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2026 Glendora-Moka College Exchange Program

In August 2026, we welcomed two university students, Soyoka Domyo and Hinako Ogawa, from the city of Moka to Glendora. While in Glendora, they completed a six-week exchange program at Glendora City Hall. During their program, they spent time in various departments at Glendora City Hall, as well as the Glendora Unified School District. Additionally, the Glendora Sister City Association arranged visits to the Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Central Library, and Little Tokyo. Additionally, they had the opportunity to meet Tochigi Ambassadors Toshihiro Tasaki and Noriko Horii. Hinako and Soyoka also worked with the GSCA and Moka International Association to organize a Glendora Virtual Tour event for Moka residents. For the duration of their time in Glendora, both students stayed with host families and were able to fully experience everyday life in California.

2026 Glendora Visit to Moka

Students from Goddard and Sandburg traveled to Moka, experiencing a particularly hot & humid Japanese summer. GSCA President Hannah Majidi also traveled to Moka during this time, making courtesy visits to Moka City Hall and Moka High School. While at Moka City Hall, she met two university students who were selected to participate in the Glendora-Moka College Exchange Program. Hannah also participated in Moka's famous summer festival and firework shows.

This year marked the 20th anniversary of the sister school relationship between Sandburg Middle School and Nakamura Junior High School. To commemorate the occasion, Nakamura JHS planted rose bushes at the front entrance of the school next to its Route 66 sign. Fumiyo Takahashi, who was a Nakamura student exchange participant in the first 2006 exchange, traveled to Moka from Tokyo to welcome the Sandburg students and chaperones!

Glendora Culture Fest 2026 - May 30, 2026

We were thrilled to participate in the third-annual Glendora Culture Fest and host a large booth highlighting Glendora's sister city relationships. GSCA had a large turnout of volunteers this year, including Tochigi Ambassador Noriko Horii. Volunteers organized several activities this year, including an origami table, a hair-ribbon making fundraiser, and a special stage performance of traditional dances from Mérida. Vice Consul Anzu Maekawa from the Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles gave remarks at the opening ceremony and visited our booth to learn about our nearly 40-year friendship with Moka, Japan. 

2025 Moka Visit to Glendora

The GSCA was honored to help the Glendora Unified School District welcome Moka Higashi JHS and Nakamura JHS to Glendora. G

SCA volunteers provided translation support for the welcome ceremonies at Goddard and Sandburg. Consul Yamagata and Vice Consul Maekawa attended this year's welcome ceremonies on behalf of the Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles, as well as Tochigi Ambassadors Noriko Horii and Toshiro Tasaki.

2025 Glendora-Moka College Exchange Program

In August 2025, we welcomed two university students, Maya Kokubo and Haruto Hiwata, from the city of Moka to Glendora. While in Glendora, they completed a six-week exchange program at Glendora City Hall. During their program, they spent time in various departments at Glendora City Hall, as well as the Glendora Unified School District. Additionally, the Glendora Sister City Association arranged a welcome party at Finkbiner Park and visits to the Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles, Terminal Island, Bandai Namco, Aniplex, and the Tochigi Prefectural Association Annual Picnic. For the duration of their time in Glendora, both students stayed with host families and were able to fully experience everyday life in California.

 This year marks the first year of this new college-student exchange between our two cities. Discussions between the cities of Glendora and Moka to establish a permanent internship program began in 2022 and 2023, after Hannah Majidi completed two three-month internships at Moka City Hall as part of her graduate degree studies. For more information (in Japanese), visit Moka City Hall. 

Both cities established this initiative in hopes of empowering the next generation of sister city leaders.

Glendora Culture Fest 2025 - May 17, 2025

We had a wonderful time introducing Glendora's sister cities and all they have to offer to the Glendora community. Dignitaries Deputy Consul General Aoshima from the Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles and Consul Casatañeda Flores from the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles visited our booth to learn about the strong friendship between Glendora and our sister cities. 

Moka's 70th Anniversary Celebration

The city of Moka celebrated its 70th year as a city in October of 2024. In honor of this special occasion, a delegation from Glendora City Hall and the Glendora Sister City Association traveled to Moka for five days of festivities.

While it may have been a short trip, it was full of activities and memorable experiences like participating in Moka's 70th Anniversary Parade, with delegates from Moka's sister cities Harvey, Australia and Douliu, Taiwan.

Glendora City Hall staff were able to meet and spend a day in Moka with their counterparts at Moka City Hall so that they could learn more about how local governments operate in Japan, as well as look for ways to implement new ideas in Glendora. There were also official visits to Glendora's two sister schools, Moka Higashi Junior High School and Nakamura Junior High School.

Our Glendora Delegation participated in many cultural activities, exploring the city of Moka, joining a traditional tea ceremony, and visiting nearby Nikko where we received a special tour & blessing from the head priest at UNESCO World Heritage Site Nikko Toshogu Shrine.

During this visit, the Glendora Sister City Association hosted a workshop teaching Moka residents about American autumn culture and crafts.

We were honored to be invited to celebrate this landmark occasion with our friends in Moka!

Glendora Rotary Club - Aug. 13, 2024

On August 13th, Glendora Sister City Association President Hannah Majidi and member Ritsuko Rowe were invited to give a presentation to the Rotary Club of Glendora about Glendora's sister cities.

Following the presentation, there was a group discussion which included potential ideas for futher collaboration between the GSCA, Glendora Rotary Club, and Rotary clubs in our sister cities. Additionally, the group visited the Bicentennial Mural in the Bidwell Forum and hear about the mural's history & symbolism from Glendora Library staff.

Thank you for inviting us to promote Moka and Mérida, Glendora Rotary Club!

2024 Glendora Visit to Moka

During the summer of 2024, Goddard Middle School and Sandburg Middle School made their first trip to their sister schools in Moka since the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Students and their chaperones had a very warm welcome to Moka, enjoying a variety of fun summer activities including participating in Moka's annual Summer Festival!

Photos courtesy of  Miyoko Nakano and Masayuki Murakami

Glendora Culture Fest - May 18, 2024

The GSCA was honored to be a part of Glendora's first-ever Glendora Culture Fest.

At our booth, we shared information about our sister cities and passed out prizes to attendees via our prize wheel. We also promoted resources from Japan House LA, CLAIR, and the Consulate-General of Japan in LA for those interested in learning more about Japan and Japanese culture.

2023 Moka Visit to Glendora

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Glendora's middle school exchanges had been paused given the concerns with traveling internationally. Leading up to the restart of exchanges, the Glendora Sister Association helped facilitate meetings between the principals of Goddard and Moka Higashi JHS, as well as Sandburg and Nakamura JHS, as well as providing translation support and background information on previous sister city exchanges.

When Moka students and chaperones arrived in Glendora in October 2023, the GSCA prepared welcome bags and provided translation support for the GUSD during welcome ceremonies & dignitary meetings.

Remarks from Host Families and Students

"It was an amazing experience. I would recommend it to anyone who has the extra time and space in your home. I feel like we made a good friend across the globe and we’ll always have a special bond with that person. And the family as well even though we never officially met. It makes me want to visit Japan and have my kids experience their culture through this program too. "

"It was a life-learning experience. Never had I thought of doing this, but my daughter, being interested in school events, was intrigued by this, so we gave it a try. And this is just something that everyone should get the chance to experience." 

"It allowed me to see another culture and that even language barriers can’t stop people from learning and talking to each other."

"When our student arrived, we instantly connected even with the language barrier. I did not expect that he would become a member of our family that week not just a visitor."

2023 Glendora Virtual Tour Event

On September 6, 2023, the Glendora Sister City Association hosted a Glendora Virtual Tour Event in collaboration with Moka City Hall and the Moka International Association. During this virtual tour event, Moka residents got to enjoy a live broadcast around Downtown Glendora and interviews of local business owners & residents.