Appleton sister city partnership

APPLETON - Five Japanese students from the small fishing city of Kanonji, Japan are touring the Appleton area this week. It is part of a sister city exchange partnership.

 They're here to understand what it's like to be an American by learning about the Midwestern Wisconsin culture.

"There are lots of American flags, and basketball hoops in front of all the houses and the supermarkets are very big and impressive," said Mayuko Matsumoto through a translator.

Matsumoto, at age 16, has been studying English in Japan for four years. But this is here first real taste. Their tour included a visit to a paper mill to learn how to make paper.

"It's very fun," said Matsumoto with her limited English.

Catherine Backer recently returned from a two week stay in Kanonji with a host family witnessing the other side of the partnership.

"The culture there is so gentle people are so mannered and polite there," explained Backer.

The sister city partnership began in the late 1980s. But since Appleton Mayor Tim Hanna traveled to Kanonji in 1999 with the Appleton Boy Choir, it has turned into more of an educational student exchange.

"Really in the last ten years it has been more about exposing our children to that culture," said Hanna.

Since that initial visit Mayor Hanna has returned to Kanonji. Mementos and gifts from those trips are on display here in his office. And the mayor of Kanonji has also visited Appleton.

"Issues that they face there are pretty much the same issues we face here," said Hanna.

Appleton native and Lawrence graduate Brent Betters got introduced to the sister-city partnership four years ago when he moved to Kanonji to teach English. He sees the benefit for both communities to stay involved.

"It's a unique opportunity to see Japanese dancing and Japanese music and it's definitely a completely different world," said Betters.

Hanna says the partnership has opened the eyes of many to new ways of doing things and new opportunities for both cities.