Japanese youth visit Idaho Falls as part of a long-term relationship with city

IDAHO FALLS — Youth from Japan person been successful eastbound Idaho this week, exploring and learning nan culture, which is each portion of a narration betwixt 2 cities. 

The Idaho Falls-Tokai Mura Sister Cities programme was established successful 1981. Over nan years, nan groups person exchanged ideas, people, and materials. A sister metropolis is simply a semipermanent narration betwixt 2 communities and 2 countries, according to nan city’s website.

“There are immoderate similarities betwixt Tokai Mura (Japan) and Idaho Falls. It wasn’t arsenic if personification conscionable threw a dart connected a map. We some person a beardown relationship to atomic energy, and judge it aliases not, we some person a beardown murphy industry,” said Amanda Logan, who is portion of nan Idaho Falls Sister City Advisory Committee. 

Youth and moreover adults person switched disconnected passim nan years to sojourn Idaho and Japan. 

“It conscionable helps america to get a position extracurricular of wherever we are and wherever we live. It’s neat that we do it for some younker and adults arsenic good arsenic metropolis to city,” said Logan. 

On Tuesday afternoon, younker from Japan, younker from Idaho Falls and chaperones came to metropolis hallway and went to nan City Council chambers to meet pinch Mayor Rebecca Casper. 

Mayor Rebecca Casper and a translator talked to nan younker successful nan assembly chambers. | Andrea Olson, EastIdahoNews.com

This is portion of nan position Casper gave to nan youth. | Andrea Olson, EastIdahoNews.com

Casper welcomed them and taught them astir nan different services offered successful nan city, including nan airport, police, and Idaho Falls Power and Fiber. She added that these types of relationships betwixt cities are significant.  

“From nan outside, it mightiness look for illustration you are teenagers conscionable having fun, but you are doing important work,” Casper addressed nan group. “You are creating friendships and having experiences.” 

Logan added that it’s astir much than conscionable an breathtaking trip. 

“Both nan American younker and past nan Japanese youth… they, arsenic portion of being a personnel of nan organization, it’s not just, ‘I americium present connected a travel to different country.’ They are progressive for galore years. Many of them learning astir nan culture, learning nan language, they do Zoom meetings pinch each other. It’s an ongoing relationship,” she said. 

The younker besides took pictures pinch Casper. There was a translator to help, too.

“Even though there’s a beardown connection barrier, they’re still capable to get truthful overmuch crossed pinch moreover conscionable gestures… conscionable conveying things done expressions and emotions and assemblage language. It’s amazing,” said Laura Combs, nan big president of nan Idaho Falls Sister Cities Youth Delegation. 

The youth’s schedule is jam-packed pinch activities and learning experiences. So far, they’ve explored Yellowstone National Park, toured nan Idaho National Laboratory, and met pinch firefighters astatine nan Idaho Falls Fire Department. They will besides get nan chance to spell to Lagoon Amusement Park, acquisition a rodeo successful Idaho Falls, and float Lava Hot Springs. 

16-year-old Tosei Kikuchi traveled from Japan and has been staying pinch a big family. He told EastIdahoNews.com that he has ne'er been to Idaho and it’s his first clip successful nan United States. 

He’s loved his experiences truthful far, including going connected a whitewater rafting travel successful Wyoming pinch his big family. 

“I enjoyed riding a boat. It was truthful fun!” Tosei said. 

He said that he’s learned immoderate differences betwixt American civilization and Japanese culture. 

“I was amazed to participate a (home)…I deterioration shoes. In Japan, I don’t deterioration shoes to participate a home,” Tosei said. 

Tosei Kikuchi is opinionated successful nan middle. He is pictured pinch 2 chaperones. | Andrea Olson, EastIdahoNews.com

17-year-old Charlotte Combs of Bonneville County has been portion of nan programme for six years. She’s knowledgeable walking to Japan too. This year, she’s helping big pinch her family. 

“I deliberation it’s really cool to prosecute pinch different students from a different civilization and particularly to host. Hosting is decidedly enjoyable because you get to stock nan culture, present them to each these caller things, and spot their reactions. Hearing them say, ‘Oh my gosh!’ aliases their eyes spell wide,” Charlotte said smiling. “It’s really a unsocial experience.”

The younker from Japan came to Idaho Falls connected Friday and will beryllium leaving backmost to their state connected Monday, Aug. 5. 

Logan said that nan Sister Cities Advisory Committee is trying to summation consciousness astir nan 2 cities’ relationship. 

“Even elemental things like, we person this beautiful Japanese Friendship Garden and I don’t deliberation a batch of group cognize that that’s because of our friendship,” Logan said. 

According to nan Idaho Falls Sister Cities Youth Delegation website, nan friendship garden was opened successful their honor. Located connected West Broadway, it has chromatic paths, pagodas, Japanese fencings, and a pavilion. Displays dedicated to Tokai Mura tin beryllium seen astatine nan Idaho Falls Public Library. Click here. 

There are monthly meetings for nan program, and anyone is invited to travel and study more. 

“It is unfastened to anybody. We are ever looking for caller members and we are excited to invited anybody who wants to join, participate and unpaid pinch america and travel to our meetings, big students and recreation to Japan,” Laura Combs said.