09/21/2026
The San Diego-Yokohama Sister City Society is heartbroken by the loss of Frederic Hewett, a dear friend and an important part of our Society's history.
Frederic played an instrumental role in rebuilding and strengthening our organization. He had a remarkable gift for bringing people together and turning those relationships into programs and partnerships that continue today.
Frederic’s connection to Japan began long before his work with our Society. His fascination with Japan and its people began in high school and continued throughout his life. A proud graduate of the University of California, Irvine, he also spent a year studying at Hitotsubashi University in Japan. His appreciation for Japanese culture extended beyond academics. Frederic studied the traditional art of Noh theatre and dance under the guidance of a highly respected Noh teacher, an experience that reflected his genuine curiosity and deep respect for Japanese culture.
In 2014, Frederic further deepened that connection while serving as an intern with the TOMODACHI Initiative at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, supporting efforts that brought together young people, educators, business leaders, and government through U.S.-Japan exchange. During that time, he also became an important connection on the ground for the San Diego-Yokohama Sister City Society, helping support meetings and relationships that would contribute to the educational exchanges he later championed.
When Frederic returned to San Diego, that commitment continued.
His contributions touched nearly every part of our mission. He worked alongside Eddie Park to help reestablish our educational exchanges with Yokohama; joined Manami Nakayama in creating San Diego’s Seijinshiki with Azuna-kai; helped bring us together with Dr. Mitsuo Tomita and the Japanese American Citizens League for Otsukimi; and introduced the Society to Walter Ritter and Write Out Loud, later joining us for World Kamishibai Day.
Frederic was the architect behind the Raul Cadena Friendship Garden at Crown Point Junior Music Academy, bringing together the people and partners who made it possible. That project would later help inspire our Trees for Peace partnership with SD-WISH. This past year, Frederic joined the Board of SD-WISH, continuing his commitment to peace and friendship.
Across the Pacific, Frederic helped establish the opportunity for the Mission Bay Jazz Preservationists to perform at Sankeien Garden in Yokohama, which became a signature event of our Ambassadorial Goodwill Tours. The band performed there in 2017, 2019, 2023 and 2025, with their next performance planned for 2027. What began with a connection grew into an enduring tradition of friendship between San Diego and Yokohama.
Most recently, Frederic was once again giving his time and energy to our efforts to relaunch the House of Japan, helping build the next chapter of a relationship to which he had already given so much.
Frederic believed deeply in the power of people-to-people relationships. In 2019, the Society honored him with our Spirit Award in recognition of his extraordinary service, loyalty, and devotion.
The award included a Japanese proverb that feels especially meaningful today:
塵も積もれば山となる
Chiri mo tsumoreba yama to naru.
Even dust, when accumulated, becomes a mountain.
That was Frederic. Countless acts of kindness, service, introductions, and friendship accumulated over the years into something far greater than any single act.
The San Diego-Yokohama Sister City Society that exists today carries Frederic's impact throughout it, as does our broader San Diego sister-city community. His legacy lives in the programs he helped create, the partnerships he helped establish, and, most importantly, the people he brought together, whose own work and relationships have continued to strengthen our community in ways Frederic could never have imagined.
We extend our deepest condolences to Frederic's family, friends, students, colleagues, and everyone whose life he touched.
Frederic will forever remain part of the San Diego-Yokohama Sister City Society family, our history, and the friendship between San Diego and Yokohama.
With gratitude and love,
San Diego-Yokohama Sister City Society
