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Sister City delegates visit from Japan

Whistler will have a little help celebrating Canada Day this year with delegates from the resortÕs sister city in Japan.

Three delegates from Karuizawa, WhistlerÕs Sister City since 1999, will be coming for a short stay at the end of June.

Vice Mayor Katsushige Nakajima will lead the Canada Day parade on July 1 with Mayor Hugh OÕReilly.

Takao Toyama, director of tourism and economic development division, and Koki Sato, a staff member in the same division, will ride the parade in a fire truck along with members of the Whistler Fire Rescue Service.

The Japanese delegation will bring roughly 50 photos of Karuizawa for an exhibit at Millennium Place. They are also bringing Kazue Hanazato, a Koto player who will perform at the Town Plaza Gazebo over the long weekend.

A Kato is also known as a Japanese harp and is the instrumental source in traditional Japanese music.

HanazatoÕs performances will take place at the gazebo on July 2 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and on July 3 at 10 a.m.

The photo exhibit will be on display at Millennium Place from July 1 to July 10.

This is the third official visit from Karuizawa although high school students from each town take part in an annual exchange program. Whistler students will be leaving for a whirlwind trip to Karuizawa in early July.