Congratulations to our 2026 Student Ambassadors!  

Charlie Earl and Addie Maturey have been selected to travel to Kurashiki in July 2026 to represent the Kansas City area, the Heart of America Japan-America Society, and the United States. We are excited to provide these students the opportunity to experience homestays with families in our beloved sister city! In addition to 2 homestays in Kurashiki, the students will visit Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, and Miyajima. Join us at the September general meeting to hear more about their adventures.  

Interested in learning more about the program? See About Our Program below and read essays from our 2025 student ambassadors. 

If you're interested in applying for the program in the future, watch this webpage for more information in December 2026. For questions in the meantime, contact us. 

About Our Program

Since 1972, the Heart of America Japan-America Society and the city of Kansas City, Missouri have engaged in a Sister City Program with the beautiful city of Kurashiki, Japan. Since 1981, our members have helped sponsor over 80 American high school students in a summer homestay program in Kurashiki.

These “Student Ambassadors” are high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors who represent the Heart of America Japan-America Society, the Kansas City area, and the United States. Note that the program is for students with an interest in Japan and its language and culture. Students do not need to speak Japanese. They must live in the Kansas City metro area (Lawrence, KS is included). As part of the application, students provide an essay, school transcript, and letter of recommendation from a teacher (Japanese language teacher or tutor if studying Japanese). 

Congratulations to our 2025 Student Ambassadors!

     

  2025 Student Ambassadors (left to right): Jeffrey Kazuo Watts, Matthew Garza, and Elise Martin, in Kansas City and being welcomed in Kurashiki!

Read about our 2025 Student Ambassadors' adventures in their post-trip essays here:

                                    Jeffrey Watts     Matthew Garza      Elise Martin