COLUMBUS, Ind., Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026 – Columbus City Hall was buzzing with excitement Thursday as 18 students from Miyoshi-Minami Junior High School in Miyoshi, Japan, arrived for a tour and a firsthand look at city government as part of the long-standing sister‑city exchange.

Executive Assistant to the Mayor Nancy Wagner welcomed the group outside City Hall and led them to a conference room, where she offered a brief history of the building. She then introduced Columbus Mayor Mary Ferdon, who greeted the students and asked how long they had been in Columbus and whether there was any food they hoped to try during their stay.

The students answered enthusiastically: big hamburgers, pizza and funnel cakes. Mayor Ferdon assured them the first two would be easy to find. Funnel cakes, she admitted, might take a bit more searching.

To commemorate the visit, Mayor Ferdon and Yoko Hasegawa, of the Miyoshi City Board of Education, exchanged gifts. The students also received gift bags filled with items from the City of Columbus, the Columbus Fire Department and the Columbus Police Department.

From there, Wagner guided the delegation through City Hall, with their first stop being council chambers. The students provided a welcome interruption and burst of energy to ongoing city budget presentations. As Wagner pointed upward to describe the William T. Wiley History & Mystery of Columbus painting that adorns the ceiling above the chambers, the students, almost in unison, pulled out their phones and digital devices to capture photos of the colorful artwork. City council members in attendance paused their work to greet the students, and happily posed for a group photo.

After that, Wagner guided the delegation through City Hall, stopping at key departments. At the planning department, Assistant Planning Director Melissa Begley offered a quick overview of how city planning shapes Columbus’s growth and development.

Following the tour, the students enjoyed cookies and lemonade before heading to the Columbus Police Department for a behind-the-scenes visit with Lt. Skylar Berry. Lt. Berry explained how the department is organized and walked the group through several functions. The biggest surprise came when students were allowed inside the department’s no-longer-used temporary holding cell, instantly turning the space into a favorite photo spot.

Outside, Berry invited the students to climb into his police cruiser and turn on the lights and sirens, prompting another round of excited photos and smiles.

The Miyoshi group will spend eight days in Columbus, staying with host families throughout the community. Along with the 18 students, the delegation includes Miyoshi-Minami Junior High School Principal Hioki Mutsuchika and Hasegawa from the Miyoshi City Board of Education.

The visit continues a tradition that began in 1994, when Columbus and Miyoshi formalized their sister‑city relationship. Annual student exchanges, cultural programs and community visits have strengthened the bond over the years, with contributions ranging from cherry trees planted throughout Columbus to bricks lining the downtown Friendship Alley.

Thursday’s visit added another vibrant chapter to the partnership, filled with history, civic lessons, lights and sirens, and plenty of kid‑powered enthusiasm.