The Huntington Beach Sister City Association (HBSCA) announces the upcoming arrival of the official 2026 delegation from its sister city, Anjo, located in Japan’s Aichi Prefecture.
This summer holds exceptional significance as the two cities commemorate the 44th anniversary of a cultural partnership and goodwill that first began in 1982.
To honor this deeply rooted relationship, Surf City USA will feature its largest-ever collective sister-city presence in the 122nd annual Huntington Beach Fourth of July Parade. Leading the expanded contingent down the parade route will be Anjo Deputy Mayor Shosuke Sugiura, City Council Chairperson Kae Matsumoto, and dedicated leadership staff from the Anjo International Association.
In a grand reunion of international friendship, they will be joined by the visiting Japanese exchange students and their local host families, along-side a special invitation extended to previous exchange students, alumni, chaperons, and former student ambassadors from decades past, uniting generations of participants who have kept this cross-cultural bond thriving.
Evolving Global Connections
For 44 years, the bond between Huntington Beach and Anjo has stood as a shining example of citizen diplomacy. Notably, when a devastating storm destroyed the iconic Huntington Beach Pier in 1990, the citizens of Anjo stepped forward with a generous $100,000 donation to assist with its rebuilding — cementing a lasting legacy of mutual aid.
In 2002, Anjo further gifted the beautiful grove of cherry blossom trees located in Huntington Central Park, which HBSCA continues to nurture today.
While Huntington Beach’s relationship with Anjo remains more vibrant than ever, it stands today as the city’s cornerstone international bond following regional government restructuring abroad. In previous decades, Huntington Beach enjoyed active programs with Manly, Australia, and Waitakere, New Zealand. However, those formal sister-city ties were officially dissolved when the respective foreign municipal governments were systematically reorganized and absorbed into larger metropolitan city entities.
This structural shift leaves the enduring relationship with Anjo as a treasured, time-tested pillar of Huntington Beach’s global outreach.
Overlapping Summer Delegations
The HBSCA is coordinating two comprehensive itineraries to welcome international guests this July:
Student Ambassador Exchange: After arriving on July 1, Japanese student ambassadors and their chaperone embarked on a classic Southern California experience hosted by local families. Their action-packed itinerary includes a Huntington Beach Day featuring a junior lifeguard and marine safety tour, a local fire station tour, a dedicated beach day, and memorable trips to Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, and a Dodgers game for an exciting Ohtani Bobblehead Night.
Council and Civilian Delegation: From July 2 to 5, HBSCA is hosting the official civic leaders and citizen representatives, with four of the delegates staying with local host families. Their visit will include an intimate dinner hosted at a board member’s home, a formal welcome lunch with the Huntington Beach City Council, city staff, and the HBSCA board at a local restaurant, and their historic march in the 4th of July Parade.
The celebration of Japanese culture will extend well into the autumn. Building on the immense success of last year’s inaugural event, HBSCA is proud to announce that the second annual Japan Culture Fair will take place from Oct. 10 to 11 at the Huntington Beach Central Library. Community members are encouraged to stay tuned for further updates as the autumn dates approach.
Formed in accordance with President Dwight Eisenhower’s 1956 People-to-People initiative, the HBSCA is an all-volunteer non-profit organization. It is dedicated to managing life-changing reciprocal student exchanges and civilian programs that build partnerships, celebrate cultural differences, and promote global goodwill.
For over 40 years the HBSCA has hosted a delegation of students from Anjo and sent a delegation of high school students who live in the HBUHSD boundary to experience life in Japan through a two-week reciprocal exchange.
For more info, visit www.hbsca.org or www.facebook.com/hbsca.