Our Sister City

The purpose of Sister City Exchange

A sister city is a partnership between cities from different countries or regions that aims to deepen mutual understanding and friendship through exchanges in various fields, including culture, economy, education, sports and technology.
The goals of sister city relationships are to foster young people with an international perspective, promote and revitalize local communities, and contribute to peace and prosperity in the international community.

Sister city of Kyotanba Town

Kyotamba Town has a sister city agreement with Hawkesbury City in New South Wales, Australia.

Hawkesbury City

A local government in the state of New South Wales, Australia, it is located approximately 50 kilometres (31 miles) northwest of the Sydney CBD and on the northern and northwestern edge of the Greater Sydney region. Hawkesbury is named after the Hawkesbury River which runs through the city. The main regional cities of Hawkesbury are Windsor, Richmond and Pitt Town. It has an area of 2,793 ㎢, more than nine times the area of Kyotamba Town, which has an area of 303.09 ㎢.

How did the relationship with Hawkesbury begin?

In 1979, the son of the then president of a company that had established a winery in Kyotamba and the former mayor of Tamba Town visited wineries overseas and expressed a desire for continued exchange with Hawkesbury, which has a similar climate to Kyotamba.

History and population of Hawkesbury

The Hawkesbury area, discovered by Europeans in 1789, was one of the earliest colonies in Australia, and is considered a “time capsule” of Australian colonial history, as many buildings from that time still remain.
With a population of 64,592 (2016 census), the city's population is still growing, with a relatively young generational structure, with 19.9% of children aged 0-14, 14.4% of seniors aged 65 and over, and an average age value of 38 years.

Climate, and industry in Hawkesbury

Hawkesbury has four seasons, but in contrast to Japan, summer is from December to February and winter from June to August. In mid-summer, temperatures can be extremely hot, exceeding 40°C. Winters are relatively mild, but in mid-winter, temperatures can drop below 5°C.
Hawkesbury is home to the city's namesake river, the Hawkesbury River, which flows through the city. The high quality apples, oranges, honey, vegetables, cheese, wine, and other produce resulting from the hills and fertile land are sold at local stalls and sent to the adjacent Sydney market, and the area has been known as Sydney's “food basket” since colonial times.
On the other hand, as Sydney has become increasingly urbanized, residential areas where various ethnic groups live have also expanded.

History of Sister City Exchanges

August 1985
The Minister of Justice of the State of New South Wales, Australia, and a representative of the State of New South Wales in Japan visited Tamba Town and began concrete discussions with Tamba Town, which had been seeking international exchange.

June 1988
The Mayor of Hawkesbury, New South Wales, and the President of the Sister City Association of Hawkesbury, New South Wales, visited Tamba Town and exchanged a Declaration of Friendship and Exchange with Tamba Town, signing an agreement for sister city exchange.

April and July 1989
The first exchange program began.

July 1990
Establishment of “Tamba Town International Exchange Association”; Mayor of Hawkesbury and his wife attend the inaugural meeting.

March 1991
The 1st Sister City Exchange Delegation visited Hawkesbury.

October 1991
Hawkesbury delegation “Greenleaves” visited Tamba Town.

April 1999
Delegation from Hawkesbury visited Tamba Town to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the sister city relationship.

February 2000
Delegation from Tamba Town visited Hawkesbury to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the sister city relationship.

June 2000
"Tamba Friend Park” opened in Sone, welcoming guests from Hawkesbury.

April 2006
Kyotamba International Exchange Association was established.

February 2007
The first sister city exchange delegation visited Hawkesbury since the three towns merged to form "Kyotamba Town".
The Mayor of Kyotamba Town and the Mayor of Hawkesbury City signed a sister city agreement.

April 2008
The new Sister City Association President and her husband and three committee members visited Kyotamba Town for a five-day stay.

June 2008
Held a party to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the exchange student program.

October 2009
Sister city exchange delegation was dispatched to Hawkesbury to participate in Hawkesbury's bicentennial commemorative events.

November 2010
Unveiling ceremony of “Kyotamba Friend Park” (moved to Komo); 8 members of the Hawkesbury delegation that came to Kyotamba for the National Culture Festival project in Kyotamba Town participated in the unveiling ceremony.

December, 2017
"Kyotamba Friend Park" was demolished to make way for the construction of the new Kyotamba Town Hall.

July and September, 2018
The 30th exchange program

October, 2018
Held ceremony and events to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the sister city exchange.

July 2020
Started online exchange projects for sister city students due to the suspension of the excahnge student program due to the spread of coronavirus infection.

June 2022
Awarded the “Kyoto Prefectural Commendation for Distinguished Service to Local Autonomy” for contributions to fostering understanding of and expanding support for the international community in the region through exchange programs such as excahnge student programs with sister cities.

December 2023
The sister city monument was reinstalled and unveiled.

July and September 2024
After the spread of corona infection, the exchange student program was resumed for the first time in four years.

Sister City Exchange Student Program

We offer exchange programs with our sister cities every year with the aim of fostering mutual understanding and friendship, deepening international understanding, and fostering young people who can understand different cultures and live together in harmony.
Hawkesbury has a sister city agreement with Temple City in the U.S. too, and exchange students from the U.S. participate in this exchange program at the same time, so participants in this program have the opportunity to experience Australian culture and interact with American students.
Some of the friendships fostered through the exchange program have lasted for a long time. We hope you will join this program and make lifelong friends in Australia.

Sending exchange students

Dispatch period	4 weeks during summer vacation (late July to late August)
Number of applicants	5
Eligibility for Application	-Students who live in Kyotamba Town or are currently enrolled in Suchi High School and are between the first year of junior high school and the second year of high school. -Applicants must have the consent of their parents or guardians and a recommendation from their school principal. -Those who are able to attend the monthly study abroad preparation meetings until the day of departure. -Children of families who are able to host a foreign student from one of our sister cities for 4 weeks in the fall of the same year. -Those who are willing to join as a member of Kyotanba International Association.
Study abroad expenses	Actual cost of airfare and overseas insurance (about 250,000 yen) *Local accommodation fees will not be charged. (Amounts are subject to change due to fluctuations in airfares and fuel prices.)
Program Contents	Living with a host family Commuting to local schools Sightseeing in Hawkesbury and Sydney Study trip to Canberra, etc.

This exchange program is a project that can only be implemented and sustained by the presence of host families.
Therefore, we ask for your understanding that it is a prerequisite to be a host family for each other.
The family does not necessarily need to be fluent in English. We hope that all family members, including the exchange student, will enjoy experiencing different cultures and deepening exchanges with each other.

Accepting Hawkesbury students

Every year, for four weeks from mid-September to mid-October, sister city exchange students come to Kyotamba Town to live with host families and learn about Japanese culture through attending local schools, sightseeing, and experiencing daily life.

We may separately recruit people who would like to become host families.