Naoko Mitsui Shirane Foundation

10/04/2026

Attention high school JUNIORS in Bexar County, TX!

2027 SHIRANE FOUNDATION JAPAN TRIP APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN! ✈️

Each summer, the Naoko Mitsui Shirane Foundation provides selected high school students in Bexar County with an unforgettable 18-day educational and cultural journey to Japan. The 2027 trip is scheduled to depart in early June.

2027 marks the Foundation’s 11th year and our 8th Japan Trip!

🎓 WHO CAN APPLY?
Applicants must:
• Be a junior attending a high school in Bexar County OR residing in Bexar County
• Be expected to enter their senior year at their current high school in Fall 2027
• Be a U.S. citizen and able to obtain a U.S. passport if selected

🎌 SCHOLARSHIP COVERS:
✓ Round-trip airfare
✓ Ground transportation
✓ Travel insurance
✓ Lodging
✓ Food & entrance fees while in Japan

📅 APPLICATION DEADLINE
Sunday, November 1, 2026

🌐 APPLY NOW through the Shirane Foundation website!

Know a Bexar County high school junior who would love this opportunity? Please share this post!

10/03/2026

It is an honor to share this wonderful news about Henry Cisneros, Chairman of the Naoko Mitsui Shirane Foundation. We are so proud and grateful for his continued leadership and dedication to our community. Congratulations, Henry!

A major Japanese manufacturing group has recognized a former San Antonio mayor with one of its most prestigious honors. >> See the full article below ⬇️

10/02/2026

09/22/2026

A Look Back at the 2026 Shirane Scholars Japan Trip – Bonus

A Taste of Japan

Of course, no trip to Japan would be complete without experiencing Japanese food!
Throughout their 2026 journey, our Shirane Scholars enjoyed a wide variety of Japanese dishes in different cities and regions. Here is a selection of some of the food they enjoyed along the way.

Food is also an important part of experiencing another culture. Trying new dishes, sharing meals together, and discovering local flavors added another memorable dimension to their journey in Japan.

Which one would you like to try?

Interested in creating your own memories in Japan?

Applications for the 2027 Shirane Scholars Program are now open.
📅 Application Deadline: November 1, 2026
2027 Japan Trip: Early June 2027

09/22/2026

A Look Back at the 2026 Shirane Scholars Japan Trip – Part 5

The 2026 Shirane Scholars Japan Trip was built around five key experiences: High School Visits & Cultural Exchange, Business & Professional Experience, Courtesy Visits, Sightseeing, History & Peace Education, and Homestay.

Part 5: Homestay Experience

One of the most personal and memorable parts of the 2026 journey was the homestay experience.
Our scholars stayed with local host families, giving them a special opportunity to experience Japanese family life, food, traditions, and everyday culture firsthand.

Sharing meals, communicating across languages, and spending time as part of a Japanese family created meaningful connections that went far beyond a typical visit to Japan.

The homestay also encouraged our scholars to step outside their comfort zones, become more independent, and discover how friendships can grow across cultures.

The 2026 journey is complete, but the next Shirane Scholars journey is getting ready to begin.

Applications for the 2027 Shirane Scholars Program are now open.
📅 Application Deadline: November 1, 2026
2027 Japan Trip: Early June 2027

09/19/2026

A Look Back at the 2026 Shirane Scholars Japan Trip – Part 3

The 2026 Shirane Scholars Japan Trip was built around five key experiences: High School Visits & Cultural Exchange, Business & Professional Experience, Courtesy Visits, Sightseeing, History & Peace Education, and Homestay.

Part 3: Courtesy Visits & International Relations

During the 2026 trip, our scholars had special opportunities to participate in courtesy visits with government and community leaders, including governors and city officials, as well as a visit to the U.S. Embassy.

These experiences gave students a firsthand look at leadership, local government, diplomacy, and the importance of relationships between Japan and the United States.

Our scholars also had opportunities to introduce themselves, ask questions, and represent San Antonio and the Shirane Foundation in formal settings.

Interested in experiencing Japan as a Shirane Scholar?
Applications for 2027 are now open.
📅 Application Deadline: November 1, 2026
2027 Japan Trip: Early June

09/19/2026

A Look Back at the 2026 Shirane Scholars Japan Trip – Part 2

The 2026 Shirane Scholars Japan Trip was built around five key experiences: High School Visits & Cultural Exchange, Business & Professional Experience, Courtesy Visits, Sightseeing, History & Peace Education, and Homestay.

Part 2: Business & Professional Experience

During the 2026 trip, our Shirane Scholars experienced Japan from a professional perspective through company visits and factory tours.
They learned about Japanese business, manufacturing, technology, and the connections between Japanese and U.S. businesses.
Meeting professionals and visiting workplaces firsthand gave our scholars opportunities to ask questions, explore different career paths, and think about possibilities for their own futures.

Could you be one of our 2027 Shirane Scholars? Applications are now open.
📅 Application Deadline: November 1, 2026
2027 Japan Trip: Early June 2027

09/17/2026

A Look Back at the 2026 Shirane Scholars Japan Trip – Part 1

The 2026 Shirane Scholars Japan Trip was built around five key experiences: High School Visits & Cultural Exchange, Business & Professional Experience, Courtesy Visits, Sightseeing, History & Peace Education, and Homestay.

Part 1: High School Visits & Cultural Exchange

In Tokyo and Aichi, our 2026 Shirane Scholars visited local high schools, experienced Japanese school life, and spent time interacting with students their own age.
In Hiroshima and Kumamoto, they also had opportunities to meet local high school students and participate in cultural exchange activities.

Through conversations, activities, and time spent together, our scholars experienced Japanese culture through the eyes of their peers while sharing their own lives and culture from the United States.

These student-to-student connections are an important part of building understanding and friendship between the next generation in Japan and the United States.

Interested in becoming a 2027 Shirane Scholar? Applications are now open.
📅 Application Deadline: November 1, 2026
2027 Japan Trip: Early June 2027

09/09/2026

🇯🇵 2026 Japan Trip Recap #1 — The Adventure Started Before We Even Arrived!

Nobody expected such an adventure when we left San Antonio Airport at 6:00 a.m.!

Our flight from Minneapolis to Tokyo Haneda was canceled because a typhoon had just hit Tokyo. We spent half the day at the Minneapolis airport, and thanks to the very kind and helpful Delta staff, we were able to fly to LAX that night.

After checking into a hotel in LAX and staying for just a few hours, we headed back to the airport for our flight to Haneda — which was then delayed another four hours!

Finally… we made it to Tokyo!

Unfortunately, we missed a few very special events along the way, but the moment we saw the lights and streets of Ginza, Tokyo, and sat down together for our first dinner, everyone was so excited and grateful to finally be there.

It was a rough start to our Japan adventure, but looking back, we can all say… it became a pretty unforgettable memory, right?

And this is just the beginning of our 2026 Japan Trip story!

🎌 **Don’t miss your opportunity to create your own Japan adventure!**

**Applications for the 2027 Shirane Foundation Japan Scholarship are now OPEN!**

📣 Calling **high school juniors in Bexar County, Texas!**

Learn more and apply at shiranefoundation.org/apply

09/03/2026

A big thank you to our 2026 Shirane Scholar for helping promote the 2027 Japan Trip at Lanier HS!

Thank you for setting up this gathering and giving us the opportunity to share this scholarship with your juniors.

A special thank you to the Lanier counselors for inviting us to your school and giving us the chance to meet your students!

We hope you’ll apply for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Don’t miss it!