Japan: Countryside Farms & Samurai Villages

Rustic Pathways maintains a median of one staff member per 4.37 students (4.37:1), with no program exceeding 7 students per staff member (7:1).

New Program Leaders go through a four-month selection process, and every Program Leader holds current CPR and First Aid certification.

The group splits across five or six farm homes in small same-gender groups. Program Leaders live in some of the homes and check in with every student and host family each day.

In Tokyo, Program Leaders are housed on site and available overnight.

Japan is 13 hours ahead of New York in summer.

• After the final scheduled activity of the day, students have their phones.
• Routine help: call +1 440-975-9691, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.
• Emergencies: use the 24/7 number in your pre-departure materials.

If a student has an urgent, medical, or significant personal need during activities, a Program Leader helps them contact home.

MyRustic, the free web-based parent portal, holds your forms, itinerary, travel details, and a moderated daily photo feed.

Most students join on their own, and some join with friends or siblings. Roommate requests are accepted during enrollment for students coming together. Program Leaders run icebreakers on day one, and friendships form quickly.

Cancellations within 24 hours of enrollment receive a refund of all amounts paid to Rustic Pathways.

Cancellations before midnight ET on March 31, 2027, receive a full refund of the program tuition. The enrollment fee and any airfare already booked become non-refundable.

For cancellations after March 31, 2027, see the enrollment terms.

If your family experiences a serious, documented emergency, contact us. We review these situations on a case-by-case basis.

U.S. students can join a chaperoned group flight from Los Angeles to Tokyo and back, with a Rustic Pathways Flight Leader. Families can also book their own flights into and out of Tokyo Narita (NRT), and Program Leaders meet students who fly on their own at the airport.

Before booking independently, ask your Personal Travel Advisor which Tokyo airport and arrival window to use. Flights, including the group flight, are not included in tuition.

Flying independently? See the arrival and departure dates below.

Whichever option you choose, Rustic Pathways staff meet every student at Tokyo airport on the arrival date and see them off on the departure date.

Option 1: the chaperoned group flight

Cost: Chaperoned group flight fee, plus airfare.

• A Rustic Pathways chaperone meets students at Los Angeles (LAX) and flies with the group to Tokyo, and home from Tokyo to Los Angeles (LAX) on the departure date.
• Getting to and from Los Angeles (LAX): Rustic Pathways can book the connecting flights between your home airport and Los Angeles (LAX), or your family can. Students fly that leg on their own, with an airline unaccompanied-minor service if the airline requires one.
• Every student on the group flight pays the chaperoned group flight fee, even if your family books the connecting flights.

Option 2: independent flights with support

Cost: Flight Support Fee, plus airfare.

• You choose the flights and Rustic Pathways books them, into and out of Tokyo.
• Students fly on their own, and you get 24/7 travel support if plans change.

Option 3: book your own flights

Cost: No Rustic Pathways fee, just airfare (for students not on the group flight).

• Your family books and manages the flights, into and out of Tokyo.
• Students fly on their own. Changes and rebooking are between your family and the airline.

Arrival and departure windows

Students who are not on the group flight land within the arrival window and leave within the departure window, about four hours each. Your Personal Travel Advisor shares the exact times before you book. Flights outside the windows carry an additional fee.

Dates on this page run from the day the group flight leaves Los Angeles to the day the group leaves Japan. The group lands in Tokyo the day after it leaves the U.S.

When your student flies independently, book flights that arrive and leave on these dates. Flight times can change, so contact your Personal Travel Advisor before you book.

At Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT). Students spend two nights at a hostel in Tokyo and four nights living with Japanese families in Kakunodate, then return to Tokyo by bullet train for the flight home.

U.S. citizens do not need a visa for a short stay in Japan. Other passports may need one: check your nationality on Japan’s visa-exemption list.

The enrollment fee is a one-time fee, separate from tuition, covering enrollment, pre-departure advising, and trip planning. It begins at $100 and increases closer to the departure date.

The enrollment fee is refundable for cancellations within 24 hours.

Yes. Rustic Pathways offers a 4-Pay payment plan that splits program tuition into four payments over six weeks. This plan is only available for enrollments more than 90 days before departure and only for U.S. bank accounts.

Need-based financial aid and merit scholarships are also available. Explore scholarships and financial aid.

Medical insurance with coverage in Japan is required. Travel insurance is strongly recommended, not required.

Neither is included in program tuition. Rustic Pathways recommends Arch RoamRight: get a quote.

$150 to $200 per week is recommended for shopping, snacks, or souvenirs. Meals, scheduled activities, and gratuities are included in program tuition.

Yes. Students room with same-gender peers in Tokyo and in the homestays.

Personal Travel Advisors review all medical forms and plan with families to manage medication, allergies, and dietary requirements on the program.

Program Leaders are first-aid and CPR certified, and teams keep lists of medical facilities for every major program location.

No fully unsupervised time in public. Free time is structured, with staff nearby and a set meeting point.

Rustic Pathways follows Trip Before Scroll: staff store phones and connected devices securely during daytime programming and hand them back after the final scheduled activity.

Students keep them overnight, subject to quiet-hours and lights-out rules. Travel-day, medical, and accessibility exceptions apply. The farm homestays have Wi-Fi, so students can call home in the evenings.

Rustic Pathways welcomes all students and works with families to provide appropriate support. Learn about Rustic Pathways’ inclusion policy.

The group is limited to 14 students, ages 14 to 18.

Yes. Non-U.S. students can join this program. International students fly to Tokyo to arrive within the designated arrival window for their session.

Rustic Pathways staff meet them at the airport and ensure safe departure within the designated window at the end of the program.

Visa requirements depend on the passport, so ask an advisor.

Students help their host families with farm work, including planting, harvesting, and other agricultural projects. This farm work counts toward 10 hours of community service.

Not demanding, but students walk a lot in Tokyo, work outdoors on the farm, kayak on Lake Tazawa, and take an easy mountain walk. Tokyo is hot and humid in July. Kakunodate can be warm and humid too, but is more mild compared to Tokyo.

Yes. Vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, and other diets, plus common food allergies can be accommodated. Dietary needs and allergy information are collected after enrollment and shared with meal providers and project partners in advance.

Host families cook most meals in the homestays and receive the details too.

No. Leaders and local guides speak English, and students have two Japanese lessons in Tokyo before the homestay. Host families may speak little English, which is part of the experience.

Yes. The itinerary may change due to weather, safety concerns, transportation issues, or site availability. Program Leaders may adjust activities and schedules to keep students safe and ensure a positive program experience.