Have you ever wanted to participate in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony? Or explore Tokyo’s famed shopping districts? Now’s your chance to experience Japan when Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania hosts a trip to the nation in the summer of 2026.

Although the dates are still being finalized, the trip will occur sometime in mid-June through early July, said Brynne Hall, Program Coordinator-Girl Leadership for Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania.

Travelers will experience Osaka, Kyoto, the Takayama region, Kanazawa, and Tokyo. Experiences on the trip will include visiting several historic shrines and temples, trying Zen meditation, creating gold-leaf chopsticks, visiting a local arcade, and much more.

“This trip will take girls literally to the other side of the world,” Hall said. She emphasized the travelers will discover the vast differences between Japanese and western culture. The trip will provide opportunities to explore Japan’s rich history and the country’s current tech-forward society.

Participation is open to Girl Scouts going into sixth grade at the time of the trip through anyone graduating in the summer of 2026. Any adults traveling need to be affiliated with a student traveler, with no more than one adult per Girl Scout attending.

“Many girls are choosing to travel without their parent or adult with them, allowing for the stronger sense of independence and meeting other Girl Scouts they would not have met otherwise,” Hall shared. “We also give them free-time opportunities to get to choose how they explore Japan and become confident in their abilities to communicate and make decisions.”

To determine the destination for the trip, the council surveyed previous travelers as well as those headed to Iceland with the council this summer.

“Japan was the No. 1 requested location,” Hall said. She added that feedback indicates Japan and Japanese culture is a high interest point for middle and high school students.

To prepare girls for the trip, the council will host several Zoom calls, beginning about 16 months before departure and continuing in frequency as the trip date approaches. Travelers will also meet in person prior to the trip to get to know each other in a safe, casual environment, Hall said.

Hall also suggests that families learn more about the destination by watching movies and travel shows about the culture, practicing basic words and phrases in the local language together, and trying recipes or restaurants offering Japanese cuisine.

She encourages girls to step out of their comfort zones to experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in a safe and supervised manner.

“Most of our travelers make deep friendships on the trip,” she said, “so if you want to meet new friends, this is a great way to do so!”

To learn more about the trip to Japan, visit www.eftours.com/2804947HC.