Applications open for 2026 Wenatchee Valley delegation trip to Misawa, Japan

WENATCHEE — The Wenatchee Valley Misawa Sister City Association is now accepting applications from local residents who want to be part of the 2026 Wenatchee Valley Delegation traveling to Misawa, Japan.

The delegation is scheduled to travel from Sept. 25 through Oct. 4, giving participants the opportunity to participate in cultural exchange activities and experience daily life in Misawa as part of the long-running sister-city relationship.

The cost to participate is $1,000 plus airfare, which typically runs about $1,500, for a total estimated cost per person of about $2,500, according to the association.

Applications are open to adults and youth in 7th grade or older, and the application deadline is Feb. 19. Interested residents can apply online through the association’s website.

Members of last year’s delegation described the experience as memorable and impactful. After the 2025 trip, Wenatchee City Councilmember Travis Hornby said he “felt like a rock star over there,” recalling the warm welcome and special events that marked the visit.

Organizers describe the trip as part of an ongoing relationship between the Wenatchee Valley and Misawa, rooted in shared history and strengthened through regular exchanges between the two communities.

The Wenatchee Valley Misawa Sister City Association’s mission is to promote cultural exchange and strengthen friendship between Misawa, Wenatchee, and East Wenatchee. The relationship is historically tied to the first non-stop trans-Pacific flight, completed in October 1931 by pilots Clyde Pangborn and Hugh Herndon, who flew from Misawa, Japan, to East Wenatchee.

Residents who want more information about the 2026 delegation or the application process can email the association at wenatcheemisawa@gmail.com.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media