Connecting the people of Portland and our sister city Sapporo. 

WELCOME!

The Portland-Sapporo Sister City Association is the organization that stewards the longest-running Sister City relationship in Portland, Oregon–and one of the oldest in the United States. With the mission of fostering and promoting friendship and mutual understanding through exchanges and interactions between the people of Portland and Sapporo to build a foundation for a more peaceful and sustainable world. The Portland-Sapporo Sister City Association was founded in 1959, celebrating its 60th successful year in 2019.

Portland and Sapporo are similar in many ways, despite being separated by more than 4,000 miles. Northern cities that lie at close to the same latitude, both are relatively young cities of approximately 150 years, with metropolitan populations of close to two million. Both cities enjoy beautiful settings and an appreciation of the outdoors.  Both are home to indigenous peoples who harvested and used the plentiful natural resources of the area for thousands of years. The Ainu of the Sapporo metropolitan area and the Multnomah, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Chinook, Tualatin, Kalapuya, and Molalla along with other tribes of the Portland metropolitan area, bring  rich history, traditions, knowledge and culture to our communities past, present and future.

The Portland-Sapporo Sister City Association (PSSCA) celebrates the similarities and the differences between these two beautiful cities by supporting many forms of interaction, including hosting visits of international delegations, facilitating political outreach, encouraging educational connections, participating in or producing Japanese-themed events and promoting communication, both local and international. PSSCA welcomes volunteers and supporters to be part of this longstanding tradition.