PLATE

Description: A SMALL PLATE WITH AN IMAGE OF A JAPANESE TEMPLE PAGODA IN FRONT OF AN IMAGE OF MOUNT FUJI. SURROUNDING THE PICTURE, IS A MOLTED LIGHT BLUE BAND THAT TURNS PURPLE IN COLOR IN INDIRECT LIGHT. A SMALL GOLD BAND IS SEEN AROUND THE OUTSIDE RIM. ON THE REVERSE SIDE THERE ARE TWO STICKERS, THE FIRST STATES "PRESENTED ON BEHALF OF HIOSHI SHIOAI, SUPERINTENDENT OF BOARD OF EDUCATION, KUROHONE, JAPAN AUGUST 1997 STUDENT VISIT". THE SECOND STICKER IS BLACK WITH GOLD WRITING ON IT WHICH STATES "THE ART OF CHOKIN", AND GOES ON TO DESCRIPE THE HISTORY AND METHODOLOGY OF CREATING THE TYPE OF IMAGE SEEN ON THE FRONT. "24K GOLD EDGED".

History: GIFT TO LETHBRIDGE AS PART OF THE STUDENT EXCHANGE BETWEEN KUROHONE JAPAN, AND LETHBRIDGE. THIS WAS GIVEN AS PART OF A SOUTH EAST ASIAN TRADITION OF GIVING GIFTS DURING OFFICIAL VISITS. *UPDATE* IN 2014 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF ART OBJECTS, INCLUDING THOSE INITIALLY GIVEN TO THE CITY OF LETHBRIDGE THROUGH VARIOUS EXCHANGES WITH CITIES IN JAPAN. LETHBRIDGE HERALD ARTICLES FROM 1992, 1997, AND 1998 DETAIL THREE SEPERATE EXCHANGE PROGRAMS WITH HIKARI, SEKI CITY, AND KUROHONE-MURA, JAPAN. LETHBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL DECLINED HIKARI'S OFFER OF AN OFFICIAL TWINNING ARRANGMENT IN 1992 DUE TO BUDGET LIMITATIONS AND BECAUSE OF PRIOR TWINNING WITH OTHER CITIES INCLUDING SAINT-LAURENT, QUEBEC, CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA, AND HENGSHUI CITY, CHINA. ST. FRANCIS JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL RAN A STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM WITH SEKI CITY FROM 1993 TO 2003 AND LETHBRIDGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE HOSTED STUDENTS FROM THE VILLAGE OF KURHONE ANNUALLY FROM 1994 TO 2006. DURING THESE EXCHANGES, DELEGATES FROM THE JAPANESE CITIES REGULARLY MET WITH LETHBRIDGE MAYOR DAVID CARPENTER AND GAVE CEREMONIAL GIFTS, AS IS CUSTOM IN JAPAN. SEE PERMANENT FILE P19980048017 FOR HARDCOPIES OF SOURCE NEWSPAPER ARTICLES.