About Tokai-Mura

Tokai Mura is a mountainous seaside village in the center of Japan’s Ibaraki prefecture. It is home to around 37,000 people.

What is a sister city? Why Tokai-Mura?

A sister city is a relationship or long-term partnership between two communities and two countries. The Idaho Falls-Tokai Mura sister cities program was established in 1981.

Tokai and Idaho falls are sister cities because they share a variety of similar traits. Both are mountainous and in the countryside, and are homes of major nuclear power plants. Tokai grows sweet potatoes and Idaho is known for growing potatoes.

Celebrating Tokai-Mura in Idaho Falls

Since establishing a Sister City with Tokai Mura in 1981, the city of Idaho Falls has opened a Japanese Friendship Garden in their honor that the city, youth, and adult groups manage and care for year-round. It contains stone paths, pagodas, Japanese fencings, and a pavilion with a direct view of the falls. It is located in Idaho Falls on West Broadway next to Key Bank.

To learn more about the Idaho Falls Japanese Friendship Garden, Visit:

Displays and koi fish pond dedicated to Tokai Mura and our past exchanges can be seen at the Idaho Falls Public Library in Idaho Falls located at 547 W Broadway St.