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The link between Swan Hill and Yamagata officially occurred in 1980 and was one of the earliest Sister City arrangements with Japan.
The exchange of sealed documents took place in ceremonies both in Yamagata and Swan Hill after almost 18 months of negotiations
The original concept started through City of Swan Hill’s ex-Councillor Alan Clark and Dr. Yoshio Yoshida being Rotary International Chairmen who began Youth Exchanges between the two countries.
On average, there has been an exchange every second year from 1986 and we are currently preparing for the 2010 student exchange.
We have also had farmer exchanges, cultural exchanges, teacher exchanges and simply a number of touring groups.
SWAN HILL-YAMAGATA STUDENT EXCHANGE
RECIPROCAL EXCHANGE
The Student Exchange operates on the basis that your family is extended by one person for about ten days and so is theirs. After selection the students are matched with a Yamagata student and communication can commence.
The purpose is a cultural exchange and to learn and appreciate the different life styles. The student comes to school in the same way as his host. There are a number of organized joint activities and a number of individual ones.
Parents will be kept well informed about the program and activities together with special requirements by way of a formal program. The cost to parents whilst in Swan Hill amounts to having to feed an extra mouth or sharing in the operating costs of casserole tea or barbeque.
The giving and receiving of gifts is very important. The value is not as important as the authenticity or uniqueness of the gift. Families should always be on the look out for simple Australian made gifts to hand out to class mates or others you will come in contact with. Simple things like a packet of Australian Stamps, Kangaroo Pins, Leather Gum Leaf, Pressed Flowers, etc.
When in Yamagata your child will probably never be allowed to pay for anything and the expectation is therefore the same here. Families should always be thinking that what we take for granted is in fact quite unique to them, e.g. varieties of biscuits, cakes, bread, lollies, vegemite, fruit juice, etc.
During the exchange in Yamagata, it is likely you will do most of the following:-
- Attend an individual school with around 800 students.
- Attend schools as a group.
- Attend several civic style receptions
- Stay in a mountain hostel.
- Visit a number of facilities and farms.
- Tour to a seaside resort
- Tour Tokyo
- Spend a day at Tokyo Disney Land.
Visit a number of tourist destinations.
YAMAGATA CITY OFFICE
2 3 25 Hatagomachi, Yamagata City,
Yamagata Prefecture, 990, Japan.
Tel 0011 81 236 24 8862
Fax 0011 81 236 24 9618
YAMAGATA
The Yamagata Prefecture is similar to a State Government whilst the City of Yamagata operates similarly to Local Government.
In population terms the Yamagata Prefecture is one of the smallest in Japan and regarded as a farming area well off the beaten tourist route.
The City of Yamagata consists of 250,000 people and is one of the major 100 cities in Japan.
Yamagata means “Mountain Shape”.
The symbol depicts this shape -
As does "Coat of Arms" -
The Yamagata City Office is a small building of some 12 stories height.
Yamagata lies aside the Mogami River with mountain ranges either side. It is snow covered in winter with temperatures up to 40 degrees in summer.
The City emblem is the Safflower and the district is highly regarded for its cherries and the flavour of its rice.
The biggest festival in Yamagata is the Flower Hat Festival with more than ten thousand of dancers (Hanagasa Flower Hat Dance) parade through the downtown street in more than eight hundred thousand spectators.
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