TOMODACHI Southern California-Fukushima Youth Cultural Exchange Program
Note: We cannot show their faces due to privacy concerns as these children are in sensitive situations.
2016 TOMODACHI Southern California-Sendai Youth Cultural Exchange Program
From July 22 to August 2, 2016, the TOMODACHI South California-Sendai Exchange Program took six high school students from Sendai City to Los Angeles, California to partake in homestays. They attained new cross-cultural experiences from host families, which will be a physical and mental break from their realities in Japan. Read More>>
2015 TOMODACHI Southern California-Fukushima Youth Cultural Exchange Program
From July 19-29, 2015, eight Japanese middle school and high school students from a children’s home in Fukushima traveled to Los Angeles, California to get a mental and physical break from their realities in Japan. Read More>>
2014 TOMODACHI Southern California-Fukushima Youth Cultural Exchange Program
From July 19-3, 2014, the TOMODACHI South California Fukushima Youth Cultural Exchange Program, implemented by the Japan America Society of South California and supported by the National Association of Japan America Societies (NAJAS) provided the opportunity of a lifetime to eight Japanese middle school and high school students from a children’s home in Fukushima to participate in a cultural exchange program to Los Angeles, California. They took part in homestays, learned about the Japanese American experience at the Japanese American National Museum, and took part in quality cultural immersion experiences through their host families. This program provided a mental and physical break for these orphans from their realities in Japan, and they returned home refreshed and filled with lessons that will inspire them to become successful and contributing members of their communities.
“Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do for Fukushima Aiikuen. It was very touching and emotional to see how important this exchange is for both the host families and for the students themselves. …[I]t’s amazing to see what a lifelong impact this has and will continue to have on each and everyone of the students.”
– Veronica Anderson, Volunteer Diver with the Aquarium of the Pacific
2013 TOMODACHI Southern California-Fukushima Youth Cultural Exchange Program
The Southern California-Fukushima Youth Cultural Exchange Program offered eight middle school and high school Japanese students the opportunity to participate in a cultural exchange program in Los Angeles, California from July 21-30, 2013.
The eight children from Fukushima Aiikuen, an orphanage on the outskirts of the city of Fukushima, served as the home’s first residents to travel abroad in its 120-year history. Douglas G. Erber, President of the Japan America Society of Southern California, spoke about the program in an email noting that “the experience was life-changing for the Japanese children, as well as for the American host families and volunteers [involved].”
In addition to the homestay programs, the students watched the 4th of July Parade, took a trip to the place where dreams come true (Disneyland), and visited Little Tokyo and the Japanese American National Museum where they learned about the Japanese American Experience during World War II.
Program Funding
The program was implemented with the support of the Japan America Society of Southern California, Fukushima Aiikuen, Living Dreams, LA-Nagoya Sister City Affiliation (LANSCA), and with generous donation from the TOMODACHI Fund for Exchanges Donors: Toyota Motor Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation, and Hitachi, Ltd.
