Pasadena Jaycees Seek Host Families for Japan Exchange Trip this Summer

The Pasadena Jaycees are excited to welcome guests from Kasukabe, Japan to Pasadena this year as part of a long-running homestay exchange program. Since 1985, the Pasadena Jaycees and Kasukabe Jaycees have alternated hosting the exchange every summer, with one chapter sending Jaycee members and local high school and college students to experience the other’s country and culture.

This summer, the Pasadena Jaycees will be hosting members of the Kasukabe Jaycees and Japanese high school and college students for a 10-day visit. Visitors will stay in the homes of volunteer hosts in the Pasadena area to get a full cultural immersion experience. The Pasadena Jaycees will plan various group activities and sightseeing for the visiting chapter and their hosts.

The Jaycees are looking for host families in the Pasadena area to participate in this amazing opportunity to host a visitor in their homes this summer. The trip is scheduled for July 28 to August 6, 2024. Host families are asked to provide their guest the following: a private bedroom, daily breakfasts and occasional dinners, transportation to and from Pasadena most days. The Pasadena Jaycees will host a few events where food and activities are provided for host families and their guests. Hosts are also asked to treat their guests to two free days to show them around Los Angeles. Hosts will be required to pass a background check.

The Jaycees are also looking for local businesses to sponsor dinner and events for our guests, and individuals who are fluent in Japanese who would like to assist in translating during the visitation.

Those interested in hosting can email kasukabe@pasadenajaycees.org for more information.

The Kasukabe exchange is one of the most unique and meaningful projects for the Pasadena Jaycees. The two chapters have become a long-distance family that reunites annually to learn from and celebrate with each other. Many participants from both chapters return to visit for multiple trips in a row.  “We are honored to welcome our guests from Japan after the unforgettable experience they provided to us last year,” says Pasadena Jaycees President, Drew McWilliams. “This year we celebrate the 39th year of a project that brings together individuals from thousands of miles away and forges understanding and friendships which last a lifetime.”

The Pasadena Junior Chamber of Commerce (nicknamed “Jaycees”) began in 1929 as a volunteer and leadership training organization for people ages 21 to 40. For more information about the Jaycees and our projects, including the Kasukabe exchange, visit pasadenajaycees.org or email info@pasadenajaycees.org.