Sister city since: March 13, 1983

Overview

Inuyama City, located in the northwest of Aichi Prefecture and east of Nobi Plain, has an area of 74.9 square kilometers and a population of about 74,000. The famous Kiso River runs through this city. Transportation is convenient in Inuyama thanks to the Nagoya Railway and many expressways. Inuyama is a famous historical and tourist city in Japan. With the national treasure Inuyama Castle at the center, it retains the style of an industrial and commercial district of an ancient city from the 17th century.

Relations with Xiangyang

Inuyama is the first sister city of Xiangyang. Since the establishment of the sister relations in 1983, the two sides have maintained friendly exchanges and cooperation in various fields. In recent years, the two cities have sent more than 60 delegations to each other. Skilled workers, farmers, and medical personnel from Xiangyang went to study in Inuyama and delegations of artists, painters, calligraphers were invited to give performances. Inuyama sent its youth choir for joint celebrations with Xiangyang and the business and industrial delegation for exchanges. Bilateral exchanges and cooperation cover economy, trade, culture, education, and sports.

In 1984 when Inuyama celebrated the 30th anniversary of its founding as a city, Inuyama presented 100 cherry tree seedlings to Xiangyang, which have now grown into luxuriant trees in Longzhong Scenic Area. In 1985, Xiangyang sent two golden snub-nosed monkeys, Baobao and Zhenzhen, to Inuyama in celebration of the friendship. They were shown to the public for four months and much loved by the local people.

From 2017 to 2020, primary school students of the two cities exchanged paintings and calligraphy works. In 2019, Xiangyang held the Xiangyang-Inuyama Friendly Youth Painting Exhibition, exhibiting more than 200 paintings. More than 3,000 primary and secondary school students and citizens in Xiangyang visited the exhibition. Late that year, a small sculpture based on Xiangyang City and Inuyama City was erected in Xiangyang International Friendship Forest as a symbol of 40 years of friendship between the two cities.

In early 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic started, Inuyama immediately expressed support to Xiangyang and donated facial masks. Later on, when the virus was raging across the world, Xiangyang sent facial masks to Inuyama.

In 2021, the two cities discussed about online youth exchanges.

In July 2022, the two cities attended the China-Japan Youth Exchange with the theme of “sister cities and shared future” and renewed their friendship.