The vibrant colors of the city of Tokyo become prominent in every picture captured by the 10 students traveling from America. They search for the perfect picture that will last a lifetime, each student stands shocked at all of the unfamiliar culture they are witnessing. Although this Japan is so unfamiliar, they venture through the cities and take in all the new information they are learning.

From June 12-21, 2023, students involved in the art program will be traveling to all over Japan. The group will visit many tourist attractions such as Mount Fuji, Hiroshima Park and Kasuga Grand Shrine, and will learn more about Japanese culture. The trip will focus on expanding the knowledge of students in a completely different environment than at home.

“I’ve never traveled out of the United States before,” freshman Kacey Miller said. “Going across the ocean to go learn about and take photos of such an amazing country with so much culture is something that caught my attention quickly. If I go, I’ll be able to go see a lot of famous tourist attractions. It seems like a super fun adventure that I am excited about.” 

The purpose of the trip is for students to take photos and gain perspective on how other people live outside of the United States. The students will visit numerous cities and popular attractions such as Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hakone and Nikko. All the students attending should have a love for photography and curiosity to travel the world. The tour will last a total of 10 days, where the students will learn and capture photos in each city.

“I know we are going to see Osaka Castle in Osaka,” freshman Kaylee Buratto said. “In Tokyo we’re going to see the Meiji Shrine, the Imperial Palace Plaza, the National Museum, and the Asakusa Kannon Temple. In Kyoto we’re going to see many temples, and in Hakone we are going to see the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. I’m just excited to see all the buildings and learn more about Japanese culture.”

The company that is organizing the trip is called “WorldStrides,” which helps students all over the world travel to over 100 countries every year. The trip will include round trip airfare, daily meals, accommodating hotels and more. Students even have the opportunity to earn academic credit by attending the trip. Some activities include visiting schools, learning calligraphy and learning how to make sushi.  The trip will cost approximately $5000 for each student who attends.

“One thing I really like about doing these trips is you go and follow this really cool itinerary, and you really get a good taste of everything,” photography teacher Jessica Davidson said. “This will help you be more comfortable coming back. My first trip going to China was through a trip like this, very organized, but it made me feel a lot more comfortable moving to China. It is an introduction so that you can do it independently or bring family and friends because you are more familiar.”

There will be guides who are multilingual and will help students understand more about Japan. Although the trip is still in the process of being planned, anyone can reach out to Davidson and ask any questions about the trip, A passion for photography and traveling is the only requirement for students, according to Davidson.

“From the trip, I would gain more experience with photography but also a new understanding of the world’s different cultures and how others live in different countries,” Miller said. “I was born and raised in Cedar Park, so it would be a great experience to go out with Ms. Davidson and photography class peers and see what else is out there. It’s hard for me to imagine what is outside of America because I’ve never left.”