Laguna Beach, Fuji Five Lakes make mutual admiration official

Laguna Beach has entered into a new international friendship, as the coastal community welcomed a delegation from Japan to formalize the relationship.

The traveling party from the Fuji Five Lakes region of Japan met with Laguna Beach city officials on Monday evening for a signing reception at Laguna Art Museum.

Those in attendance took a tour of the museum — currently holding its 12th annual Art and Nature festival — before the ceremony, which featured remarks from Mayor Sue Kempf and Gov. Kotaro Nagasaki of the Yamanashi Prefecture, among others.

Laguna Beach Mayor Sue Kempf, left, and Gov. Kotaro Nagasaki of the Yamanashi Prefecture of Japan, right, sign a proclamation of friendship between their communities on Monday at Laguna Art Museum.

(Courtesy of Lexie Aguayo / LBSCA)

“We’ve had a nice chat about our cities,” Kempf said. “We’re welcoming, and we’ve been welcomed. It’s a beautiful thing to have you here today, and we would like to have you anytime you can come and visit us. It’s a wonderful city, and you have a lot of wonderful people who live here.”

The respective dignitaries put pen to paper to sign a proclamation underscoring their commitment to having cultural, environmental and educational exchanges between their communities.

A presentation of gifts followed the signing. The Japanese delegation received a book covering the history of Laguna Art Museum and artists who were instrumental in founding Laguna Beach as an art colony. There were also gifts furnished by local artists, including vintage posters by Bill Atkins and an aquamarine blue starfish by glassblower John Barber.

Gov. Kotaro Nagasaki of the Yamanashi Prefecture of Japan holds up a starfish gifted by Laguna Beach glass-blowing artist John Barber.

(Courtesy of Lexie Aguayo / LBSCA)

Laguna Beach representatives also accepted various artistic gifts.

“For us, the city of Laguna Beach is the place that we’re aspiring, and it’s like a dream place,” Nagasaki said through an interpreter. “Of course, the city of Laguna Beach has a beautiful view, and also, we consider this city as an art capital.

“Our prefecture, our region has Japan’s iconic place, which is Mt. Fuji. … We have five lakes around Mt. Fuji, and not only that, we have a lot of cultural and historical facilities. This is our honor to have a friendship agreement with the city of Laguna Beach.”

Gov. Kotaro Nagasaki of the Yamanashi Prefecture of Japan presents an artistic gift to Karyn Philippsen, president of the Laguna Beach Sister Cities Assn.

(Courtesy of Lexie Aguayo / LBSCA)

The Fuji Five Lakes region joins a list of Laguna Beach sister cities that includes Menton, France, San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, and St. Ives, England.

“This evening marks a milestone in our ongoing commitment to global unity through cultural exchange,” Karyn Philippsen, founding president of the Laguna Beach Sister Cities Assn., said in a statement. “We are honored to welcome Gov. Nagasaki and his esteemed delegation and look forward to many years of meaningful partnership and friendship between our two communities.”