Alsace is a region of western France bordering Germany. It is quite lovely, with picturesque towns such as Strasbourg, and an interesting mix of French and German culture. Unbeknown to many, Alsace has a tryst on the other side of the world: Japan. In the 1800s Alsace was renowned for its textile prowess. Japanese merchants, looking to learn the secrets of western textiles (and allegedly how to dye clothes in as-of-yet unaccomplished colours) arrived in the country in 1863 and forged business ties. These connections have held strong until today, with the two celebrating their 150$^{th}$ anniversary in 2013. Alsace maintains a centre for Japanese cultural studies, and Japan set up a boarding school in the area for Japanese students, which operated from 1986 - 2005. With Brexit, it seems the relationship between these two odd bedfellows may only strengthen.
Bonus:
In 1667 a magnitude 10 earthquake hit Dubrovnik. Two thirds of the citizens were killed and three quarters of the buildings were destroyed.
-E
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