We invite high school students from Indonesia, Australia, and the UAE to Japan, where they will spend one week traveling across the country with Japanese high school students, learning about each other’s cultures and histories as well as deepening their knowledge of Japan.
ISF International Exchange Program invites five high school students and one chaperone from each of Indonesia, Australia, and the UAE to Japan.
Over approximately one week, they travel to various regions with Japanese high school students, deepening exchanges, experiencing each other’s cultures and histories, and learning about Japan from multiple perspectives.
Launched as a new initiative in 2025, the program incorporates university visits to expose participants to cutting-edge research sites and includes daily discussions.
By combining school visits with community tours, it enables participants to appreciate differences in everyday values and approaches to social issues. This practical program is designed to foster personal growth - enhancing understanding of diversity, collaboration skills, and self-direction.
We introduce highlights from our annual ISF International Exchange Program. Click on the images to view the full report.
We visited Professor Hiroya Tanaka’s Recycling Lab at Keio University in Kamakura and heard about the latest trends in resource circulation and the circular economy.
At the lab, collected plastic waste is upcycled with a 3D printer into items such as chairs, benches, and exhibition fixtures.
Professor Tanaka is in charge of the Japan Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, and has been developing the exhibition theme for about five years.
Chairs made from recycled plastic have also been adopted as hands-on exhibits in the pavilion, allowing visitors to touch them.
Afterwards, we visited Kayac Inc., a nearby company, and experienced a “zero-waste” lunch using reusable containers. In the afternoon, we formed mixed teams with one participant from each country and strolled around Kamakura, visiting famous spots and backstreets, deepening our interactions and quickly becoming close.
We traveled to Tsuruoka-city by Shinkansen and, at the Science Park, heard a wide-ranging talk from Professor Kazuharu Arakawa of Keio University’s Institute for Advanced Biosciences about artificial spider silk - expected to spark a materials revolution - covering its structure, applications, and challenges for social implementation.
On the 26th, after a lecture on ‘Tsuruoka’s Urban and Food Culture’ to learn about its history and natural features, we moved to Gyokusenji Temple. We learned the methods and mindset of Zazen through from the chief priest and experienced seated meditation. We enjoyed Shojin cuisine and matcha, and admired a garden with roughly 350 years of history. We then studied the origins and beliefs of Shugendo and its relationship with nature at the Ideha Cultural Memorial Hall, walked the approach to Mount Haguro, and visited the National Treasure five-story pagoda.
On the 27th, after visiting Kamo Aquarium - world-renowned for its jellyfish displays - we flew back to Tokyo.
We visited the Ukiyo-e special exhibition at Keio University’s Museum Commons, where we studied the techniques and historical context of Utamaro’s portraits of beauties and Sharaku’s actor prints.
We also learned about publishers’ and printers’ innovations and the connection with Edo era’s entertainment culture, gaining an understanding of the social roles these works fulfilled. Afterwards, we visited Tokyo Metropolitan Hakuo High School and interacted with the tea ceremony club and the Japanese taiko drum club.
We tasted seasonal wagashi and tried preparing matcha ourselves, learning the meaning behind the etiquette. For taiko, everyone picked up drumsticks and attempted a performance. During the campus tour, we saw displays being prepared for the school festival and became increasingly interested in the students’ creativity and ingenuity.
To wrap up the day, we moved to Asakusa for team-based city walks, further deepening our exchanges while exploring the downtown atmosphere, bustling shopping streets, and historic architecture.
On 29 July, we visited INPEX CORPORATION. Two scholarship students supported by ISF - one from Indonesia and one from Australia - shared firsthand how they came to study in Japan and their current lives as international students, which was highly inspiring for students. Afterwards, we split into groups and prepared for the final outcome presentations.
On the 30th, each team presented what they had discovered during their stay in Japan before Mr. Toshiaki Kitamura, President Director of ISF, Foundation members, and scholarship students. We received comments from the accompanying teachers and the scholarship students, as well as Mr. Kitamura’s review and certificates of completion, successfully concluding the entire program.
The high school students experienced a wide range of activities, from cutting-edge technology to traditional culture, and developed the ability to take on challenges as teams across national and linguistic boundaries. It was a fulfilling exchange program where participants’ dedication and smiles truly shone.
