Toyokawa Student Delegates Arrive in Sister City of Cupertino

At 4 p.m. Thursday, the moment 16 Cupertino seventh- and eighth-graders had eagerly awaited arrived.

A bus of their Sister City delegate counterparts from Toyokawa, Japan, pulled to the curb of Cupertino City Hall, only a few hours after their long flight. Leaving their suitcases by the door, they joined the Cupertino students of their same age for a welcome reception.

“Go mingle!” one of the Cupertino group leaders urged local students, who were selected as delegates

“At first, the students are very tentative and nervous, as they don’t know anyone,” Cupertino’s Vice Mayor Mark Santoro said about the exchange visit, in its 33rd year. “But relationships develop very quickly, and then it is hard for them to leave.”

The students gathered as a group for a welcome reception, during which the Cupertino-Sister City organization presented them with a mural of 1,000 origami cranes bearing the emblems of both cities.

“I hope you have a wonderful stay,” Santoro told the crowd.

The ceremony was translated into Japanese, but three of the Toyokawa students told their audience in English how excited and honored they were about the impending week.

The 12 Japanese students stay in Cupertino with their host families for a week. They tour local schools, such as Hyde Middle School and Cupertino High School. They visit local eateries such as Pizza My Heart in Los Gatos, and enjoy a Friday BBQ in Memorial Park. And, like any quintessential Cupertino visit, they go to an Apple store.

A group of Cupertino students also visits Japan every year, but the visit was pushed back a year because of the earthquake. The programs are subsidized by both cities.

Students said they participated in the Sister Cities exchange program, which requires letters of recommendations and a formal application, to learn up close about a culture very different than theirs.

“I want to see people the same age as us, what kind of lives they have,” Tayuna Hoshikawa said through a translator.

Along with his peers, Hoshikawa took a culture class before departing for the U.S. Now he’s excited to see American culture through an everyday lens—sentiments echoed by his hosts.

“I’ve learned about Japanese history, but I don’t know much about day-to-day society,” said Austin Bohannan, 13, from the family that is hosting him. “The visit really lets you know about day-to-day culture.”

Longtime hosts also greeted the students with enthusiasm. Trisha Klein has been taking in Japanese students since 1989, when her son was studying Japanese at De Anza College and wanted to practice. He later went to Japan to teach English.

“The programs are great, because of the friendships that develop,” said Klein, donning small origami swan earrings. “We’re still in touch with our first students.”