Fukuoka prefecture in Japan and the state of Hawaii mark 35 years as sister states in 2017, a relationship that on our end means a chance to celebrate the food, artisanal crafts, dance and culture specific to the region in southern Japan.

The sister-state relationship was established by then-Gov. George Ariyoshi, whose family traces its roots to the prefecture, and Fukuoka’s governor at the time, Hikaru Kamei.

“Both sides agreed to make it very active,” Ariyoshi said Jan. 18 at an event celebrating the anniversary. It was important to both sides to maintain youth exchanges, cultural exchanges and arrangements benefiting both economies, he said.

The Japanese Consulate in Honolulu hosted the event, showcasing many foods special to Fukuoka.

Among them: game-ni, similar to nishime but served with a broth that differentiates it from the popular stew; mizutaki, a hotpot chicken dish eaten with ponzu sauce; and tonkotsu ramen, said to have originated in the prefecture. Noodles that many Hawaii restaurants serve with tonkotsu ramen are made in the style of the Hakata area of Fukuoka.

Green tea is grown in the prefecture, and many sake varieties are brewed there.

Considered Japan’s gateway to Asia, Fukuoka is the origin of dishes including baked curry topped with cheese, steamed eel and bean paste-filled mochi stamped with a plum-blossom design.

The agricultural stars of the anniversary event were Fukuoka amaou strawberries, and Unshu mikan (tangerines). Promoted as the king of sweet strawberries, amaou are occasionally available at local Asian grocers such as Don Quijote, said Japanese Consul General Yasushi Misawa. At $17.80 for a 250-gram (nearly 9-ounce) tray at Shirokiya’s Fukuoka Fair, they are pricey.

Fukuoka tangerines have been approved for export to the United States.