After spending a term learning about Australian culture, Dubbo Christian School's three Japanese exchange students injected a little of their own traditions into the school on Monday.
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Erika Umino, Anna Matsubara and Ai Yamanaka are from Dubbo Christian School's sister school Kanto Gakuin High School in Yokohama.
The girls held a 'Taste of Japan' day on Monday where they taught the students about origami, calligraphy and tea ceremonies before they return home on Sunday.
Thirty-one other students from Japan were part of the exchange program, staying for two weeks with Australian host families, but Erika, Ai and Anne were chosen to stay for an extended visit.
Erika said she loved her visit, which included a trip to Taronga Western Plains Zoo and Old Dubbo Gaol.
"I like Australia better than Japan!" she said.
The student said people in Australia were very friendly and it was a country she would definitely be visiting again.
Ai said it was life in the classroom that differed the most from what she was used to in Japan.
"Here, students say their opinion and discuss their opinion; In Japan we listen and copy off the blackboard," Ai said.
She said the use of technology in the classroom such as iPads and tablets was also different compared to her homeland.
Ai said she had made new friends in Dubbo and despite being the only one of the three girls not to have a host sister the same age, said her Year 8 host sister was "very funny and crazy". For Anna, her favourite part of the visit was Australian food, especially Shepard's pie and lemon meringue cheesecake.
Anna said she is part of a tea ceremony club at Kanto Gakuin High School so she taught the students about the traditional ceremony.
She said Japanese green tea is very strong and very bitter so only some of the students liked it.
