Visits to Ami-machi

Student Delegation 2026

Application Process

Students from Superior or Douglas County entering Grades 8—11 in the fall of 2025 are eligible to apply by filling out and submitting an application. An in-person interview is also required. Delegate recruitment and application review will begin in October 2025. Selection begins early to allow plenty of time for fundraising and team-building.

Cost

Costs will vary depending on airfare and personal spending allowances. In 2024, the average cost was between $2,000 and $2,500. To help defray the cost of the trip, student delegates and their families are expected to help organize and participate in fundraising events and activities. These activities are also an important part of team-building for the group. Fundraising activities and family contributions also help cover half of each chaperone's airfare, to recognize their efforts on behalf of the student delegates. Applicants selected as student delegates will be asked to submit a non-refundable $100 deposit to confirm their spot.

Applications for the 2026 Student Delegation will open September  2025. If you are interested in becoming a member of the next Student Delegation in August 2026, please use the forms will linked below. 

• Student Delegate Application 2026

• Student Exchange FAQ

• Chaperone Application 2026

• Delegation Handbook

  • The Handbook outlines the roles of all participants in the Exchange Program, and the expectations for each member.

Timeline

Summer 2025
Outreach/Promotion of Sister City exchange programs

September 2025
Student Delegate & Chaperone Applications open.

November 2025
Applications are now closed. 

January 2026 - July 2026
Delegation orientation, preparation, and fundraising.

Early August 2026
Delegation visit to Japan!

Adult Delegation 2026

See "Student Delegation 2026" for information on Dates, Activities, and Costs. The Adult Delegation will travel with the Student Delegation to Japan, and will participate in some of the same activities.  There will be some separate activities in the itinerary, as well.  In the past, Adult Delegates have visited sites such as a soy sauce factory, a Japanese sweets factory, a hot spring resort, and a pottery kiln.  They may also have the opportunity to meet local civic groups and businesspeople.  Adult Delegates will stay in a local hotel, the cost of which will be in addition to the estimated cost of airfare and personal expenses shown above. 

If you are interested in becoming a member of the next Adult Delegation in August 2026, please fill out and submit the application form below, along with a $100 deposit to cover the cost of holding an airline ticket at our group rate.  The adult delegate application deadline is March 1st, 2026.

• Adult Delegate Application

A cooking lesson in Ami-machi