"Yes we can" said the man when he came out to change America. He swung his powerful speeches at the podium in many places and won through to the last podium in front of Abraham Lincoln at Washington last week. He is Barack Obama, the first African-American U.S. president. And in Japan, there is a small city in Fukui prefecture where they supported him ? the city's name is Obama.It all started when a local reporter told a story that Obama - then Senator Obama - joked about how he was asked at customs in Japan if he was from Obama city in Fukui prefecture. Whether this story is true or not, it reached the ears of the people in Obama city and they wrote a thank you letter to Obama saying that they were pleased about how Obama advertised their city globally and sent the now U.S. President a pair of chopsticks made in Obama.
Since then, this small city has supported Obama by making 'Obama goods' and by starting a local group called 'Obama for Obama'. Finally, on March 4th, 2008, their love for Obama was recognized by CNN and they were broadcast throughout America. Ever since then, their city has been recognized in many papers and magazines across the world. Furthermore, on January 14th, 2009 ? a week before his inauguration ? Chaz Guest, known as one of Obama's close friends, visited the city and gave them his drawing of Obama as a gift.
As so, Obama city is now known to many around the world. Not only is it known for its support of Barack Obama, but also as a port city with a 1300 year history, delicious seafood, blowfish, and the nuclear power plants located in the Wakasa Bay.
If you ever visit Osaka, I'd recommend you to go to Obama, Fukui. From Osaka, it is just a hop away on the bus! Take the Fukui Tetsudo Kosoku Bus to Obama station. Buy the Obama goods and support Barack Obama from Japan. But if you cannot reach Obama city, they also sell their goods online. So check those out too! :)
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