From left: South San Francisco Mayor Pedro Gonzalez, Consul General Yasumasa Nagamine, Ayako Nagamine, and South San Francisco Vice Mayor Karyl Matsumoto.

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO — A delegation from South San Francisco’s sister city in Japan —Kishiwada in Osaka Prefecture — paid a visit on Nov. 5 to celebrate the Bay Area city’s centennial.

About 80 people attended the dinner, which was held at the Basque Cultural Center.

The visitors were greeted by South San Francisco Mayor Pedro Gonzalez, Vice Mayor Karyl Matsumoto, the South San Francisco Sister City Committee, and Consul General of Japan Yasumasa Nagamine and his wife, Ayako.

Matsumoto, who served as mayor in 2000 and 2004, will do so again starting next month.

The delegation, which arrived from Japan earlier that day, consisted of:

Kiyoshi Noguchi, mayor of Kishiwada

Masato Matsusaka, director of Secretariat Division

Chikako Higashi, chief of Curltural and International Affairs Division, Planning and Coordination Department

Taisuke Yahata, supervisor of Human Rights Education Division, School Education Department

Kenji Yanagiso, president of Kishiwada Chamber of Commerce

Toshiaki Kato, director and chairman of international service, Kishiwada East Rotary Club

Local children peformed folk dances and ballet, while the Kishiwada group showed a DVD about the Danjiri Matsuri, which is held Sept. 14 and 15 every year. During the festival, 32 floats, each weighing about 4 tons, are pulled by energetic youths along the city’s main streets. More than 500,000 people visit Kishiwada to see the festival.

South San Francisco, also known as “the Industrial City,” has been holding a series of centennial events. The date of incorporation was Sept. 19, 1908.