Nearly 70 years ago, President Dwight D. Eisenhower encouraged cities to partner with their counterparts in other nations as a way to connect to other places in the world, other people. With hundreds of partnerships now operating, the goal remains the same:

Each Sister city organization . . . pursues the activities and thematic areas that are important to them and their community including municipal, business, trade, educational, and cultural exchanges and projects with their sister city. (Sister Cites International)

The program isn’t limited to cities—Michigan and Japan’s Shiga Prefecture have been sister states since 1968 when they mutually agreed to address issues related to preserving and developing natural resources. This isn’t surprising given that we’re uniquely surrounded by Great Lakes while Shiga encompasses Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest freshwater lake.

The focus has broadened over the years, however, to more fully incorporate culture and commerce.

For Shiga, culture and commerce both involve tea. It was here, in the year 805, that tea plants were first planted in Japan—initiating a thriving industry and precipitating the development of teas and ceremony that are uniquely Japanese.

Therefore, it was fitting that on August 12, Shiga and TeaHaus in Ann Arbor held a tasting of Shiga teas, open to anyone who dropped by.

The event was made special with the presence of Shiga’s governor, Taizo Mikazuki, shown here offering tea to a young girl.

Everyone enjoyed sampling and comparing four teas from Shiga along with a TeaHaus blend, MiShigan, that fuses Shiga and Michigan flavors.

Enjoying—and discussing—a cup of tea opens our eyes to new experiences and strengthens social bonds. Plus, it’s just a lot of fun!

Sources: Michigan-Shiga Sister State Program, Sister Cities International