Bonnie Carroll's Life Bites

TAKAKO WAKITA AND TOBA SISTER CITIES COMMITTEE EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO TOBA JAPAN DELEGATION VISITING SANTA BARBARA IN CELEBRATION OF THEIR 60TH ANNIVERSARY

Takako Waikako Welcomes Visiting Dignitaries to 60th Celebration during Proclamation Presentation and Reception at Santa Barbara Historical Museum

This week a deligation arrived in Santa Barbara to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the City of Santa Barara-Toba Japan Sister Cities Organization. The visit included a bevy of gatherings, touring, several formal gathering of dignitaries including the Mayor of Santa Barbara, and the Mayor of Toba, along with members of their staff and Toba Sister Cities members.

Among the army of volunteers who planned and implemented this historic visit were hard working members of the Toba Sister Cities board including current President Linda Matthews, the devoted board of directors, a bevy of willing volunteers and the amazing Takako Wakita, President Emeritus.

In1969 Takako Wakita moved to Santa Barbara with her husband, who was a Fulbright Scholarship graduate student at UCSB. Her reputation as a teacher, community leader and travel afficionado is recognized throughout a bevy of groups in the City of Santa Barbara.

Mayor Randy Rowse presents Proclamation celebrating 60 years Santa Barbara-Toba Japan Sister Cities partner

Special guest in attendance at the scheduled events held at Covarrubias Adobe, Santa Barbara Historical Museum and University Club, included Kosei Murota, Consul General of Japan LA and Vice Consul Anzu Maekawa, Atsushi Kotake, Mayor of Toba Japan, Takashi Kawamura, Chair of Toba City Council, Yukari Nakamura, Toba City Council, Mitsuko Yamamoto, President Toba International Friendship Organization, Rany Rowse, Mayor of Santa Barbara, Helene Schneider, Former Mayor of Santa Barbara, Wade Nomura, Former Mayor of Carpinteria and President Santa Barbara JACL (Japanese American Citizens League).

President Linda Matthews with dinner guests & Takako Wakita with Board Members David Hodges & Laurel Lyle

Mayor Randy Rowse recognized the accomplishments of President Emeritus Takako Waikata during his 60th celebration visit for the 60th celebration ceremony at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, where he presented a proclamation to Atsushi Kotake, Mayor of Toba, honoring the 60 year partnership between the two sister-cities,

Mayor Kotake and his delegation from Toba spent four days in Santa Barbara learning about our community and engaging in a bevy of activities including wine tours, harbor tours and dance lessons at Arthur Murray, allowing time for them to become acquainted with their hosts and enjoy the company of sister-city members.

Takako Waikita and committee spent many months planning this important visit from the Mayor of Toba and his delegation, and worked coordinating sister-city exchange student groups and translators for thirty years. Mayor Kotake of Toba shared how pleased his city is to have this long lasting diplomatic friendship with Santa Barbara and hopes for many more years. "It is very enjoyable spending time in Santa Barbara becoming acquainted with Toba sister-city members, and meeting again with many who have visited us in Toba earlier this year," said Mayor Kotake.

Takako Waikita was the Founder and first President of Santa Barbara Toba Japan Sister Cities Organization from its inception in 1988. As President for 2 years of the oldest city of Santa Barbara sister-city, Takako serves as liaison to Toba Japan as a member of the Toba, Japan board of directors. Takako’s educational background includes a B.A. in education from the Hokkaido Kyoiku University, Japan, an M.A. in Asian Studies from UCSB and attendance at Columbia University Summer Institute. In 1977 she began working for the Sister Cities Program as a volunteer and has devoted her life to the program for 60 years.

Former Mayor Helene Schneider and a talented translater shared the podium to allow all in attendance to learn how very much the former Mayor enjoyed working with Toba officials and Takako, sharing her memorable trip traveling to Toba, Japan to experience the beauty of their location, which she said reminded her of Santa Barbara. "We share our uni with Toba and they share their oysters with us," she said.

In 2018 Takako was Presented a distinguished award “Foreign Minister’s Commendation Award” from the Japanese Government for her outstanding achievements in international fields, her contribution to the promotion of friendship and understanding between different people and cultures and as a citizen diplomat working the Sister City world peace mission. Sister Cities International presented her with the Distinguished Volunteer Award in Washington D.D. in 2006 and 2016.

She produced the successful 9-11 Peace Concert which she spent 13 years organizing. The mission of the concert was “to spread a message of peace through the power of music on every September 11 to turn this day into a day of peace and hope in all areas of our city, our nation, and our world.” 9-11 is also the birthday of the Sister City Program, the brainchild program of President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

As Chair of the City of Santa Barbara Sister Cities Advisory Board, an umbrella organization for the 6 Sister Cities Takako helped organize United Nations Day Celebration Dinner for 27 years collaborating with UN Association of Sant Barbara and Tri-counties. Additional programs she assisted with included United Nations 70^th Peace Walk in 2015, Young Artists and Authors Showcase which encouraged youth to express the mission of Sister Cities through original artwork, and Fiesta Parade participation with the Sister Cities Float for many years.

Takako Waikako welcome Kosci Muroto, Consel General Japan LA and Wade Nomura, former Mayor of Carpinteria to 60th celebration dinner at the University Club of Santa Barbara.

Kosei Murota, Consul General of Japan LA was a welcome addition to the dignitaries who took the podium at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum as well as the celebration dinner at the University Club and shared how impressive the duration of the Santa Barbara - Toba Japan association is, and how pleased he was to be in Santa Barbara participating in this historic anniversary.

Takako has assisted with the Toba Japan Student Exchange Program for 30 years, enriching the lives of more than 100 Santa Barbara Students and 100 Toba students. She assisted visiting English teachers and I Madonnari artists to participate in visiting delegations to Toba, Japan as well as Mayors’ Shiela Lodge, Hal Conklin, Marty Bloom and Helene Schneider.

Her coordination with Bud Bottoms (designer/sculptor) and Toba Rotary Club lead to the design and construction of the Dolphin Fountain in Toba City. The fountain is referred to by local Toba residents as the Friendship Fountain and is cherished by them. She also arranged scholarship funds for two students from Toba to attend SBCC through the generosity of the late Mr. Eli Luria, philanthropist.

Toba Board Members Mr. & Mrs. Hamilton with Toba Guest at University Club Dinner Celebration

In 2011 with the assistance of Mark and Sally Hamilton, the Toba board members who organized the Disaster Relief Fundraising Dinner, they raised $45,000 which was used for recovering the Toba Marine Development and fishing industry, and in celebration of the Toba, Japan 50^th anniversary Takako arranged for three cherry blossom trees to be planted at the Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden.

The SBCC Japanese Language Program was also established by Takako in 1984 and began with one class, and one teacher but expanded to nine classes and five instructors. She also began teaching the Japanese language as a non-credit class in 1973 and retired after 52 years in 2024. She also enjoyed teaching Japanese extension coursed at UCSB.

In 1978 she began teaching a Japanese Cooking Class and in recent years taught a Sushi Class that was very popular. She contributed to the popularization of eating Sushi in Santa Barbara for 48 years and retired in 2025.

As a talented opera singer, Takako appeared in recitals, concerts, and opera performances locally and abroad. Some of her

performances have included “Madame Butterfly” with Japanese Philharmonic Orchestra in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles where she portrayed the mother of Butterfly four times in the production of “Madame Butterfly” which was presented by the Opera Santa Barbara. She also appeared as a soloist with the Santa Barbara Grand Opera, Santa Barbara Choral Sociey, Ventura College Opera Production and the Pacific Music Society. She has also sung at the Annual Sadako Peace Day at the Sadako Garden in La Casa de Maria, Santa Barbara. Takako has served as an OSB Volunteer on many occasions and served as a board member since 2023.

While a volunteer for Botanic Garden Tea House 1996-2002 as a Japanese Tea Ceremony student she helped arrange a restored Japanese Tea House to be located on the grounds of the Botanic Garden, researching and arranging for the location and the architect selection. Since 2022 she has been a member of the Tea House Management Committee, working hard to maintain the Tea House’s authentic upkeep and ongoing tea classes and ceremonies. Takako has her tea professional name as “Soko” from the Urasenke headquarters in Kyoto.

Santa Barbara Music Club is also an organization she has been performing with for over 50 years until 2018, singing at the Faulkner Gallery, and Main Library sharing the joy of music with Santa Barbara audiences. She served as a board member for years as well.

Understandably, her travel history is amazing, and she said regarding travel she believes “in order to understand and respect people, one must interact with people.” She has visited Santa Barbara’s sister cities destinations including Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Toba, Japan, Cusco, Peru, and Kotor, Montenegro. In 2025 she accomplished her bucket list goal of visiting 100 countries while traveling with her husband to Fiji. Takako Waikita has been a member of The University Club of Santa Barbara for 33 years and has served as a board member and Chair of the Activities Committee.

The culmination of this whirlwind visit form the Mayor of Toba Japan and visitors, along with the Consul General of Japan LA was the City of Santa Barbara Sister Cities annual dinner, where members from all six sister cities came together to watch our Old Spanish Days Fiesta Spirits perform, dined on some wonderful foods from all six sister city locations, dance to a performance by Japanese performer Harumi Furukawa, and sing happy birthday to Sister Cities for 70 years of bringing people together in citizen diplomacy.

Holly Perea, Mayor Pro-Tem Snedden, Toba Mayor Kotake, Nimita Wakita & guest enjoying 2026 Sister Cities International Dinner

The Sister Cities program was started by President Eisenhower in 1956 (70 years ago) to integrate citizen diplomacy within communities and nations. Its mission statement: promoting peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation, one individual, one community at a time. It is a people-to-people program. According to President Dwight D. Eisenhower “It is a dedication of friendship and understanding between peoples of different cultures and different attitudes. We learn from each other and we help each other.” For membership information visit www.SantaBarbaraCA.gov.