flight. The oval in the centre symbolises a grain of rice, which is a major produce in Takasu. Finally, the single line making a circle symbolises the harmony and unity between the citizens, while the twist of the line represents the bright future of Takasu. Takasu has two other official town symbols – the marigold is the town flower, and mountain ash is the town tree. Domestic exchange program Takasu has a domestic school exchange program with Takashima Town in Nagasaki Prefecture. Since 1996 a delegation of ten students from each town visits the other, and stays with local families. The purpose of this domestic exchange program is to strengthen friendship and understanding between citizens in the two towns. Sister city Takasu currently has one sister city relationship with the Gold Coast, in Queensland, Australia. This relationship initially commenced in 1991, as a friendly relations agreement with the Albert Shire region of the Gold Coast. Upon the Albert Shire's amalgamation with the Gold Coast City, the relationship between Takasu and the Gold Coast was upgraded to an official Sister City Agreement in 1995. Culture Mascot Takasu's mascot is . He is a hawk who usually active in various situations and can jump. He carries a flask of peach juice in his blue backpack for any situations to ensure survival. He sometimes disguises himself as a snowman. He is first appeared on 8 August 1995 as an unofficial mascot before he was promoted into official mascot in 2013. References External links Official Website Towns in Hokkaido