Ongoing Cultural Exchange

The People-to-People Legacy:
An Unforeseen Consequence of an Unsung Hero

As an outgrowth of Richard Thomas' humanitarian efforts, Iowa and Yamanashi formed a sister state relationship in 1961 that was the first of its kind in the U.S. after WW II.

"Scores of people, ranging from students to dignitaries, have crossed this bridge of friendship between Yamanashi and Iowa, to share children's artwork and quilts, to discuss issues like aging and agriculture, and to tackle RAGBRAI (the annual bike ride across Iowa) and Mt. Fuji. As the Japanese attaché had predicted, gestures of great generosity in 1960 and 1962 have produced for Iowa and Yamanashi 'generations of blue ribbon friends and goodwill of the purest strain.'"
~Swaim, Iowa Heritage Illustrated

"In 1962, Yamanashi sent Iowa an enormous bronze bell and bellhouse as thanks for the 35 breeding hogs and 60,000 bushels of corn that Iowa sent the prefecture after devastating typhoons. The elaborately ornamented 'Bell of Peace and Friendship' and bellhouse were installed south of the capitol, visible in the distance."
~Photos (left and above) and caption:
Iowa Heritage Illustrated, 82:2

Photo: Rebekah Frese

Japanese Bell Dedication:

"The Prefecture of Yamanashi suffered heavy damage from typhoons in 1959, with great loss of human life, farm animals, and crops, homes and fertile farm lands. At that time the people of Iowa, expressing their traditional humanity and profound friendship, donated to us all the way across the Pacific pure-bred breeding hogs and feed corn in order to encourage our people of Yamanashi to recover from the the unprecedented typhoon disaster. This program expedited mutual understanding and friendship between our two states so sincerely and promptly that a sister state relationship, the first such affiliation between United States of America and Japan, was subsequently established between Iowa and Yamanashi by the joint consent of both peoples.
"In commemoration of this, I, on behalf of the people of Yamanashi, hereby present a time-honored Japanese temple bell together with its accompanying mysteries and prayers. May this bell forever symbolize the bond of unfailing friendship between Iowa and Yamanashi and may its sound deepen the spiritual contacts of both our peoples, thereby contributing to eternal peace and good will between the United States of America and Japan."

Hisashi Amano
Governor of Yamanashi Prefecture
Japan
December 25, 1961