was built in 1888 during the Meiji Era and is representative of the western-style architecture of the time. The building has been deemed a National Cultural Asset by the Japanese Government.

Open: 9:00 to 16:30(The same as the other three locations)
Close: over the new year period (usually from December 28 to January 4)
Admission Fee: Adults(individual)400 yen
A group charge applies to 20 people or more. (The same as the other three locations)

Police Museum
This western-style building was built in 1889 and was used as the police station up until 1968. Various artifacts relating to the Police force and Fire Brigade are exhibited here. It is the only police museum in Japan and is deemed a Cultural Asset by the Miyagi Prefectural Government.

Admission Fee: Adults (individual) 300 yen

Mizusawa Prefectural Office Memorial
The building was built in 1871 as a government office building. At the time, Toyoma was the northern political center of Miyagi Prefecture. Later on this building was used for different reasons such as to house a local court and then as an elementary school. The building is deemed a Cultural Asset by the Tome Local Government.

Admission Fee: Adults (individual) 200 yen

Mori Butai: Noh Theatre and Museum
In Toyoma, Noh Theatre has flourished since the 17th century. Performances involve traditional instruments and masked characters. "Okayachi Nanbu Kagura (Shinto Religious Music and Dance numbers)" are also performed. These performances have been handed down from one generation to the next and continue to be performed by local residents during festivals.

The building was designed to convey the Noh traditions of the area. Traditional masks and costumes are on display in the adjoining museum.

Admission Fee: Adults (individual) 200 yen
(Economy tickets for groups of 5 ) 800 yen
Contact us for guided tours, bicycle rental and other information.
Toyoma Promotion Group *English language services are also available.

Early Christian Community - Kirishitan no Sato (Towa, Tome City)

Sankyohzuka
During the feudal era in Japan it was prohibited to be Christian. However, in some areas people privately followed the teachings of Christianity. It is believed that they hoped this religion would bring new meaning and importance to their lives.

This phenomenon occurred in the Towa area of Tome. In a small area called Yonekawa, there was a metal mine where local people were employed as labors. It is believed that many of them were Christians. In the late 1700s government officials of the Date Clan heard of their beliefs and came to the area to capture and later execute them. Their bodies were buried in three mounds in the areas of Oinosawa, Kainashisawa, and Hohnosawa. Collectively the three mounds were called Sankyohzuka however only one of the original mounds remains.

Yonekawa Catholic Church
In 1954, old documents were discovered in Yonekawa. They proved the claims that the area was once the site of Christian martyrdom. Local people dedicated a church there to the memory of their ancestors. The church is open to visitors and it is not necessary to make a reservation before you visit. Valuable documents and important articles are on display in the church.

Text and photos quoted from Miyagi City official English website.

Summer is the season when the whole city gets excited and energetic.

Hydrangea Viewing Festival (Ishikoshi)
From July 1 to July 20

About 30,000 hydrangeas of 70 varieties are in full bloom at Chacha World in Ishikoshi.

Yosakoi & Neputa in Toyosato (summer festival)
August 14

Yosakoi is a very energetic and active form of dancing and Neputa is a parade of combining dancing and floats.

People of all ages come to Toyosato to join the performances. The area is crowded and people get excited to see and join the festival. There will be a parade including taiko (Japanese drum) performance, and about 20 floats.

Naganuma, Izunuma, Uchinuma Lotus Flower Festival (Hasama)

This festival is held from the beginning to the end of August, when the surface of the pond is covered with beautiful lotus flowers. A sightseeing-boat is operated during the festival. Seeing the pink lotus flowers from the boat in the center of the pond is a unique experience.

Mokkori Gyu Festival (Minamikata)
The festival is held on August 14

This is the last event of the summer. You can stuff yourself with high-quality beef at the festival's outdoor BBQ party. The demonstration of whole roasted cow is the most popular event. Cows are carefully raised by farmers in Minamikata, and they are fed organic rice and fresh grass.

Guide to summer festivals and events
July
* From July 1 to July 20 / Hydrangea Viewing Festival (Ishikoshi)
* July 26, 27 / Sanuma Summer Festival (Hasama)
* July 25 / Kappa Ichi (night shop fair)
　　　Kappa is a mythical creature that lives under the water.

August
* From the beginning to the end of August / Naganuma Lotus Flower Festival
* From August 1 to August 31 / Izunuma, Uchinuma Lotus Flower Festival
* August 2 (the first Saturday of August every year) /
　　　Toyoma Meiji Mura Summer Festival (Toyoma)
* August 13 (every year) / Naganuma Fireworks Festival (Hasama)
* August 14 (every year) / Bon dance festival (Toyoma)
* August 14 (every year) / 2008 Mokkori Gyu Festival (Minamikata)
* August 14 (every year) / Yosakoi & Neputa in Toyosato (Toyosato)
* August 15, 16 / Grand Festival at Mirokuji Temple (Nakada)
* August 16 (every year) / Fireworks Festival in Maiya (Towa)
* The end of August / Kazeoi Matsuri Festival (Yoneyama)
Spectators come to downtown area to see the float parade and traditional dances.

*Please note that these festivals and events may be cancelled due to inclement weather or emergencies.
For more information, please contact the tourist information department at Tome City Hall.

Text and photos quoted from Miyagi City official English website.

Location
Tome City is located about 500 kilometers (km) north of Tokyo, and lies in the northeast of Miyagi Prefecture. Tome City is bordered by the areas of Kurihara in the west, Ishinomaki and Osaki in the south and, Motoyoshi in the east. The northern bordered of Tome is shared with Iwate Prefecture.

The total area of Tome is 536.38 kilometers squared (km2), and covers approximately 7.36 percent of the total area of Miyagi Prefecture. The Central Business District (CBD) of the city is Hasama. It is located about 70km from Sendai (the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture), 25km from Osaki City and about 30km from both Ishinomaki City and Ichinoseki City (Iwate Prefecture).

Geography

The western and north-east areas of the city are mountainous. A vast plain stretches through the center of the region which is primarily used for growing rice. The soil here is rich in nutrients and is famous for producing two types of rice called Sasanishiki and Hitomebore.

The Hasama River and Natsu River run through the region from north-east to south-west. They intersect at with the Kitakami River which runs through from the north to the south in the eastern part of the city. These rivers have proved a great advantage to the city for many years for daily activities, farming and industry.

In the east of the city there are famous wetlands called Izunuma and Uchinuma. These were designated as important wetlands at The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, which was held in Iran in 1971. The convention laid out a framework for "national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources". Swans and wild geese from as far as Siberia settle in these areas in the winter as part of their annual migration. In addition to this there is another wetland in the southern part of the city called Byodonuma which is home to flowering cherry blossom trees in the spring and lotus flowers in the summer. Thus, for these reasons the city is often called "The Home of the Wetlands".

Climate
The climate of Tome City is warm in summer and mild in winter. The yearly average temperature in 2000 was approximately 11.7 degrees Celsius. In 2000 The registered rainfall was 1,020millimetres (mm) with most falling in the summer months and limited rainfall in the winter. Unlike in other parts of northern Japan, there are few snowstorms in the winter. On average there are a few isolated days with snowfalls, with the snow quickly melting on the ground afterwards. Thus Tome City is an ideal place for anyone to live.

Quoted from Miyagi City official English website.