By Dakota Antelman — Dakota@concordbridge.org
Who needs a common language when you’ve got the squid dance?
Gathered in the Concord-Carlisle High School auditorium, students from Concord’s Japanese sister city of Nanae capped a recent presentation on life at home by inviting their American counterparts to learn the steps of a beloved local dance.
When the music stopped, CCHS students filed off to class and this year’s visitors from Nanae continued on their jam-packed multi-day tour of Concord.
“[This is] a dream come true,” said 17-year-old Ruri Miyagi, with translation by her English teacher.
Growing partnership
Concord’s formal partnership with Nanae dates to 1997. Residents from both communities have traveled to the U.S. and Japan over the years, exchanging gifts along the way and passing down stories of their experiences.
Japanese students returned to Concord last year. Back for a second year after a pandemic hiatus, many involved in the cultural exchange program said they’re excited to see it blossom with a new generation.
“We’re always looking for new ways to reach out and make the program stronger, even if it’s in small ways,” said Jack McCarthy, a CCHS graduate who now serves as a teacher, cultural liaison, and town office worker in Nanae.
“I think it would be great for us to push new boundaries in the ways in which we can interact.”
Busy schedule
This year’s delegation from Nanae included eight middle and high school students. Nanae High School English teacher Michiru Sakurai said students navigated a competitive selection process.
Once chosen, students spent nine days, from October 26 to November 3, visiting historic sites, attending events, and making presentations to Concord students. When they weren’t busy touring the area, the globetrotting students spent time with local host families.
Amid a busy October 30 at CCHS, organizers said the moments spent performing the squid dance (known as Ika Odori and unique to the Hakodate-Nanae area) underscored a key component of Concord’s relationship with its Japanese partner.
“You get to learn about people from different countries and different cultures and to find out that they have the same interests that you do,” said Jim Terry, a volunteer with the Concord Nanae Network, which nurtures the towns’ cross-cultural bond.
Hands-on activities
Last year’s Nanae student delegation received a momentous welcome in Concord as the communities celebrated the 25th anniversary of their intercontinental link.
In 2024, CCHS French teacher Nouna Pinto said she and other organizers focused on planning hands-on activities.
Speaking outside a ceramics classroom where Japanese and American students molded clay, McCarthy said arts and other activities help break down barriers.
“For the sake of just our exchange students, it allows us to engage in ways other than language,” he said. “And for the sake of the sister city and building international relations … it lets kids engage with each other on an easier, more tactile level.”
Future trips
McCarthy traveled to Nanae while he was a CCHS student. Pinto has three passports and lived in seven countries before moving to the U.S. And Sakurai studied at Amherst College before stepping into her current role as a teacher in Nanae.
Across the board, people involved in this latest interaction between Nanae and Concord said they want to see the cross-cultural exchange deepen.
“As much as we can, we want to broaden up the horizon and come out of our bubble,” Pinto said.
Though Nanae students have visited Concord twice since the pandemic, Concord hasn’t sent a new delegation to Japan.
Plans are still being finalized, but the drought is expected to end next year when an adult group travels to Japan. A trip for Concord students is in the works for 2026.
