From 4 to 8 March in St. Petersburg is a delegation of Japanese students from the city of Sakata. The delegation includes students of the second grade of the high school "Sakata-Minami" (according to the Russian educational system corresponds to 9 – 10 class), their teacher YUKO Sasaki and an employee of the Department of international exchanges of the city hall of Sakata Re Takahashi.
The visit was organized in accordance with the agreements reached in 2018 on the establishment of school and professional exchanges between St. Petersburg and the city of Sakata.
In St. Petersburg, Japanese students visited the Hermitage, where they presented the Sakura branch to the Museum, and two schools with the study of the Japanese language № 583 and № 83. Especially for guests from the land of the Rising sun St. Petersburg prepared creative performances. Students performed Russian and Japanese songs and dances and even played the balalaika. Prepared a variety of workshops: floristry, calligraphy and culinary arts.
As the teacher of school" Sakata-Minami " YUKO Sasaki told subsequently, the St. Petersburg school students showed very high level of knowledge of language. "A behavior even better than Japanese students", she joked.
On March 7, Evgeny Grigoriev, Chairman of the Committee for external relations of St. Petersburg, received a delegation of schoolchildren from Sakata in Smolny. The meeting was also attended by Deputy Chairman Andrey Hluttaw.
During the conversation, the Japanese side spoke about their impressions of their stay in the Northern capital.
"I am very glad that he came to Petersburg and became acquainted with their peers", in Russian said Tsukasa Kuwahara. And already on Japanese added: "I think this visit is a very important event in my life. I would like to come back here, perhaps in a different capacity."
Chairman of the Committee for external relations of St. Petersburg Evgeny Grigoriev advised young people not to miss the opportunity and be sure to keep in touch with friends from St. Petersburg. "Each of you has its own way. Someone can become a scientist, someone a politician or a cultural figure. But if you keep your friendship, it might still come in handy. And in St. Petersburg you will always have friends waiting for you", - Said E. D. Grigoriev.
Reference: The city of Sakata (Yamagata Prefecture) known for its unique breeding cold-resistant varieties of Sakura "Keio-zakura".
Earlier, on February 9 - 11, 2018, a delegation of Sakata under the leadership of mayor Itaru Maruyama visited St. Petersburg. The "festival of the city of Sakata in St. Petersburg" was organized, within the framework of which the exhibition "Dolls of old Japan" was held in the state Hermitage, and a concert of Japanese artists "Sakura"was held in the concert hall of the Museum-estate of G. R. Derzhavin.