About

Since 1990, Saskatoon Public Schools has coordinated a Japan exchange program for students in grades 10, 11 and 12 with eight secondary schools throughout the city. 

Students from partner schools in Takaoka and Kitahiroshima, Japan, visit Saskatoon in alternate years for six to seven days in March or May. The Japanese students are hosted by Saskatoon families and attend the respective schools of their host families. In return, sixteen students from Saskatoon Public Schools live with host families in Japan, either in Takaoka or Kitahiroshima, for a week. These students attend the school of their Japanese host and participate in a seven-day cultural tour visiting various destinations throughout the country.

The exchange in 2027 will take place over the Easter holidays for 14 days and will include a homestay in Takaoka, Toyama, as well as a cultural tour in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka.

Program Objectives

• An opportunity to experience Japanese culture, not as a tourist but through immersion in Japanese family and school life.
• Practice and improve proficiency in the Japanese language.
• Experience personal growth in social skills, independence, acceptance of cultural/personal differences, and problem-solving.

Eligibility/Selection Criteria

• The exchange is open to Grade 10, 11 and 12 students.

• Enrolment in the Japanese language program is an asset but not a requirement. All students are welcome to apply.

• All students are required to take a special Japanese class (12 lessons) on weekends beginning in December. 

• Interested students must demonstrate good attendance, strong study habits, and a positive attitude toward school. They should be respectful, responsible, and receive positive feedback from their teachers and school to be eligible for the program.

• Strong social and communication skills are essential. Students must be willing and able to interact positively with fellow students and host families, participate in conversations and activities, and understand and respond appropriately to social cues.

• Students should demonstrate maturity, flexibility, and independence. They must be able to navigate unfamiliar, challenging, or stressful situations in a calm and positive manner, communicate appropriately when difficulties arise, and be willing to adapt to different expectations, routines, and cultural practices.

• Students must be in good health, physically fit, and possess the endurance to walk long distances. They should also be able to manage the 15-hour time difference and adapt to a different climate.

• At the time of application, participants must hold a valid passport that remains valid for at least six months beyond the departure date to Japan in April 2027, or be in the process of obtaining one.

Note: Successful applicants will miss a few days of school around Easter. It is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements for any course work missed while absent from school (i.e., preferably do the work before leaving for Japan). Parents/caregivers, please contact the attendance secretary at your child's school and have your child fill out an Extended Leave form. 

Cost

The estimated cost of the Japan Exchange Program is approximately $5,800–$6,200 per student. This includes airfare, major in-country transportation, hotel accommodations, trip cancellation insurance, out-of-country medical and accident insurance, and chaperone expenses.

The program fee does not include substitute costs for teacher chaperones or personal expenses, such as spending money and passport fees. The suggested amount for spending money is $700–$800.

Each student is responsible for the full cost of the trip and their own spending money. Fundraising is optional and may be undertaken by students and their families to help cover the cost of the program.

Note: The value of the Canadian dollar at the time of the trip may alter costs.

Program Administration

The exchange program is organized in collaboration with Saskatoon Public Schools, its partner schools in Japan, and the respective Boards of Education in Takaoka, Toyama, Japan. The head chaperone will be Mr. Shawn Predicala of Walter Murray Collegiate, and the assistant chaperone will be Ms. Laddy Hemeon of Aden Bowman Collegiate.

Apply

For the Spring 2027 trip, students must apply by Saturday, September 19, 2026.

• Click here for the application procedure guidelines, which includes a list of all documentation required to apply. 
• Click here to complete the application form.
• Click here to view this year' poster.

All required documents, including the application form, must be submitted to "Japan Exchange 2027" in Google Classroom (the code is provided in the application procedure guidelines) by the deadline.

Contact

For questions, please contact: 

Mrs. Takako Matisz
Japanese Exchange Program Coordinator
Email: matiszt@spsd.sk.ca 

Aden Bowman Collegiate: 306-683-7600

Evan Hardy Collegiate: 306-683-7700 

Walter Murray Collegiate: 306-683-7850