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Sister City Programs
2025 Ushiku Exchange Program

2025 Ushiku Exchange Program

Whitehorse Welcomes Ushiku!

Program Overview

The Sister City Exchange Program between Whitehorse and Ushiku, Japan, launched in the 1980s, fosters mutual cultural understanding and strengthens leadership skills among youth.

Every other year, Whitehorse host families invite an Ushiku exchange student into their home, sharing Canadian and Yukon culture. Host families provide meals, accommodation, and outings, while the City of Whitehorse organizes weekday activities.

The following year, a group of Youth Ambassadors from Whitehorse visits Ushiku, where they immerse themselves in Japanese culture through activities like living with a host family, visiting a high school, and engaging in traditional and modern experiences.

This exchange cycle reinforces cross-cultural bonds and lasting friendships.

Be part of our 2025 program as a host family from July 24 to August 3 when Whitehorse will host students from Ushiku.

Information Sessions
February 13, April 3 and May 14
7 to 8 pm at the Canada Games Centre

Important dates for host families
June 10: Application deadline for host families
June 25: Host family introductory information session
July 9: Pre-arrival information session
July 23: Final information session

Be part of the program
Hosting a student from Ushiku is a great opportunity to meet new people, learn about another culture and share your culture and the Yukon with visitors. Apply to be a host family:

Host Family application form

Please note that all information provided will be shared with Ushiku students and their families.

Family information

We look forward to getting to know your family. Please answer the following questions to help us do that. Please note that only information/details regarding those who will be in the household during the exchange is required.

Interests and hobbies

The next set of questions will be used when matching Ushiku students and chaperones with Whitehorse families. Please provide use with information about your family's interests, activities and hobbies.

Host Family Responsibilities

  • Host families are expected to meet their Ushiku student or chaparone at the airport when they arrive and to provide transportation to the airport when they leave.
  • During the weekdays, the City provides a full day itenerary of activities and excursions for the Ushiku students from approximately 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This schedule may be subject to change according to the itenerary (ie: overnight camping). Host family youth are also included in these activities at no cost.
  • Host families are expected to provide transportation to the start location for each day's activities and to provide transportation back to the family home at the end of each day. The start/finish point is usually a City facility such as City Hall, Shipyards Park or the Canada Games Centre.
  • During the evenings and weekends, the Ushiku students are hosted by their Whitehorse host families, who take care of meals, accommodations and any other outings or excursions they would like to involve their student in. The City does not cover these costs on evenings/weekends with the exception of an overnight camping trip and the final banquet.

    Please note: If a host family intends to take their student to Alaska, the necessary paperwork must be provided at the border crossing. Your guest should be informed of this plan, as they are required to complete forms in Ushiku and purchase out-of-Canada documents.

Youth, ages 13 to 18, from approved host families are invited to take part in the City-hosted activities that are part of the exchange. This is an excellent opportunity for local youth to make new friends, learn about another culture and get to know their own community better.

Apply to be a youth participant:

Youth Participant application form

Parent/guardian information

Please provide following information for the parents or guardians.

Medical Information

Photos may be taken for publicity or program purposes. Participants may be asked to sign a photo release form as part of the program.

Emergencies

It is our policy that we notify a parent/guardian when a youth is ill or needs medical attention. Occasionally we cannot contact parents/guardians and we need to get immediate help for the youth. Our procedure is to call Emergency Medical Services (911).

Families will be asked to sign a consent form allowing their youth to be taken to the nearest emergency centre by ambulance to receive treatment when parents/guardians cannot be reached.