Osaka and Chicago

Osaka and Chicago, home to many hard-working citizens, have enjoyed an active business as well as cultural relationship for close to 50 years. Yes, Chicago has been Sister City/Partner City with Osaka for less than 35 years. But did you know that our very own City of Osaka, Chicago Office has been in Chicago since 1958?

Brief History
In 1973, on the 9th of November, Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley (father of current Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley) and Osaka Mayor Oshima shook hands and signed a Sister City agreement in Chicago. But the relationship between Osaka and Chicago started 15 years prior when the City of Osaka established a Chicago Office in February of 1958 together with Japan External Trade Organization, JETRO, to promote business exchanges between North America and Osaka, Japan. To find out more about the City of Osaka office and the various services we provide, click here.

What we share in common
The City of Osaka and the City of Chicago are separated by both ocean and land and are practically on the other side of the earth from each other. (People in Chicago are beginning their work day around the time people in Osaka are ending theirs.) In Osaka, people speak Japanese (Osaka dialect) and Chicagoans predominantly speak English (Chicago accent). But there are key characteristics that Chicago and Osaka share that makes the citizens of the two cities feel close. Population is one of them (Chicago: 2.9 million / Osaka: 2.6 million). Both cities are big enough so that one would never run out of things to do and places to see but small enough that the citizens feel a sense of connection with the City. Osaka and Chicago both create a warm and welcoming city culture that offers something different from NY or Tokyo. They are both cities of commerce where the merchants gather, and both are known as their region’s transportation hub.

Sister City Exchange Timeline

2006	Students from Walter Payton College Preparatory High School visits Osaka City High School to kick off their first Sister School relationship.
2005	Osaka Mayor Seki attends "U.S. Mayor's Conference" as a Sister City Mayor.
2004	Mayor Daley opens the Chicago Gallery in Osaka "Nanba Walk."
2003	30th Anniversary event (Urban Reconstruction Lecture by Architect Tadao Ando, Food Seminar, Osaka Garden Festival and much more)
1998	25th Anniversary series of events (Osaka Garden exhibit and fundraiser, cultural delegation trips, business seminar and others) were held in both Chicago and Osaka.
1993-5	Japanese Garden in Chicago's Jackson Park was renovated with funds from the City of Osaka and was renamed Osaka Garden (see below for more details about Osaka Garden)
1993	"Chicago Days in Osaka" was held to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Osaka-Chicago Sister City relationship. Richard M. Daley's wife Maggie Daley led a delegation from Chicago for the commemorative events.
1991	Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo presents Osaka's Tennoji Zoo with a Lion-tailed Macaque
1990	Chicago exhibits a garden in the International Garden and Greenery Exposition (Expo '90) held in Osaka
1973	Osaka and Chicago establish a Sister City/Partner City relationship
1958	The City of Osaka opens a representative office in Chicago

Osaka Garden, Jackson Park, Chicago, IL
In 1893, Japan presented Chicago with the beautiful Ho-o-den (Phoenix Pavillion) for the World’s Fair. In 1936, the Chicago Park District established an extraordinary Japanese garden to complement the Ho-o-den and a new tea-house. In 1993, this garden in Jackson Park was named "Osaka Garden" to honor the Chicago-Osaka sister city relationship. Today, visitors continue to enjoy the peaceful lagoons, wildlife, lush trees and verdant plants throughout the year. Be sure to visit the Osaka Garden page in the Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference web site.

We have received inquiries in the past about using the Osaka Garden for events such as weddings. Osaka Garden belongs to the Chicago Park District and according to City of Chicago regulations, Osaka Garden cannot be reserved for private events as its purpose is to be open to the public at all times.

Osaka Garden Festival in Osaka Garden, Chicago, IL
The City of Chicago's Osaka Committee has hosted this annual event for several years with the most recent neighborhood festival in 2003 for the 30th anniversary. Please click the link to see the brochure from the 2003 Osaka Garden Festival. Although interest remains in continuing this tradition, volunteers that form the Osaka Committee and the Chicago Sister City office have been focusing their efforts on other ventures. If you have an interest in the Osaka Garden Festival, please contact Chicago Sister City International Office.