2022 marks the 135th anniversary of official Japan-Thailand amity, although Thailand and Japan have traditionally enjoyed friendly relations for more than 600 years. National and local government agencies, as well as the private sectors of both nations, have been encouraging cultural and sporting exchanges for over a century. In 1949, an elephant was presented to Japan from Thailand and named Hanako. Japan soon experienced a postwar "elephant boom," and Hanako was welcomed at Japanese zoos and loved by people until her death in 2016. In 1900, the Nittaiji Temple in Aichi Prefecture was built to house the Buddha statue presented by the King of Thailand. The temple has become a bridge of friendship between Japan and Thailand, with the Japan-Thailand Festival held there.