Mr. Hiromi Coppede, who was born in Hirosaki and is the vice president of the Aomori Kenjinkai in Brazil, paid a courtesy call on the mayor of Hirosaki on August 4th.

The Aomori Kenjinkai in Brazil is an organization made up of people from Aomori who live in Brazil. This year marks the 67th anniversary of their formation. The current president is Mr. Hiroshi Shibukawa, who is from Sao Paulo and has his permanent address in Kuroishi, and the vice-president is Mr. Koppede, who is from Hirosaki. According to Koppede, the association currently has about 250 members.

Coppede married an Italian-Brazilian man in 2012 and moved to Brazil. He was appointed Vice President in January of this year. “I hope I can tell Brazil about Japan, especially about Aomori,” says Coppede. He is actively involved in planning Japanese events in Brazil and interacting with people who have a connection with Aomori.

He used to return to Hirosaki every year, but due to the new coronavirus, it has been difficult to return since the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival in 2019, so this time he returned to his hometown for the first time in three years.

During a courtesy visit to Hirosaki Mayor Hirosaki Sakurada, it turned out that Mr. Koppede and Mr. Sakurada were from the same fourth junior high school district. According to Koppede, all of the students from Aomori, São Paulo, with whom he keeps in touch, are from the fourth school district. Mayor Sakurada said with a smile, "Even in Tsugaru, there are many Tsugaru people in the fourth school district."

During the meeting, Mr. Koppede handed over coffee beans and sweets as souvenirs from Brazil, and Mayor Sakurada offered apple sticks. “I was thinking of an apple-related souvenir from Aomori. I think we can prepare apple sticks for the number of people,” says Koppede.

Mr. Koppede said, "It's a pity that I only saw the Neputa on my return home this time." Mr. Koppede willingly agreed to participate in the Hirosaki Neputa Festival.

Koppede said, ``I didn't think that outsiders could participate in the Hirosaki Neputa Festival, partly because it was held during the corona crisis. I want to spread the word," he said with a smile.