World Campus - Japan Program

When I first signed up for World Campus International, I expected to see a new country. What I didn't expect was to feel so connected to the people and culture in just one week.

Living with a host family completely changed the experience. Instead of feeling like a tourist, I got to experience what daily life in Japan is really like. My host family was incredibly welcoming, and despite the language differences, we always found ways to communicate, laugh, and make great memories together.

The program also did an amazing job of balancing cultural activities with opportunities to connect with the local community. Whether we were planting rice, visiting schools, exploring shrines, learning about local traditions, or spending time with residents, every day offered something different. These experiences helped me appreciate Japanese culture in a way that I never could have through books or videos.

If you're looking for more than just a trip, this is it. You'll step outside your comfort zone, gain a new perspective, and create memories that stay with you long after you return home. I'm incredibly grateful for this opportunity and would recommend World Campus International to anyone who wants a genuine cultural exchange experience.

I found this program from this very website, and felt inspired by the way so many people found themselves changed for the better in all sorts of ways. As much as is in you to believe a random internet person, believe me when I tell you this is a wonderful program which you will adore and find yourself deeply changed by.

I made deep connections with my host families, with the staff, and with my fellow participants in ways that I could never have expected. I love this program with my whole heart.

World campus got recommended to me by a friend, I signed up and attended session 2. I have enjoyed my hostfamilies a whole lot, so much so that i have already planned to visit them after World Campus. There are not many places that made me feel as happy as World Campus did, be prepared to cry when leaving your host families.

I came into the homestay program a little nervous what to expect and if I would even enjoy it. However on the first night when I was assigned my family and walking up to greet them I know that I would love every second of it. I truly can not express in this review how dear to me my host family is. Every night we sat down at the dinner table I felt like one of their own children and I am sincerely grateful for everything they shared with me. I had travelled around Japan for 2 weeks with prior with the Shirane Foundation and experience the culture of Japan for a touristy perspective but this homestay opened me up to see the true beauty of Japan in a way very few visitor get to see. From the simple thing of the unique bathroom to the everyday mannerism. All in all this review does not give justice to the wonderful experience I had and the amazing people I had the honor of meeting and share a few days of my life with.

My World Campus International experience was the most unique experience of my entire life. Staying with a host family for the first time while it was also my first time going to Japan made me very nervous. I was unsure of what to expect and unsure of what activities I was going to do with World Campus International. I was essentially going in blind. However, after getting to know my host family and other WCI participants my nervousness quickly faded away. The hospitality shown to me by my host family and other participants is what made my experience so great.
Furthermore, the activities we did allowed me to broaden my horizon to a lot of aspects of Japanese culture. For example, going to an OSEN (Japanese Bath House) was the most relaxing experience of my life. I never thought I would actually go into one but I ended up thinking, I might as well do it since I am here. It was absolutely magnificent. Another activity I loved was going to see what a day of Junior- High school in Japan is like. As a student myself, I really enjoyed meeting so many new people. They were interested in learning about us , just as much as we were interested in learning about them. I made a lot of new friends that I even still talk to today - weeks after the experience.So, It was great to make those relationships.
Overall, I came into this experience completely unsure of how it would go and I came out of this experience more than satisfied with this invaluable experience. I heavily recommend this program. You learn a tremendous amount about Japanese culture, you build a lot of connections with locals, it is extremely beautiful everywhere you go, and it is an amazing culture shock for people traveling out of their country for the first time.
Thank you World Campus International for making my experience so great!

Thanks to my experience with World Campus Japan I created life-long connections, not only with the other participants, but also with the local Japanese communities encountered during the trip. The constant and active cultural exchange is what makes this program deeply unique. On the one hand, the fellow participants and staff members all proved to be caring, responsible, interesting, and like-minded people, and therefore enabled me to feel safe and at home, despite being on the other side of the world. On the other, the Japanese host families revealed their kindness and availability, by welcoming us all in their lives and treating us like family. The days were all full of stimulating activities, and their variety allowed us to experience the Japanese culture in all its aspects. It is for these reasons that I wholeheartedly recommend this program to anyone who is looking for a way to familiarize with Japan, its people, language, landscape, and traditions. The amount of gratitude (mixed with a lot of nostalgia) I felt after completing the program further highlighted the impact it had in my life. I will never forget my days in Japan with World Campus.

The entire experience was incredible. The stay in Isa City was incredibly enjoyable, and the families we met there were incredibly welcoming and friendly. The activities we participated in, such as rice planting, were enjoyable. I appreciate the program’s emphasis on stepping out of one’s comfort zone and trying new things. The staff is good at getting things done and working with you to make sure you feel safe. All activities we did were super fun. At the end of the home stay we put on a good show to the City of Isa. I would recommend for those who want to experience the Japanese culture.

It was so fun doing this program, everything that we did within a week would be something that I would do within 1 year!! Everyone was super funny and nice, it definitely made my Japan experience way better. I was also able to use the public bath in Japan and it was so relaxing, me and my friends would go to the cold water then a hot room and it made me so relaxed and I was able to enjoy the rest of my trip there in Isa city where world campus stayed at for the first session.

Overall, very fun experience.