Japan Trip - Summer 2026
This summer big field travel hosted 25 students on an exchange trip that lasted from June 21st to July 22nd. This 30 day trip was full of
Here is a Google Maps link that tracks the different locations we visited throughout our month-long trip.
Fukushima
Our adventure began in Fukushima, where students visited the Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum in Iwaki. Students interacted with Professor Suzuki, a permanent researcher with a PhD in Human Sciences at the Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum. She has studied the support and resilience of children affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake for many years. On March 11th of this year, she published “Disaster and Child Development: Support and Resilience Learned from the Great East Japan Earthquake” with Akashi Shoten. Reflecting on the disaster response firsthand helped students cultivate deep empathy and draw inspiration from the incredible strength shown by the local community during recovery. In addition we stayed at the Nakoso Onsen Resort as they assisted us in navigating our day to day activities!
Toyama
Next, we traveled to Toyama for a 6-day international program: the 2026 High School Manga & Art International Forum in Takaoka. Warmly welcomed by Kazuya Kometani and the staff at Takaoka Ryukoku High School, our students joined peers from the United States (Walt Whitman High School) and Mongolia (Erdmiin Undraal School) for a homestay and collaborative forum under the theme "Let's draw the future. Let me connect with the world."
Throughout the forum, students engaged in:
Illustration Workshops: Learning portrait sketching with world-renowned caricaturist Mr. Takashi Yamazaki.
Musical Exchange: Experiencing international music with DJ Tatezuka 2000.
School & Cultural Immersion: Participating in joint classroom activities, club sessions, and collaborative artwork creation to draw the world’s "MIRAI" (future) together.
Students left in tears after developing strong friendships that will hopefully last beyond this trip. The staff organized an amazing event and had the students thoroughly entertained.
Kyoto
In Kyoto, our group embarked on an inspiring journey through Japan’s rich history and cultural heritage. Guided by David Hughes to whom we extend our deepest gratitude, students visited important cultural sites like Golden Pavillion (Kinkaku-ji), Kiyomizu-Dera Temple, Nijō Castle, Sanjūsangen-dō Temple, and Fushimi-Inari Taisha. Later, students roleplayed in traditional Edo-style outfits and makeup on the movie sets at Uzumasa Kyoto Village Studio Park. Before leaving Kyoto, our group made sure to befriend some local wildlife atop Mount Arashiyama at the Iwatayama Monkey Park.
We also learned to make soba at Arimafujikyosei Center with expert soba noodle makers. A reporter from Yomiuri Shimbun even visited to interview students and report on the trip.
Osaka
In Osaka, Guided by Shoto-san, students immersed themselves in the city’s lively energy and rich performing arts traditions. In the vibrant district of Dotonbori, the group participated in a dynamic cultural workshop centered on Rakugo, traditional Japanese comic storytelling. Students discovered stage audio techniques, took to the stage for a hands-on storytelling experience, witnessed a Nankin Tamasudare (woven mat) performance, and concluded with an interactive live Taiko drum demonstration—blending hands-on learning with the legendary warmth and energy of Osaka. The Rakugo performance incorporated language learning by teaching our group some Japanese words and phrases, and it allowed our students to share the many languages that they spoke, such as French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Russian, and Chinese.
Shimonoseki
Following Osaka, our group traveled south to Shimonoseki, where students were warmly welcomed into the homes of local host families. Throughout their stay, students experienced daily life alongside their host parents, exploring multiple cultural and historical landmarks across the city, visiting local shrines, and taking in views from the iconic Kanmon Bridge. The homestay featured memorable community gatherings including launching fireworks under the evening sky and a special school arts appreciation event at Shimonoseki Civic Hall featuring a live performance by the Japan Century Symphony Orchestra.
Our students were invited for this event and heard the classical music performance as well Hayatomo Gakuen’s Brassband performance in which they were given a very special practice & lesson with the professional musicians. Their performance was very impressive. They welcomed us with a rendition of John Phillip Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever.”
The administrators of Hayatomo Gakuen invited the 4 chaperones to a traditional Japanese dinner with the view of KanMon Bridge.
On the way back, we visited the peace memorial at Hiroshima and took the ferry to Miyajima Island.
Tokyo
In the last portion of our trip we stayed in Ueno Youth Hostel in Tokyo for eight days. Students attended a college visit to Temple University Japan, where they were presented with the option to consider continuing their education in Japan after high school. They also watched a live Kabuki performance at Ota Kumin Hall Aprico, where the performers taught the audience about the elements of Kabuki.
with iconic local landmarks and a formal visit to the National Diet Building, Meiji Jingu Shrine, Nakamise Shopping Street in Asakusa, retro video game stores in Akihabara Electric Town, and Namja Town Amusement Park in Sunshine City.
One culinary highlight of Tokyo was a short apprenticeship at Tokyo Sushi School, where students learned to make nigiri-sushi with (name of sushi chef). We learned how the perfect rice ball needs to weigh 15 grams, and he impressed us with his ability to determine the weight of any rice ball just by looking at it.
During our Tokyo program, 20 students ascended to the top of Mt. Fuji. They spent one short night at 8th station, waking up at 1:45 AM to finish the hike in the dark before seeing the sunrise at the summit. Everybody made a safe trip and accomplished this program.
On our final night in Tokyo, the students attended a Yakult Swallows baseball game as distinguished guests of former Takaoka-Ryokoku student, who now plays for the Swallows.
