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. They must have studied Japanese (but don't have to be fluent) and must live in the Kansas City metro area. As part of the application, students provide an essay, school transcript, and letter of recommendation from a Japanese language teacher or tutor. 

The application for the 2026 student ambassadors will be posted on this page by January 1, 2026 and will be due February 14. If you’re interested in applying for the Student Ambassador Program, but have questions or the application window is closed, please email any questions you have about the program to hoa.japanamericasociety@gmail.com. 

Congratulations to our 2025 Student Ambassadors!

Matthew Garza, Elise Martin, and Jeffrey Watts traveled to Kurashiki in July 2025 to represent the Kansas City area, the Heart of America Japan-America Society, and the United States. We were 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 visited Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, and Miyajima. You can read about their adventures in their essays below.

     

  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