Odawara CityTokimeki International School“Future Dream of Peace”
Background and Reason for the ProjectIn 1990, when Odawara City was preparing for
the International Exchange Festival, NoriakiOzaki founded Tokimeki International School
Committee and became its chairman, with theobjectives of providing opportunities foryouth living in the 21st century to develop a
global mindset and promote regionalinternationalisation. When the world was in
the midst of chaos, Ozaki visited what wasthen known as Manly City (presently called
Northern Beaches City) to discuss this with themayor and other related parties at that time.
Confirming that their thoughts of the dream ofworld peace matched, they decided to aim atdeveloping an exchange relationship. For thefirst time, Ozaki visited the former Manly City,
Australia with 37 middle and high school
students from Odawara City using funds fromthe private sector. After the first visit, based on
the proposal from the mayor of Odawara Cityat that time, the project has been operated asa joint project between Tokimeki International
School Committee and Odawara City.

(2) Deepen the relationships between people
from different countries and improve
citizens’ international awareness byproviding experiences such as living withpeople from a different culture throughthe homestay program, in order topromote internationalisation of theregions.
(3) From the perspective of citizen
participation, promote to increase
volunteer awareness among citizens andaim to develop an open community byhaving citizens voluntarily push forwardwith planning and running the project.
Project Outline“Tokimeki International School” is a mutual
exchange project for middle and high school
students from Northern Beaches City,
Australia and Odawara City. In fiscal year 2019,
this youth exchange project between the twocities marked its 29th year. It provides
participating students with opportunities tothink and act by themselves through its annual
program consisting of prior training, overseas
exchange, domestic exchange, and follow-up
training. “Tokimeki International School” isrun with the cooperation of many staff
members who are residents, publicly recruitedhost families, and local schools, etc.

Project Aims
(1) Nurture youth to reflect on the culture
and history of their own country, toimprovetheir
discipline
andindependence as global citizens whounderstand cultures of other countries,and to act for world peace with a globalmindset and problem awareness.
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Through these interchanges, students
deepen their global mindset andawareness of each other’s country, as
well as develop friendship and trust for
the future. Also, they become
conscious of the greatness andimportance of the nature native to theother country by experiencing it.
(3) Follow-up training (August - October)
Summarise what students haveobtained and learned through theexchanges. This is also be presented to
citizens in the following year at the“Global Citizens Festa”, an international
exchange event held in February, and aresearch presentation held in March, aswell as reported by activities reports.
(4) Participation in international exchange
projects
Improve awareness towards citizen
participation by having students
participate in the “Global Citizens Festa”(February of the following year) and the
Hojo Godai Festival (May of thefollowing year)

Start of Tokimeki International School Annual program of “Tokimeki InternationalSchool”(fiscalyear
2019’saccomplishments)(1) Prior training (June - July)
Deepen the relationships between
students through activities such aspractical English conversation lessons,choir practice and study camp, andimprove their awareness as goodwill
ambassadors by providing them
opportunities to learn about thepartner country’s circumstances andoverseas manners.
(2) Overseas/ Domestic exchange (July October)
Middle and high school students from
Northern Beaches City, Australia andOdawara City visit each other’s cities
and deepen exchanges throughactivities such as doing homestays.
In terms of overseas exchange,
Japanese students visit the mayor ofNorthern Beaches City, attend classes
and enjoy nature in Australia, etc.,
while in the domestic exchange,
Australian students get to experience
Japanese culture, participate in a city
tour, visit the city hall, etc.

Farewell party in fiscal year 2019
Features and Innovations(1) Students who previously attended theprogram continue to be involved in the
project by planning and running thetraining in the annual program.
(2) The project is held with cooperation froma lot of citizens including host families and2

who experienced this mutual exchange, a totalof 1,538 young people have participated in the
project so far. A career survey revealed thatthe project helped participating students
develop a global mindset and enrich their
future vision and learning.
In addition, thanks to the long-term
relationship developed through this youth
exchange project, new collaborations andinterchanges have begun. For example, in2016, Odawara City, Hilton Odawara Resort &Spa, and Australian Rugby Association
officially concluded an “Agreement on TrainingCamps” between the three parties for theAustralia national rugby union team to hold
Rugby World Cup 2019 and Tokyo 2020 PreGame Training Camps.

volunteer staff. This interchange project
has become sustainable by promoting
citizen-driven international exchange anddeveloping a model where citizens cansupport the project.
(3) Being inspired by this long-term
exchange project, other amicable efforts
have been made. For example, Wollemia
nobilis, one of the world’s oldest known
plants, was given by the former Manly
City to Odawara City as a proof of thisfriendship; or the personal belonging (anotebook) of a former Japanese soldier
during World War II that had been
donated to the North Fort Artillery
Museum in the former Manly City, wasreturned to the bereaved family in
Nagano.
(4) The relationship between the two cities
has been awarded by the AustralianSister Cities Association three times inthe past. (It won National Award in the
Cultural Exchange Section in 2006,
National Award in the Youth Project
Section in 2007, and also won an award
in Single Unit Project Section in 2010). Inaddition, it won an International
Exchange Commendation (Minister forInternal Affairs and Communications
Award) in Japan in 2016. Thus, theproject is highly acclaimed by bothcountries.

Issues, Problems and Responses
The number of participants in this project has
been declining. The city has constantly put
efforts into enriching the exchange projectand reviewing the schedule so that moreyoung people can join the program, as well as
finding better ways to advertise the project tosecure the number of participants.
Future Developments (expected effects andproject vision and issues)
Although the participants change every year, astrong trusting relationship has beendeveloped between Northern Beaches Cityand Odawara City through this long-term
project.
By having the project participants share theirknowledge and experiences with citizens as anachievement of the exchange throughactivities such as holding briefing sessions
where they introduce overseas culture after
returning to Japan, “Tokimeki InternationalSchool” helps the youth in Odawara City

Results of the Project
By fiscal year 2019, Odawara City has so far
dispatched 816 students and accepted 597
students from Northern Beaches City. Adding
the 100 students who participated in only thedomestic exchange program and 25 students
from countries other than Australia (China,Thailand and the U.S.) to the 1,413 students
3develop a global mindset, and contributes tothe internationalisation of the region and thenurturing of citizens’ international awareness.
It is also believed that the project helps
stabilise international relations because it isoperated with cooperation from citizens,which will expand the relationship at bothcommunity and grassroots levels.
The city would like to improve the operatingprocedures, as well as promote collaboration
with organisations in the private sector andencourage former project participants to befurther actively involved in the project.

Contact
Division in charge: Odawara City CulturalPolicy Section
Phone: +81-465-33-1703
E-mail: culturalexchange@city.odawara.kanagawa.jp
Terminologies and Coined Terms Used
International Exchange Festival:
As part of the 50th anniversary celebration ofthe city establishment, the “TokimekiOdawara Dream Festival” was held for two
years between 1990 and 1991. In 1991,
aiming to develop an open internationalsociety and to become an overseas gateway,
the city held some international exchange
events and a youth exchange project.

Reference URL
http://www.city.odawara.kanagawa.jp/field/
lifelong/exchange/i-exchange/
tokimeki_school.html

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