Sister cities board members, Greenfield city officials and Greenfield-Central students visited historic sites in and around Kakuda, Japan.
Submitted photo
KAKUDA, JAPAN – Sister cities were reunited once again this month in an exchange to celebrate community and friendships.
A group of Greenfield residents traveled to Kakuda, Japan – Greenfield’s sister city – in the first trip since the COVID pandemic halted the exchange for three years.
Residents from Kakuda, Japan will travel to Greenfield in August.
Sister Cities board members, Mayor Chuck Fewell and other city representatives were on the trip. Representing Greenfield-Central schools included teacher Kathleen VonBank and students Jorja Houston, Sam Houston, Ava Powell and Linnea Walker.
Participants stayed with host families, visited historical and sacred sites, an aerospace agency and a crater lake at Mount Zao.
They even checked out a Japanese McDonalds, and students were featured in the local newspaper for visiting a school. After spending 10 days in Kakuda, the group spent two days in Tokyo.
Sister Cities of Greenfield was formed in 1990 when former Greenfield mayor Keith McClarnon established a relationship with Kakuda after a Japanese auto parts manufacturer came to town. Student delegations from grades 7-11 started traveling between the two cities in 1992. The international travel program offers a wealth of opportunities for local students to immerse themselves in the local culture while staying with host families; students from Kakuda get the same opportunity to immerse themselves in American culture when they visit Greenfield.
The Greenfield community is invited to celebrate the program as well in a 5K fundraiser in August. The run/walk Aug. 12 will be on the Pennsy Trail, along sections of the trail that include a Japanese pagoda garden and painted murals. Money raised at the event will help pay for future student trips to Kakuda.
