Duluth Sister Cities International

Located 50 miles south of Tokyo, this 22,000 person agricultural town has been a Sister City since 1990. That tie began in 1954 when an ancient Buddhist temple bell, which found its way to Duluth after World War II, was returned to Ohara. In 1993, Ohara presented Duluth with a replica of the bell, which now resides in the Japanese Peace Bell Garden near Enger Tower. Both cities have scenic parks commemorating their Sister City commitment. Since 1992, Duluth and Ohara-Isumi City have enjoyed an annual student exchange which has captured the hearts of many young people and their families in both cities.

Resonance: The Odyssey of the Bells

Resonance tells the forgotten stories of two sacred Buddhist temple bells that survived the scrap metal drives of WWII only to be taken by the US Navy as war trophies and given to the cities of Duluth, Minnesota and Topeka, Kansas. In the decades following the war the difficult process required to return these bells reconnected two nations that had been torn apart by war. www.resonancefilm.com

The Peace Bell Book
Story on the Adult Delegation trip to Ohara-Isumi City; September 2008
Previous Student Exchange Pictures

2010 Student Exchange

Common Questions and Answers
Letter to Administrations & Teachers
Student Application
What to expect as a delegate to Ohara-Isumi City
Youth Health Form Emergency Medical Authorization & Release Form
Reference Form

Archived Events

Peace Bell Ringing Ceremony at Enger Park - September 11, 2009