The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

WAITSBURG – Members of Waitsburg's favorite bluegrass band, Switchgrass Delta, are playing host to several Japanese students as part of the Sasayama-Walla Walla Sister City Exchange Program this month.

In October, the band members themselves will be the ones making the long flight to Japan as part of the program's 45th anniversary cultural exchange.

The family of Switchgrass Delta fiddler Kaleb Kuykendall is hosting 16-year-old Kenji Nakamura, and the family of standup bass player Robert Walsh is hosting Rina Maegawaa, 16, and Mina Momii, 17.

The Japanese students are part of a larger group that landed at Walla Walla Airport on March 19. The students spend their weekdays touring and doing activities as a large group, but spend evenings and the weekend with their host families. They will return to Japan on March 31.

On Saturday, the Kuykendall family hosted an "all-American" day of horseback riding, shooting BB guns and bows and arrows, trampoline jumping, hot dogs and s'mores. On Sunday, the Waitsburg families visited the Bruce House and Wilson Phillips-House museums with their exchange students before heading out for an afternoon of bowling.

Each of the visiting students said they participated in the exchange because they wanted to experience American culture and make international friends. Nakamura said his brother had been an exchange student three years ago, had a great time, and encouraged him to do it as well.

The students' itinerary has kept them hopping. On Monday, they met with the Walla Walla mayor and city manager, visited the police station and historic sites, and toured the Whitman Hotel and Whitman College.

On Tuesday, the group headed to Dayton where they toured the Dayton Historical Depot, the courthouse, the Weinhard Hotel, and the Monteillet goat farm and fromagerie. On Wednesday, they traveled to Pendleton, Ore., where they toured the Pendleton Underground , visited Tamastlikt Cultural Institute, and toured the Pendleton Woolen Mills.

They toured Fort Walla Walla Museum on Thursday, and took the Planet Walk from Fort Walla Walla to the VA Hospital. On Friday, the students toured Edison Elementary School, where they taught origami and gave a presentation about Japan. In the afternoon they toured Frenchtown and the Whitman Mission.

Both Momii and Nakamura said that the visit to Edison Elementary school had been a highlight of the trip so far. Nakamura said he especially enjoyed answering the many questions the students asked. Momii and Maegawa said that riding horses – something neither girl had done before – was another special experience.

"It has been a good experience. My host family is very friendly and Waitsburg is a very strong and friendly community," Nakumara said.

Courtesy Photo

Japanese exchange students enjoy their first taste of an American S'more.

Switchgrass Delta members are looking forward to taking their turn as exchange students when they visit Sasayama in October. Band director Kate Hockersmith visited Japan with The Troublemakers bluegrass band in 2007 and is looking forward to making a return trip ten years later.

The October 2017 exchange will mark the 45th anniversary of the Sasayama-Walla Walla Sister City Exchange Program. Switchgrass Delta members Robert Walsh, Kaleb Kuykedall, and Chris and Emma Philbrook will get a total immersion in Japanese culture while they play concerts at schools and community events.

In preparation for the exchange, the band members have started attending monthly meetings in Walla Walla, where they learn about Japanese etiquette, food, culture, and "enough language to get by," Hockersmith said.

The band is still working to raise funds for the trip and Hockersmith said their next event will be a concert on Sun., April 23, at the Plaza Theater at 4 p.m.