Cupertino marks 80th anniversary of bombing of its Japanese sister city

Bells for peace

The bells are set to ring again in Cupertino’s Memorial Park Aug. 6 to honor those lost in the bombing of the Toyokawa Naval Arsenal during World War II.

The annual bell ringing ceremony is being organized by Cupertino-Toyokawa Sister Cities Inc. to commemorate 80 years of peace since the bombing of Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Toyokawa.

The Toyokawa Naval Arsenal was a key military site for the Japanese Imperial Army to store arms and munitions. On Aug. 7, 1945, the US Air Force targeted Toyokawa, dropping 813 tons of explosives, which devastated the city and killed about 2,500 citizens. Many victims were schoolchildren and young women working in the arsenal.

The ceremony is set for 6 p.m. at  Memorial Park, 21121 Stevens Creek Blvd. For more information, visit https://www.cupertinotoyokawa.org/community-projects/bell-ringing-for-peace.

Peaceful pickleball

In an effort to balance community recreation with neighborhood tranquility, the City of Cupertino is introducing a new request for pickleball players. Beginning Aug. 1, signage will be posted at courts asking players to use quiet-category paddles and balls—certified by USA Pickleball—from dawn to 9 a.m. and 7-9 p.m. daily.

“This initiative is aimed at reducing noise during early morning and evening hours,” reads a release from the city. “While this is a step toward mitigating noise concerns, the city remains committed to supporting pickleball (and) continues to look into potential long-term noise reduction solutions.”

For more information, including pickleball hours, court rules and waiting system information, visit cupertino.gov/pickleball.