Macon-Bibb had some special visitors from our sister city of Kurobe, Japan last week. A group of 18 students from Sakurai High School traveled to see the cherry blossoms bloom in Macon-Bibb and see how our community celebrates the bloom.  

Macon, Georgia, and Kurobe, Japan, have been sister cities since May 10, 1977. The cities engage in annual exchanges, including student visits, official delegations, and the medical exchange program. YKK organized this trip, with help from families in our community who hosted students. Sakurai High School has been sending students to the U.S. since 1988, with YKK facilitating their home stay program since 2003. The 2025 trip was the first since 2018.

Our Public Relations Specialists, Edna Adams and Olivia Walter, each hosted a student for four days and got to show them the best of our community. 

“It was my family’s first time hosting a student and it certainly won’t be the last,” said Adams. “Not only was our student, Mahi, such a gem, but we got to learn so much from her, too. It was such a unique cultural experience, and it was the perfect week to show off our beautiful city.” 

“Welcoming Haruka into our home was a deeply gratifying experience for Olivia and me. It was a joy to share our house and our daily rhythm with a young traveler, introducing her to our routines and customs,” said John Roberts, General Manager of Rhythm and Rally. “Equally as meaningful was watching my daughter open her world to new perspectives-learning about Haruka’s culture through shared meals and small moments throughout our time together that bridged the gap between our lives.”

One night, the students performed a cultural dance and held a tea ceremony for their host families at City Hall. The next day, they took a guided tour of Downtown with Visit Macon, before they performed at the Cherry Blossom Festival Opening Ceremony.

“Eighteen students from the school experienced American culture, family life, and English education, building lifelong friendships and sharing their rich culture,” said Yasue Anstett, Community Engagement and Corporate Communications with YKK. “They really enjoyed their time here, staying with warm host families and participating in activities that deepened their understanding of life in the U.S. This exchange highlights the importance of cultural connections and learning from one another.”