The town of Matsuyama-machi has been welcoming students from the Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter School since 1998. This year nine students and two teachers are traveling to experience the extraordinary hospitality and beauty of the region. This small town in located in the prefecture of Yamagata, in northwest Japan. It is part of the Shonai Plains, a rural area of Japan that is known for agricultural products such as pears, apples, cherries, and grapes. Rice fields are maintained through the region, as they have for generations.

The Mogawi River winds through the mountains creating breathtaking views.