A delegation of six Edmonds students and one chaperone are traveling to Hekinan, Japan from July 29 to Aug. 8 as part of the Sister City Commission Exchange Program.

The group will stay with host families while in Japan. On Aug. 19, Japanese students will travel to Edmonds. The delegation from Japan will stay with those same Edmonds students and their families during their visit.

During their visit to Hekinan, the delegation will visit local sites such as museums, a skate park and the local high school. They will also take part in cultural activities like a traditional tea ceremony.

The delegation covered their own travel costs to take part in the exchange.

Since the Sister City relationship began in 1988 between Edmonds and Hekinan, over 1,200 people have traveled between the two cities. Typically, delegates stay in homes and are given opportunities to meet residents and business owners and experience their respective cultures first-hand.

Applications for the 2024 trip were open earlier this year with a deadline of April 1. The students took part in five orientations to the program ahead of their departure, during which they learned some Japanese, planned details of their trip, and collected their thank-you gifts for their hosts.

You can find more information about the Sister City Commission on the city’s web page or on the commission’s Facebook page.