I was incredibly fortunate to be selected to go on a Region International trip to Japan in the summer of 2025. It was an amazing experience and I also really enjoyed the prep weekends beforehand, which was great to get to know the girls and leaders I’d be travelling with.
Here are some of the highlights from my trip:
Day trip to Kobe to meet the Girl Scouts.
We made our way on a local train through Osaka and into Kobe where we were met with the Kobe Girl Scouts who had planned a morning for us. We first had an opening ceremony before we each got to put in a summer kimono which was extra special and made me appreciate the culture even more. We then had a tea ceremony where I tried traditional matcha which was surprisingly less bitter than I thought it would be.
We learnt how to hold the bowls whilst we drank. Then we moved onto origami where I made a crane and this required care and precision which I thoroughly enjoyed.
We then were introduced to the Japanese instrument Koto which sounded beautiful and was amazing to see in action. We were then allowed to have a go before doing taps and finishing with a closing ceremony. It was so fun to communicate with other Girl Scouts like us and I felt extra special and proud to be a part of the organisation.
Day trip to Nara
We took a local train to Nara and were immediately met with deer on the pavements which was so cute to see. We also made sure to collect our stamps that we would find at each station and attraction. We then walked along the park and had the opportunity to feed the deer which was so sweet. In Japan the deer bow before they receive food and we would do it back. They were extra keen to eat so it was quite funny at times.
We then went to the tōdai-ji temple which had a huge Buddha inside that was breath taking. We could see the care the Japanese put into worshipping their gods and it was a very peaceful place to be.
Sushi making course in Osaka
I made vegetable sushi and was able to learn all the techniques they use in Japan – I found it especially enjoyable being with all the girls and comparing and sharing what we thought was best. It helped with my learning skills as we followed two teachers and made me more confident around working with food.
Reflections and Thank yous
I had the most amazing time expressing a completely different country and culture and being with the group allowed me to fully immerse myself in the Japanese lifestyle. We were able to do all the things we had originally wanted to do that had been discussed in the prep weekends which made me feel very lucky.
I made friendships for life where we bonded over likes and hobbies and being able to talk about anything with the girls. Also living with them for 2 weeks allowed me to build skills that I’d use in the future especially with moving to university as I’ll be able to communicate better and work as a team to get everything done. The trip also showed me the benefits of looking out for each other as I was able to pick up on cues from people to check if they were okay.
My trip was the best experience and opportunity I could’ve been given and I’ll forever remember the memories that I made! A huge thank you to County, Division and District for your generosity in helping my fund my trip with the Girl Guides. I’m so grateful I got the opportunity to visit one of my dream destinations and learn about the culture and lifestyle.