Akie Ogiyama, 17, tries to get photos of two alpacas with her cell phone camera. A group of students from Lawrence’s sister city Hiratsuka, Japan, took a tour Monday of Community Living Opportunities Midnight Farm in Eudora.

Students from one of Lawrence’s sister cities got the rare chance to experience Kansas farm life Monday during a visit to Community Living Opportunities Midnight Farm in Eudora.

A miniature mule and goat check out the bag of Masako Tsuruta, of Hiratsuka, as she takes photos.

The 18-member student delegation from Hiratsuka was treated to the full rural experience, spending the day learning about horses, alpacas and the Kansas countryside.

“It’s the first time some of them have seen a horse,” said Mike Strouse, CLO executive director. “Every time it’s the first experience for these guys.”

This is the 20th year the Lawrence Friends of Hiratsuka has hosted Japanese students in Lawrence, but the first time the group has visited the farm, which provides day services for adults and children with developmental disabilities.

In addition to seeing farm life up close, the visit was a chance to meet some of CLO’s clients, who helped host the event.

It’s a chance to see “what we do for our special needs population,” said James Hilliard, president of the friends group. “We try to give them the whole Kansas experience.”

Akira Cowden, a Free State high junior who went to Japan last year as part of the program, was hosting two students in her home this year and said the whole experience has been “amazing.”

Cowden said she was a sad her new Japanese friends were leaving for the airport today, Tuesday but she had fun watching these students learn about her home state.

When the Hiratsuka students, who live in a very urban area in Japan, arrived in Kansas, their first surprise?

“They were amazed at how far you could see,” Cowden said.