Sausalito Sakaide Cultural Exchange Program

The Sausalito-Sakaide Sister City program is a student exchange program between the Cities of Sausalito, California and Sakaide, Japan. Its purpose is to promote world peace and cultural understanding by building long-lasting relationships and implementing rewarding programs with our connected communities.

Apart from being a lot of fun, it’s an exciting and fascinating cultural and learning experience. Our Sister City student delegates participate in a program of activities organized by the hosting city and stay with local community families wherein Sakaide students learn about life in America and Marin County students learn about life in Japan. Each year, long-term and loving relationships are established between the students and families. These relationships have strengthened the ties between our two cities.

Twelve lucky Marin County students will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich traditions and customs of Japan through a homestay experience with a local family in Sakaide and engage with a diverse range of activities prepared by the City of Sakaide.

Each day, participants will convene at Sakaide City Hall, where they will board an official city bus accompanied by city staff and a Japanese translator. The carefully curated jam-packed itinerary changes every year, but in the past these engaging activities have included sports chanbara, judo with local police, noodle making, tea ceremony, ikebana, kimono wearing, visiting Japanese theme parks, and many more. After our program ends, our student delegates often go on to live, study, and work in Japan and begin international careers between the US and Asia.

Visit our website to learn more and apply!