Del Norte High School students greet their Japanese counterparts on Sunday. The students are part of a delegation to visit Crescent City from Rikuzentakata, Japan. Photo: Jessica Cejnar

Scores of Del Norters — including Sasquatch himself — welcomed friends from across the ocean Sunday evening.

Filmed by NBC Sports and encouraged by producer David Picker, teachers, students, the business community and dozens of other residents cheered and waved U.S. and Japanese flags when the delegation from Rikuzentakata arrived at the Del Norte Regional Airport.

Five students from the Del Norte’s sister city in Japan were greeted by their host families before getting to know their American counterparts over pizza.

A second delegation of 35 adults stepped into the terminal to be greeted by Crescent City Mayor Blake Inscore, Del Norte County District 3 Supervisor Chris Howard, Board Chairwoman Lori Cowan and City Councilors Heidi Kime and Alex Fallman. Each delegate received a high five from Sasquatch.

“We give you back our strong determination to continue our mutual relationship for the future,” said Kiyoshi Murakami, senior executive advisor to the City of Rikuzentakata, who was the first to greet Del Norte County elected officials.

A delegate from Rikuzentakata high fives Sasquatch upon landing at the Del Norte County Airport on Sunday. Photo: Jessica Cejnar

The visit comes ahead of a feature story NBC Sports is expected to air during the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo on the sister city relationship between the two communities, along with its origins.

The latest cultural exchange is being funded through a $150,000 grant from the U.S. Embassy, Del Norte Unified School District Superintendent Jeff Harris told the Wild Rivers Outpost in November.

This cultural exchange will include a series of workshops on women leaders in business, healthcare and government. The Japanese students will spend most of their time at Del Norte High School.

The delegate also includes 12-13 principals and teachers from Rikuzentakata and nearby Ichinoseki. They will explore teaching models used in Del Norte County that focus on inclusion and working with students who have experienced trauma, according to Harris.

The consul general of Japan will also visit Crescent City from San Francisco and address the delegation at 9 a.m. Monday at the Flynn Center.

Other activities this week include a country Christmas barbecue at the Cultural Center on Tuesday and a traditional Christmas dinner on Wednesday at the Tolowa Event Center in Smith River.

On Sunday, before the visitors shed their luggage and were treated to a dinner of pumpkin curry soup, courtesy of the Del Norte Sunrise Rotary Club, Inscore echoed Murakami’s words of welcome.

Kiyoshi Murakami, senior executive for Rikuzentakata, greets Crescent City Councilor Heidi Kime just after landing at Del Norte County Airport on Sunday. Photo: Jessica Cejnar

“It’s an exciting time for both communities,” he said. “It’s a relationship built on tragedy, but our relationship moves forward with hope. Let’s have a wonderful time together.”

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