Western MA and Japan Reception: Building Ties Through Basketball and Sister Cities (October 20, 2026)
October 27, 2026
On October 20, Consul General Takahashi hosted a reception titled "Western Massachusetts and Japan Reception: Building Ties Through Basketball and Sister Cities” at Springfield College. The event celebrated the visit by students from Kokugakuin University Hokkaido Junior College, Takikawa, Hokkaido, the sister city of Springfield.
The reception welcomed over 40 guests, including Springfield College President Mary-Beth Cooper, Ms. Molly Shea, Chief of Staff representing the Mayor of Springfield, college officials, and key figures actively involved in the Springfield-Takikawa sister-city exchange. During the event, congratulatory messages from Takikawa Mayor Kokichi Maeda, as well as Ms. Megumi Maruyama, the granddaughter of Gensaburo Ishikawa, who played in the world’s first basketball game at the YMCA Training School (now Springfield College), were shared with the audience.
Furthermore, Springfield College Archivist Mr. Jeffrey Monseau curated a special exhibition showcasing artifacts related to Gensaburo Ishikawa and highlighting the shared history of basketball between Japan and Springfield across 135 years.
The reception concluded with lively exchanges among the participants, who reaffirmed the longstanding ties between Japan and Western Massachusetts through basketball and sister-city relationships.
The reception welcomed over 40 guests, including Springfield College President Mary-Beth Cooper, Ms. Molly Shea, Chief of Staff representing the Mayor of Springfield, college officials, and key figures actively involved in the Springfield-Takikawa sister-city exchange. During the event, congratulatory messages from Takikawa Mayor Kokichi Maeda, as well as Ms. Megumi Maruyama, the granddaughter of Gensaburo Ishikawa, who played in the world’s first basketball game at the YMCA Training School (now Springfield College), were shared with the audience.
Furthermore, Springfield College Archivist Mr. Jeffrey Monseau curated a special exhibition showcasing artifacts related to Gensaburo Ishikawa and highlighting the shared history of basketball between Japan and Springfield across 135 years.
The reception concluded with lively exchanges among the participants, who reaffirmed the longstanding ties between Japan and Western Massachusetts through basketball and sister-city relationships.
