VISITORS from Japanese sister city Yamagata continued their week of sight-seeing in the Mallee with visits to Sea Lake and Kangaroo Lake.
Yamagata group chief leader Masaru Tanaka said the region was very different from his home where they were in the midst of winter.
“We have snow at the moment, so it was very different to come to Australia and have warm temperatures,” he said.
“When it is hot at home, we have a very humid environment where as here it has been dry and that has been a pleasure.
“It was also a pleasure to experience such fresh air and see the very picturesque landscapes.”
The visiting group, made up of 15 students and four group leaders, spent time at Lake Tyrrell and used the chance to capture some magnificent photos which Lake Tyrell has become famous for.
The visitors then joined with their host families for a fun afternoon and evening of watersports on Kangaroo Lake where they enjoyed a barbecue and caught sight of many varieties of Australian wildlife and flora.
Another treat was an evening at Swan Hill’s Japanese restaurant Niki Niko.
Billed as a chance to experience Australia Japanese food, the tourists were very impressed with the authenticity and quality.
“Oh, it was very good, it was very much like we have in Japan,” Mr Tanaka said.
When pressed to rate it by Swan Hill delegate Rob Duffield, Mr Tanaka scored it a nine out of ten.
The Japanese students completed their stay in Swan Hill with a formal dinner at the Town Hall on Wednesday night with their host families.
They then left Swan Hill yesterday.
Mr Duffield said the students visit had been enriching for both the visitors and the host families.
“The students have got very close in such a short time so it will be quite sad when we say goodbye at the airport,” he said.
Swan Hill host students will visit their Japanese counterparts in July where they will experience Japanese life in Yamagata while staying with the same students they hosted in Swan Hill.
