Last week, Hawaiʻi County and the City of Yurihama, Japan, celebrated their collaboration with a virtual coffee-tasting event that highlighted the synergy between Yurihama’s 20th-century pears and Hawaiʻi’s Kaʻū coffee.

Yurihama Mayor Miyawaki had the idea of combining agricultural products from both regions and sent jars of pear syrup to Hawaiʻi. The jars were provided to the Kaʻū Coffee Mill which led to the creation of the Yurihama Pear Infused Kaʻū Coffee.

The virtual coffee-tasting event, which marks a significant milestone in the ongoing collaboration between Hawaiʻi County and Yurihama, was attended by an array of public and private sector representatives to celebrate the partnership.

Photo credit: Office of Mayor Mitch Roth