Since 1964, the Fullerton Sister City Association (FSCA) has fostered lasting international friendships and cultural connections around the world. This summer, that legacy continued as ten students from the Fullerton Joint Union High School District traveled to Japan as Fullerton’s 2026 Junior Ambassadors.
Mikaela Alarcón, Kraig Karcher, James Lee, Brian Nguyen, Aurora O’Connell Oliver, Seth Rosas, Liliana Sanchez-Pulido, August White, Hudson Young, and Owen Young were selected through a competitive application process. Chosen for their leadership, civic-mindedness, and commitment to serving their community, the students spent eight months preparing for the journey, meeting monthly with chaperones and FSCA board members Nancy Karcher and Jacy Young.
Reflecting on the moment she learned she had been selected, Liliana said, “When I found out I was accepted as a Junior Ambassador, I immediately told my mom and began to look forward to all the new experiences and people I’d meet.”
Throughout their months of preparation, the ambassadors built friendships while learning about Japanese culture, cuisine, customs, and the cities they would visit, including Osaka, Kyoto, Tokyo, and Fullerton’s sister city of Fukui. When it was finally time to leave, they were ready to trade their familiar routines in Fullerton for authentic Japanese daily life. Through temple visits, homestays, and cultural immersion, they gained firsthand insight into what it means to be a global citizen.
Their itinerary included historic landmarks, hands-on cultural experiences, and modern attractions. The ambassadors visited iconic sites including Osaka Castle, Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, Tokyo’s Senso-ji Temple, and Fukui’s Ichijodani Asakura Clan Ruins.
Looking back, James said, “Climbing through the endless torii gates was one of the most rewarding and memorable parts of my trip to Japan. The mountain was so scenic and covered in breathtaking nature.”
Beyond the historic sites, the group wandered through Kyoto’s Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, explored the historic Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka shopping streets, cruised along Osaka’s Dotonbori River, and even braved the famous slide at Tsutenkaku Tower.
The ambassadors also immersed themselves in Japanese culture through a variety of interactive experiences. They crafted personalized chopsticks at the ZEN Japanese Craft Workshop, designed custom cups of ramen at the Cup Noodles Museum, and watched a traditional mochi-pounding demonstration at Nakatanidou. Other highlights included feeding the bowing deer at Nara Park, visiting Iwatayama Monkey Park, exploring the immersive teamLab Biovortex exhibit, shopping at the Pokémon Center, spending a day at Tokyo Disneyland, and touring the four-story flagship Fender Store – a special stop celebrating Fullerton’s connection as the birthplace of the Fender guitar.
For Brian, going to the Pokémon Center was especially meaningful. “Pokémon has always been a really big part of my life. From video games to trading cards, I have always been immersed in this universe, so getting to go to Japan and the Pokémon Center was a dream come true.”
Some of the group’s favorite memories came from simpler moments, such as karaoke at a local venue. August recalled, “Karaoke night was the best. Everyone was able to relax and bond with each other. I also think it showed the uniqueness of Japan. In such a quiet and respectful place, people need to find ways to be loud and express themselves, and karaoke is perfect for that.”
While the sightseeing created unforgettable memories, the heart of the journey was the ambassadors’ time in Fullerton’s sister city of Fukui. There, they stayed with host families, built meaningful friendships with local students and community members, met Mayor Shigeru Saigyo, and experienced everyday life in Japan through home-cooked meals, family traditions, and shared activities. For many students, the homestay became the defining experience of the entire trip.
“Staying with my host family was what I was looking forward to most,” Seth said, a sentiment echoed by many of the Junior Ambassadors.
Aurora admitted she was initially nervous. “I was a little worried about the stay because of the language barrier and whether we’d get along,” she said. “It was so fun getting to know my host family and learning their culture. The homestay turned out to be the highlight of my trip.”
Each host family introduced the ambassadors to different aspects of life in Fukui. Some students visited the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum, while others relaxed at a traditional onsen, crafted handmade paper fans celebrating the region’s 1,500-year papermaking heritage, harvested potatoes, camped along the coast, slept on traditional Japanese floor beds, and made homemade gyoza together.
The homestays also deepened the students’ appreciation for Japanese customs. While sharing meals with his host family, Owen explained, “I learned that before families eat, they say itadakimasu while putting their hands together,” a customary Japanese expression of gratitude.
Hudson found that shared interests helped bridge the language barrier. “Even though the mom spoke English well enough for me to have a conversation with her, the rest of the family wasn’t like that. Because of that, we connected through music, film, and sports. One instance is the movie Whiplash. We also connected with the dad through talking about and watching the World Cup.”
The ambassadors also spent a day with students at Asuwa Daiichi Junior High, playing games, eating together and building friendships through cultural exchange. Their stay concluded with a farewell dinner, where students and host families gathered one last time to celebrate the friendships they had formed before saying goodbye.
“Watching our Junior Ambassadors connect with the junior high students in Fukui was the purest example of why we value our sister city relationships,” chaperone Jacy Young said. “Despite the language barrier, their ability to connect through a shared meal, origami, basketball, and games was genuinely inspiring.”
Looking back, Mikaela shared how the journey changed her perspective. “Visiting Japan really shifted my view of Fullerton and my own place in the world. Seeing how unique everything is, from the cities to the temples, made me appreciate aspects of Fullerton even more, and it truly broadened my understanding of the world.”
When asked to describe his experience in Japan in just three words, Kraig summed it up simply: “Fun, adventurous, and new. Fun because it was a very good time, adventurous because we tried many new things, and new because it was full of new experiences!”
Through programs like the Junior Ambassadors, the Fullerton Sister City Association continues its mission of fostering international friendship, cultural understanding, and citizen diplomacy between Fullerton and its sister cities: Fukui, Japan; Morelia, Mexico; Tollo, Italy; and Seongnam and Yongin, South Korea.
For these students, the journey was far more than a two-week trip. It was an opportunity to build lifelong friendships, broaden their perspectives, and return home with a deeper understanding of both Japan and their own community.
To learn more about Fullerton Sister City Association, visit their website at https://sites.google.com/view/fullertonsca/home and follow @fullertonsistercityassociation on Instagram.
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