A group of Kent-Auburn Tamba, Japan Youth Ambassadors got a good taste of South King County life.

Six students visited Kent and Auburn last week, part of a 10-day cultural and educational exchange – a long-established traditional program celebrated among the cities.

The youth contingent visited the Kent and Auburn city halls, met and exchanged pleasantries and gifts with mayors and other leaders, toured city facilities and viewed other points of interest.

In keeping with the spirit of the program, Tamba-area students stayed with host families in Kent and Auburn for a week filled with activities, including a visit to Seattle and other attractions.

The reciprocating effort is part of a long-standing relationship between the cities. Youth ambassadors from Kent and Auburn experienced Tamba and parts of Japan earlier this summer, staying with host families.

The Kent-Tamba relationship spans a period of more than 40 years. This friendship organization, the Kent-Auburn-Tamba Sister City Association, was established initially to promote annual student exchanges.

At Auburn City Hall Plaza on Aug. 8, the visiting group checked out a police vehicle, hopped on a powerful patrol motorcycle and got the feel of begin handcuffed by an police officer.

Kaeyln Buettner, a junior-to-be at Auburn Riverside High School, has twice visited Tamba. Her family opened their home to a student, Moe Hosotani, last year, and is hosting a chaperone, Hirano Chiharu, this summer.

Buettner said the exchange program is a wonderful opportunity to see another part of the world and experience new friendships. She continues to correspond with Hosotani, who attends a private school in Japan and has expressed a desire to become a nurse or doctor.

“It’s been incredible. … You just get a better understanding of the culture, I mean that’s what I fell in love with to begin with,” Buettner said. “To have the experience of a traditional meal, the setting, waking up (in a different country), just everything … it was really nice to experience that.”