Japan - Tokyo

© David Edelstein auf Unsplash

Hamburg's connection to Japan - Tokyo

Hamburg and Japan have enjoyed a close friendship since the 19th century. Since the 1960s, the Hanseatic city has been an important location for Japanese companies. Cooperation ranges from trade and logistics, life sciences and renewable energies to culture, science and tourism. Today, around 100 Japanese companies are based in the Hamburg metropolitan region, while numerous Hamburg companies maintain representative offices in Japan.

There are numerous agreements between Hamburg and its institutions and Japanese partners, and further co-operation is planned. Hamburg has maintained a port partnership with Yokohama since 1992 and has been twinned with Osaka for 35 years. At Expo 2025 in Osaka, two of the three projects in the German Pavilion came from Hamburg.

The Hamburg Cherry Blossom Festival has been a particular crowd-puller since 1968. Highlights include the fireworks display over the Outer Alster, the Japan Festival in Planten un Blomen and the ceremonial election of the Hamburg Cherry Blossom Queen. Japan-related events such as the Polaris Con and the Japan Film Festival also take place every year.

HamburgAmbassador Nikolaus Boltze

Portrait of HamburgAmbassador Nikolaus Boltze
© Hans Sautter

Nikolaus Boltze first travelled to Tokyo as a student in 1972 and has been working in Japan continuously since 1998 as a representative of various German companies.

In addition to his honorary position as HamburgAmbassador, he is involved in many institutions at the interface between Japan and Germany and thus has a large network in industry, associations and politics.

Expertise for Hamburg

Two men in blazers sitting on pink armchairs in a modern, sunlit lounge area.
HamburgAmbassador Nikolaus Boltze with his colleague Christoph Lichtenfeld
© Hamburg Marketing

In line with the motto "Anything is possible", initial information and often specific advice can be provided on request. In close dialogue with the counterpart in Osaka/Kobe, a wide range of topics from industry, culture, science and research can be covered.

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