Japan Nights: DMV Edition
The latest from Hollywood on the Potomac.
Written by Sakura Buker
The Japanese Ambassador’s Residence opened its doors for Maryland-Japan Night, an evening dedicated to celebrating the friendship and partnership between the state of Maryland and Japan. The night drew a lively mix of government officials, business leaders, cultural organizations, and academics from both Maryland and Japan. Governor Wes Moore alongside members of his cabinet, were in attendance, a sign of just how seriously Maryland takes its relationship with Japan. At its heart, the event was a reminder that the relationship between Maryland and Japan is about far more than politics and trade, but is something that has been built over decades through connection, shared business ventures, student exchanges, and community friendships that stretch across the Pacific. Groups like the Baltimore-Kawasaki Sister City Committee and companies such as Hitachi Rail were among those in attendance, reflecting just how wide and varied those ties have become.
McCormick & Company, the Baltimore-based spice giant, was another notable presence. The company has maintained a joint venture in Japan for roughly 40 years, a partnership rooted in the idea that food is one of the most natural bridges between cultures. Even Old Bay, as quintessentially Baltimore as it gets, is slowly making inroads abroad, particularly in coastal communities with a strong seafood culture, as noted by McCormick President Adrew Foust.
Ambassador Shigeo Yamada spoke warmly about the exchanges already taking place on the ground. Around 2,500 Marylanders are studying Japanese across roughly 20 institutions, and local events like Howard County’s Japan Day Festival are bringing the two cultures together in everyday, tangible ways. “Together,” he said, “we are shaping the next chapter of the Japan-Maryland story.” The evening included speeches from both Governor Moore and Ambassador Yamada, followed by a dinner reception that felt like a small celebration of the partnership itself. The chefs prepared Maryland blue catfish and Chesapeake oysters with a Japanese twist, a thoughtful gesture that showed what the night was really about.
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