Journey to Japan


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about my venture

Hey there,

My name's Kenneth and I have a one in a lifetime opportunity, and I need you're help. How many times are you able to visit to Japan independently to study the culture, history, and much more? Not very often. With 'People To People' I will be able to travel to Japan for fourteen days and learn about their culture, history, and modern living. Not only that, but I will also be invited into the home of Japanese locals to be able to learn about the everyday life of the Japanese people. This trip would be a life-changing and eye-opening experience that will send me along with other students to learn about Japan. Because I will be traveling independently, it will give me the opportunity to grow and mature as I learn to make decisions for myself just about eight thousand miles away from home. 

Doesn't it sound just amazing? I know it does, but this amazingness comes at a whopping price of $6,500! Even though this is far more than I could ever attempt to afford, it hasn't put a damper on my spirits. I'm planning to set up ways to earn money such as dog walking, bake sales, and setting up gigs on Fiverr. Here is the link to my Fiverr page if you'd be interested in purchasing one of my gigs: http://fiverr.com/appmaniac. 

Unfortunately, this still probably wont cover the enormous price tag. It's very hard to ask for donations from friends and family, especially in the times we're in now. So I've decided, if you'd like to donate to this thirteen year old's trip of a lifetime, great go right ahead! But if you are one of the many that wont be able to donate, don't sweat it, just your support is enough for me. Remember, every penny counts, so whether you're donation is $50 or $0.50, it will still help me reach my goal. I have incentives for you to donate, such as gifts for different donation amounts, which I think is listed someone on the page.

Thanks for reading!

Want to know more about my trip? The activities are listed below~

Tokyo, Japan

  • Receive an official briefing as an Ambassador from a tsunami relief worker or first responder.
  • Drive to majestic Mt. Fuji, and then hike the area to take in extraordinary views.
  • Explore the funky fashions of the Harajuku district.
  • Learn the art of food preparation in Japan, and cook a meal at your table as you enjoy shabu-shabu (the Japanese version of a hot pot cooking).
  • Travel at 185 mph in the bullet train, which has carried commuters through Japan for more than 40 years.
  • Stroll the grounds of the Imperial Palace Plaza, and stop for a photo at the famous Nijubashi Bridge
  • View the city from high above the busy streets when you explore the observation deck of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government offices.
  • Join the recovery effort and help the people of Japan through a local service project.

Takayama, Japan

  • Experience Hida Folk Village, a reconstructed farming village complete with rice paddies and thatched-roof homes. See how ancient villagers created folk art and witness experts practicing traditional crafts such as lacquerwork, weaving, and dyeing.
  • Meet and mix with the locals as you visit the morning markets, where villagers chat and barter for trees, flowers, and vegetables as they have done for centuries.
  • See the iconic rice paddies and lush gardens that are hallmarks of Japan.
  • Interact with your warm and friendly host family during a stay in a home or minshuku (bed and breakfast). You can expect a grand welcome from your host community—they love to meet Student Ambassadors!

Gifu, Japan

  • Witness the time-honored profession of fishing with cormorant birds. While more modern means of fishing are available, this style of fishing is considered an art form and is still used today.
  • Receive an Ambassadorial welcome from a local community.
  • Steep yourself in Japanese culture at one of the local hot springs that make Gifu a popular vacation destination.

Hiroshima, Japan

  • Visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and park dedicated to remembering the devastation of the atom bomb detonation on August 6, 1945. Nearly half the city's population died as a result.
  • Try your hand at origami as you fold paper cranes for the memorial to Sadako Sasaki, a young girl who developed leukemia after the atom bomb dropped.
  • Taste okonomiyaki, the Japanese pizza that is a specialty of Hiroshima—and learn to make it yourself.
  • Explore the sacred Shinto island of Miyajima, which the ancients worshipped as a god, and learn why any activity considered unclean (from tilling the ground to dying) was once prohibited there.

Kyoto, Japan

  • Gain insight into the Japanese art of anime by getting to know students studying this art form.
  • Discover the traditional Japanese arts of calligraphy, tea ceremony etiquette, or dance.
  • Visit the geisha district to glimpse the clash of tradition and modernism in Japan.
  • Learn about the mysteries of Shinto or Buddhism through speaking with a Japanese priest.
  • Learn to cook Japanese-style barbecue on your own with guidance from an expert.
  • Watch the sun glimmer on the gold-leaf walls of the Golden Pavilion at the temple at Rokuon-ji.

~Kenny

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  • elevator pitch

    The money will go towards my 'People To People' trip as I venture to Japan. Read my description for a more in-depth description.

  • backer rewards

  • Personalized Thank-You Card/Origami Cranes

    For donating just one dollar or more, I will send you a personalized thank-you card and origami cranes to go along with my Japanese theme.

    0 backers

    $1.00+ pledge

  • personalized thank-you card/Japanese candy

    For donating $25.00 or more, I will send you a personalized thank-you card along with Japanese candy to go along with the Japanese theme.

    0 backers

    $25.00+ pledge

  • personalized thank-you card/Japanese candy and snack pack

    For a donation of $50.00 or more, I will send you a personalized thank-you card, and a pack full of Japanese candy and snacks to go along with my Japanese theme.

    0 backers

    $50.00+ pledge

  • Personalized thank-you card/Japanese candy, snack, and tea pack

    For your donation of $100.00 or more, I will send you a personalized thank-you card along with a Japanese candy, snack, and tea pack to go along with my Japanese theme.

    0 backers

    $100.00+ pledge

  • personalized thank-you card/$50 card to P.F. Changs

    With your donation of $500.00, I will send you a personalized thank-you card and a $50 P.F. Changs card to go along with my Japanese theme.

    0 backers

    $500.00+ pledge

  • personalized thank-you card/$50 P.F. Changs Card/Origami Cranes/Japanese Candy, snack, and tea pack

    With your donation of $1000.00 or more, I will send you a personalized thank-you card, $50 P.F. Changs card, origami cranes, and a Japanese candy, snack, and tea pack to go along with my Japanese theme.

    0 backers

    $1,000.00+ pledge
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about entrepreneur

Kenneth Preston

Dreamer