Clark College - Study Abroad
Japan: Community, Society & Care
July 15-28, 2026
Faculty Leaders:
Jennifer Obbard, jobbard@clark.edu
Max Borg, mborg@clark.edu
Next Information Session: November 18, 2025 (where)
Program Summary
The two-week program in Japan offers students a multidisciplinary exploration of technology, aging, and culture across several major cities. Beginning in Tokyo, the group will visit a cutting edge robotics lab, engage in community based learning with a local nonprofit and a nursing home, Then traveling to Kumamoto students will explore cultural landmarks like Kumamoto Castle and Takachiho Gorge before continuing to Kyoto, where they experience traditional practices such as Kendo, traditional cooking, and tea ceremony, and visit institutions including the Kyoto City Council of Elderly Welfare and Okayama University. Academic themes of robotics, elder care, and disaster resilience are woven throughout, with site visits to the Great Hanshin Earthquake Memorial and discussions on robotics in Japanese society. The program concludes back in Tokyo with free time and a farewell dinner, offering students both cultural enrichment and professional insights into Japan’s innovative approaches to aging and technology.
Deadline to register: (when)
Program Itinerary
Day 1 Jul-15 Wed Tokyo
Afternoon arrival
Independent transfer to lodging with instructions
Orientation on health, safety and logistics
Welcome dinner at a traditional Japanese izakaya or yakiniku restaurant, informal and lively eatery with a variety of food
Day 2 Jul-16 Thurs Tokyo
Walking Tour of Tokyo:
Shimokitazawa - known for its street art and vintage boutiques
Harajuku - one of the most famous streets in Tokyo, a place to see and be seen, especially for street fashion
Shibuya - home of the world’s busiest pedestrian intersection and vibrant screen scenes
Visit to Cyberdyne, a leading wearable robotics manufacturer, to learn about innovation in this technology in the context of care for the elderly and nursing home patients.
Day 3 Jul-17 Fri Tokyo
Meeting with RePrint Project staff. RePrint is an initiative in which the elderly read books to school children in an effort to reduce isolation and increase intergenerational interaction.
Visit Shintomi Nursing Home, one of the most innovative nursing homes in Tokyo. Shintomi uses a variety of robots to support nurses in care for residents
Tour of the facility with a focus on robotic support
Students will have a chance to interact with residents in a fun and meaningful way
Day 4 Jul-18 Sat Tokyo - Kumamoto
Morning flight to Kumamoto from Tokyo
Leave bags in the hotel
Kumamoto Castle, a historic Japanese fortress known for its impressive architecture, rich samurai history, and resilience, having undergone restoration after the 2016 earthquake
Suizenji Jojuen Garden, Japanese garden in Kumamoto, designed to represent the Tokaido Road with miniature scenic views, including a small Mount Fuji
Day 5 Jul-19 Sun Kumamoto
Half-day excursion to explore Takachiho Gorge, a natural wonder in Miyazaki Prefecture, featuring steep basalt cliffs, lush greenery, and the Manai Falls cascading into the emerald waters below
Free time to explore Kumamoto
Day 6 Jul-20 Mon Kumamoto - Kyoto
Morning flight to Osaka
Public transfer to Kyoto, the ancient capital, and a center of classical Japanese culture, with significant Buddhist and Shinto religious sites, and a deep influence on traditional arts, including the tea ceremony
Kendo class - an immersive experience in the traditional Japanese martial art of swordsmanship, emphasizing discipline, technique, and the spirit of bushido.
Day 7 Jul-21 Tue Kyoto
Engagement with Kyoto City Council of Elderly Welfare, a local nonprofit that aims to fill local residents' lives with dignity and hope.
The nature of the interaction will be determined closer to the dates of travel.
Free time to explore Kyoto
Day 8 Jul-22 Wed Kyoto
Breakfast at lodging
Transfer by bullet train to Okayama
Visit Okayama University, Nursing department (TBC)
the purpose of the visit would be to learn about humanitude in Nursing. Humanitude has been introduced in some nursing homes to improve elderly well-being and reduce caregiver burnout
Robotics in caregiving (e.g. PARO, Pepper) helps support social and emotional needs
1-hour transfer back to Kyoto
Independent dinner
Day 9 Jul-23 Thurs Kyoto
Breakfast at lodging
Visit a facility that uses robots in daily life (TBC)
e.g. Kodaiji Temple, where a robot priest named Mindar delivers Buddhist sermons, blending tradition with cutting-edge technology to explore the future of spiritual practice
Day 10 Jul-24 Fri Kyoto
Breakfast at hotel
Travel to Kobe
Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Memorial
the museum includes a large screen theater with realistic images of the earthquake's destructiveness, a documentary film about the recovery process, lots of information about the earthquake and various interactive games about disaster prevention
Time to explore Kobe before returning to Kyoto
Day 11 Jul-25 Sat Kyoto
Traditional Japanese cooking master class with a veteran chef focused on ramen, sweets or another important Japanese dish.
Kimono Tea Ceremony
Students will receive a cultural and historical insight to Japan during a tea preparation ceremony while wearing traditional kimonos
Prepare and sample matcha green tea, a local specialty
Free time for shopping in Higashiyama, an area famous for souvenir shops
Day 12 Jul-26 Sun Kyoto
Visit the Fushimi Inari-Taisha, one of the most important Shinto shrine complexes in Japan
The main complex preludes a long mountain trail lined with 10,000 torii gates.
Students will have the option to hike a part or the whole complex for a challenging yet spiritually uplifting experience.
Independent lunch
Free time & reflection activity
Independent dinner
Day 13 Mon Kyoto - Tokyo
Breakfast at lodging
Bullet train to Tokyo (3 hr)
Free time in Tokyo
Farewell dinner in a fun and modern restaurant
Day 14 Tue Tokyo
Departure
Additional Details
Cost: $4,190
Includes
Domestic airfare within Japan
All lodging as described in the lodging section
All ground transportation using public transport as described in the itinerary
All activities described in itinerary, including entrance fees when applicable
Welcome and farewell dinner with one non-alcoholic drink per student
All activities described in itinerary, including entrance fees when applicable
Carbon offset for air travel
Guide/translator with the group the entire trip from airport pickup to drop-off
24-hour emergency support
Excludes
International airfare
Travel interruption and medical insurance (highly recommended)
Emergency medical insurance (required)
Activities and meals not described in itinerary
Payment Timeline
ASAP after registration: $300 non-refundable deposit to secure place on program. Program is reserved on a first-come first-served basis. Make your deposit today! Program will close if it fills up.
March 15, 2026: $500 non-refudable 2nd deposit
April 15, 2026: $3,390 balance amount
We highly recommend travel insurance for cancellation and interruption. We require all participants to have travel medical insurance. The two policies can be combined and can be purchased at www.squaremouth.com.
Cancellation Policy
If you cancel after…
February 15, 2026 - we retain $300 deposit
March 15, 2026 - we retain $800 deposit
April 15, 2026 - we retain 50% of fee
June 15, 2026, or during program - No refund
We recommend all participants to purchase travel insurance with cancellation and interruption coverage, which can be purchased at www.squaremouth.com
Passports
If you don’t have a passport valid through December 2026 please submit a passport application now. The processing takes much longer than indicated on the Passport website. We recommend expediting it regardless of when you apply.
After registering you will be redirected to make a deposit payment.
Registration Form
Deadline to register (when)
If you wish to make a deposit payment after submitting your registration form you may do so at this link.
Do you have questions?
