Yubetsu Town is located in the northeastern part of Hokkaido, approximately in the centre of the Okhotsk Coast, and faces Lake Saroma, one of the three largest lakes in Japan and the largest lake in Hokkaido.
The town is blessed with a rich natural environment, and its core industries are agriculture, mainly dairy farming and field crop, fisheries, centered on coastal fisheries and aquaculture fisheries, and forestry utilising its abundant forest resources.
The Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park is a popular tourist attraction in Yubetsu Town. It is coloured with approximately 700,000 tulips of around 200 varieties each year from early May to early June. Many visitors from both Japan and overseas come to enjoy the vibrant display during this one-month period.
Yubetsu Town has established sister city relationships with two towns, Whitecourt in Canada and Selwyn in New Zealand. They have actively promoted friendly relations by organising exchange programs for junior and senior high school students, as well as for adults.
A sister city affiliation with Selwyn was officially formed in 2000, and celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2020. Due to the pandemic, they were unable to visit each other, but in 2023, an official delegation including the Mayor of Yubetsu Town visited Selwyn to commemorate the longstanding exchange and friendship.
For the first time in four years, a delegation of junior and senior high school students and the general public was also able to visit Darfield High School in Selwyn, and student exchange resumed after a long pause.
The students underwent two months of pre-departure training starting in September, practicing English conversation and learning about New Zealand life and culture in preparation for the exchange. The students initially looked anxious at first, however by the end they had become more proactive, challenging themselves in all activities and filled with excitment as they visited New Zealand and experienced life with host families.
At Darfield High School, the students participated in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes, joined classes with homestay children and school-assigned buddies, and learned about Maori culture. In Japanese language classes, they interacted with the students by playing origami and karuta. On the day tour, they enjoyed exploring Castle Hill, experiencing sheep shearing on a farm, and riding a jet boat on the Waimakariri River. They were able to enjoy New Zealand’s nature to the fullest.
On weekends, the students enjoyed spending time with their host families by going shopping, visiting beaches, and assisting with cooking.
Although the students were confused at first due to a lack of understanding of English, within 2-3 days, they found themselves able to comprehend the language. They unanimously expressed that they had a fun and fulfilling learning experience.
Yubetsu Town hopes that the exchange with Selwyn will continue to deepen, and that their friendship will continue for many years to come.’
