Meet Toppy: Tondabayashi’s Little Ambassador of Friendship

If you’ve ever visited one of the BTSCC's events, at some point or another you may have spotted a tiny, cheerful character representing our sister city in Japan. His name is Toppy (とっぴー)—and he has quite a story to tell!

Who Is Toppy?

Toppy is the official mascot of Tondabayashi, Japan, Bethlehem’s sister city in Osaka Prefecture. He was born on April 1, 2010, as part of Tondabayashi’s 60th anniversary celebrations, and his design was chosen from 485 entries submitted during a citywide mascot competition.

Toppy isn't just adorable—he is practically a walking postcard for Tondabayashi!

His design incorporates some of the city’s most important symbols. His hair ornament features the tsutsuji (azalea), Tondabayashi’s city flower, the Ishikawa River (which runs through the city) is incorporated into the design on his head, and his clothing features the Tondabayashi city emblem. Together, these elements represent the city’s natural beauty, history, traditions, and lush environment.

According to his official profile, Toppy enjoys spending time with friends, looking at the sky, walking around town, and traveling. He especially loves vegetables grown in Tondabayashi—particularly eggplant and lightly pickled cucumbers.

There is just one thing Toppy isn't a fan of: thunderstorms! And while he can float, he is disappointed that he can't actually swim.

A Friendship That Started Long Before Toppy

Toppy may be a relatively new member of the Bethlehem-Tondabayashi story, but the friendship he helps represent goes back more than six decades. The connection began in 1959, when Bethlehem resident Reverend Kenneth Heim traveled to Japan and became friends with a gentleman from Tondabayashi. Their friendship inspired visits between the two communities, and its bond continued to flourish. The sister-city relationship was later formalized in 1972 through the creation of the BTSCC and, as of 2024, our commissions celebrated 60 years of friendship!

From Tondabayashi to Bethlehem

If you've walked through Bethlehem's Garden of Serenity, you've already experienced one of the many gifts that have grown from this friendship—the garden itself. Tondabayashi has also gifted Bethlehem a number of Japanese cherry trees, helping create beautiful reminders of our sister-city connection right in the center of our community. And every spring, the BTSCC celebrates that connection with its annual Cherry Blossom Festival, featuring Japanese cultural activities, food, tea, origami, calligraphy, and more.

Toppy and the Next Generation

Perhaps the most important aspect of the BTSCC's mission is ensuring this friendship between communities continues with each generation. The BTSCC oversees an annual student exchange program that gives young people from both Bethlehem and Tondabayashi the opportunity to experience each other's cultures firsthand. Since 1971, more than 120 young people have participated!

That's the kind of friendship Toppy helps represent: not just a connection between two cities, but friendships between real people.

One Little Mascot, One Big Friendship

From the streets of Tondabayashi to Bethlehem's Garden of Serenity, Toppy is a colorful reminder that sister cities aren't just about official agreements. They're about curiosity, culture, laughter, travel, shared traditions, and making friends halfway around the world!

So the next time you see a tiny Toppy at a BTSCC event, be sure to say hello and find new friends through the Bethlehem-Tondabayashi Sister City Commission!