Japanese Students Visit Livermore As Part Of Sister City Exchange

LIVERMORE, CA - A group of 20 middle school students and five adult chaperones from Yotsukaido, Livermore's sister city in Japan, are visiting the city for a week. They are staying with host families in town and attending school with them. In October, a group of Livermore middle school students went to Yotsukaido for a similar experience.

Livermore and Yotsukaido, a city that about an hour from Tokyo, have been sister cities since 1977, and trips have been arranged every other year since then. They stopped during the pandemic, but restarted in October 2024, and now plan to be yearly, according to Livermore. Yotsukaido has a similar population size and socioeconomic makeup to Livermore, making intercultural comparisons more interesting and relevant. In October, a few successful applicants from Livermore stayed with Japanese families, attended Japanese schools, and visited important sites.

This year, 20 students are visiting Livermore alongside five adult chaperones, who are also staying with host families. In addition to spending time in Livermore schools, the group will tour San Francisco and take part in a welcoming reception featuring entertainment and traditional gifts.

“I have made friends that will last a lifetime from my experiences with our Yotsukaido sister city,” said Keith Jess, president of the Livermore-Yotsukaido Sister City Organization.“Friends I now call my extended family. We can enjoy each other’s company, share our lives, and know that we’ll be there for each other.”

“I can say from personal experience that participating in the sister city program provides a wonderful opportunity to share our cultures and create lifelong friendships,” said Livermore Mayor John Marchand in a statement.

Livermore students interested in visiting Yotsukaido in the fall can attend an informational meeting Tuesday, March 25 at 7 p.m. at the Livermore Main Public Library story-time room. The program is open to current seventh grades who will be in eighth grade during the 2025/26 school year, and maintain a GPA of at least 3.0. Families are responsible for all trip expenses.

For more information, visit the LYSCO website or email lysco2014@gmail.com.