Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi

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Fujiyoshida (富士吉田市; -shi) is a city located in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, in the center of the Japanese main island of Honshū.

Fujiyoshida was founded on March 20, 1951. The city rests at the base of majestic Mount Fuji, and is built upon old lava flows. It is considered a high-elevation city in Japan, at 2,140 to 2,800 feet above sea level. The city is also located between two of the five Fuji Lakes. For several centuries, artisans around the Fujiyoshida area have produced high quality textiles, and now the city is the center of commerce and high technology in southern Yamanashi Prefecture.

Tourism

Sister cities

Sister Cities of Fujiyoshida include Colorado Springs, Colorado and the city of Chamonix-Mont Blanc, France. All three cities are related by famous mountains: Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs, Mont Blanc in Chamonix, and Mt. Fuji in Fujiyoshida.

Colorado Springs

Fujiyoshida and Colorado Springs entered into a sister city relationship in 1962. Fujiyoshida presented a torii gate to Colorado Springs to commemorate the friendship between the two cities, which was erected in downtown Colorado Springs, and is one of the city's most recognizable landmarks. Reciprocal mayoral visits occurred in 2002 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the sister cities.

Every August, the City of Fujiyoshida sends sixteen students from local junior high schools and two chaperones to Colorado Springs for ten days. Chaperones are chosen among employees of Fujiyoshida City Hall and teachers. Group activities include tours to the top of Pikes Peak, the Garden of the Gods City Park, and the Garden of the Gods Trading Post.

Chamonix-Mont Blanc

Fujiyoshida became sister cities with the city of Chamonix-Mont Blanc, France in 1978. Since then, the two cities have enjoyed numerous exchange activities including the Double Summit Challenge in 2005, and event where citizens of the two sister cities climbed the summits of their respective mountain peaks: Mt. Fuji and Mont Blanc.

External links

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