Regina and Fujioka
Friendship Committee

Celebrating Over 30 Years of Cultural Exchange

The unique friendship between Regina, Saskatchewan and Fujioka, Gunma Prefecture began in 1991 when Sabrina Kim, a Canadian-born Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) working in Fujioka, arranged the very first Regina homestay experience for her Japanese students.

This pioneering exchange gave young people the chance to practice English, explore Canadian culture, and form life-long connections.

Fujioka students visiting Regina

Leonard Daniels teaches Grade 8 students Fuka Kikuchi and Manha Ahmed during a
teepee raising at Davin School (Troy Fleece/Regina Leader-Post)

Under the guidance and community leadership of Toshi Shinmura (and later Tomoko Lamb and presently Madoka Otani), the initiative blossomed into the Regina–Fujioka Student Exchange Program (RFSEP) — a reciprocal junior-high exchange where Regina students travel to Fujioka one summer and the following year host Fujioka students in Regina. As part of each exchange, the students stay with host families which provide meaningful and immersive cultural experience.

Over the years, hundreds of families in each city have opened their hearts and homes to welcome the youth into each community. The program continues to operate today as a model for youth-led cultural diplomacy and is officially supported by the City of Fujioka Board of Education, Regina Public, and Regina Catholic School Divisions.

A Cross-Pacific Partnership

The Regina and Fujioka Friendship Committee (RAFFCOM) operates as a sub-committee of the Regina and Japanese Cultural Club Inc. and works to promote grass-roots and cultural exchange activities between Regina, Saskatchewan and Fujioka, Gunma.

Members of the Regina and Fujioka Friendship Agreement (Madoka Otani, Bill Hutchinson, Dan Shier, Andre Boutin-Maloney, Linda Shinmura, Toshi Shinmura)

RAFFCOM works closely with our cohorts and friends in Fujioka on the 藤岡‐リジャイナかけ橋プロジェクト / Fujioka-Regina Kakehashi Project.

Together we have hosted a variety of virtual activities such as Japanese miso making workshops, youth presentations, video message exchange by deaf and hard of hearing classes, Regina Christmas lights tour, game nights, and book readings.

Members of the Fujioka-Regina Kakehashi Project

Grassroots Diplomacy

RAFFCOM has proudly hosted and supported visiting delegations from Fujioka, fostering meaningful cultural exchange and strengthening ties between our cities through warm hospitality and community engagement.

On August 3, 2019, a Mayors from the cities of Regina and Fujioka came together to sign and endorse an official city-to-city Friendship Agreement.

“Given a lot of changes in the world, it could be economic trade that we talk about or engineering exchanges.”
~ Mayor Fougere

Regina Mayor Michael Fougere (left) and Fujioka Mayor Masahiro Arai (right) shake hands after signing an official friendship agreement between the Canadian and Japanese cities. (Daniella Ponticelli/CBC)

The agreement honours decades of goodwill between our communities and the power of international friendship in fostering cultural diplomacy while creating new opportunities for the future.

Regina Mayor Michael Fougere (top left) and Fujioka Mayor Masahiro Arai (top right) singing the official friendship
agreement and the Regina and Fujioka Friendship Committee (bottom) (Japanab, February 2020)

Sharing Stories & Bridging Cultures

In Regina, Japanese-language children’s books were nearly impossible to find, making it difficult for families to pass on language and traditional stories to the next generation.

In Fujioka, English children’s books were equally scarce and costly. Recognizing the opportunity to support each other, the Regina and Fujioka Friendship Committee and the Fujioka–Regina Kakehashi Project partnered to create an International Children’s Book Exchange—helping to address a shared need in both communities.

Gently used children's books are collected in each city and transported across continents by youth participating in both the Regina–Fujioka Student Exchange Program and the Discover Japan Language and Culture Program.

Each student carries a book from their home city to share with their host community—expanding the collection and ensuring the resources and exchange grows with every iteration.

Thanks to this collaborative vision, English children's books now circulate through Fujioka’s elementary schools, while Japanese books are catalogued and housed by the Regina Public Library, making them accessible across Saskatchewan through the Saskatchewan Information Library Services consortium.

This project is preserving cultural heritage and building understanding, one storybook at a time.

Raise the Flags!

In 2025, the cities of Regina and Fujioka pledged to exchange flags and, with hearts full of friendship, raise one another’s banners each year on the anniversary of their pact—an enduring symbol of shared history, respect, and the bridge between two cultures.

City of Regina Flag - Flying in Fujioka

City of Fujioka Flag - Flying in Regina

Global Citizenship

Community members and volunteers from both Regina and Fujioka—especially those dedicated to education, the arts, and cultural exchange—have been the heartbeat of this enduring partnership.

The Regina–Fujioka Friendship Committee (RAFFCOM) continues to nurture this relationship, ensuring it remains vibrant and meaningful in an ever-changing world.

As we look to the future, exciting initiatives such as the development of an international homestay experience and ongoing cultural exchanges reflect a shared commitment to not just sustaining bonds between our cities, but to cultivating a deeper appreciation for global citizenship, diversity, and human connection.

If you’re passionate about intercultural understanding and wish to be part of this growing friendship, we warmly invite you to connect with us. Reach out via email at RAFFCOM@RJCC.CA or come meet us in person at "I Love Regina Day" in August—we’d love to welcome you into the circle of international friendship.

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