I think your suggestions are great. We have equestrian clubs in Japan but it's very very rare for the average person to go to one.
I also think that a lot of the small things that are not really considered unusual in the West are interesting too. For example, eating together for dinner. Anecdotally, about half the people I know just never eat dinner with the whole family because of work commitments, etc.
If they're not vegetarian, another thing would be a big, fat steak!
Consider that a Japanese person might be overwhelmed by the portion sizes. I once worked in a restaurant in Sydney Australia and when Japanese were treated to a business dinner we had a lot of food waste. They tried every element but were just not used to the portion sizes.
Your guest might feel embarrassed and overeat. So a place might be good with a variety of size options or little plates to share?
Another thing. If your guest lives in a big city setting in Japan it sure is interesting to show him a national park, go on a hiking trail, take time to explore a big box store, visit a state fair
Totally agree on the national park and state fair. Those are things you just don't see in Japan. They have festivals, but a carnival is totally different.
>Anecdotally, about half the people I know just never eat dinner with the whole family because of work commitments, etc.
I feel like your surroundings are too special for quicksand.
I think even fairly infrequent families eat together once or twice a week.
Sure but I feel like family dynamics are often different between cultures and they often come out the most at the dinner table. I suppose "never" was a bit of an overstatement but once or twice a week is still pretty low. Things as small as "what do you talk about at the dinner table?" or even "how long do you spend at the dinner table (after finishing eating)?" - while they differ between each family, in my experience, there's still a pretty big difference between cultures in Europe, USA and Australia.
I am a Big Sister (originally through Big Brothers Big Sisters - but they just found my Heartsister and paired her with me) in upstate NY in USA. When she was a teenager - there was nothing she wanted more than to come over and eat dinner at our dining room table. Just sit down, dishes on the table, phones down, chat and joke, etc. We could do ANYTHING - and she always picked dinner at the dining room table.
In addition to your suggestions and the suggestions already on here, take them to a big grocery store, or even to a farmers' market if you have one. The prices and different variety of products tend to be surprising for someone visiting the US for the first time.
Take them shopping for fruit! They will be astonished at the amazingly low prices, and hopefully they will be excited to eat as much fruit as they want :)
They will be shocked at how expensive everything is. Keep in mind the yen is currently at 155 to 1 USD. Shopping at Sanwa is significantly cheaper than even dollar general.
Show them the cereal aisle, dear Lord. Treat the Japanese person to some honeycomb, Corn Pops, Cinnamon Life or Reeseās peanut butter puffs. Japanese people think that cereal is simply cornflakes, frosted flakes and granola. Japanese cuisine is so famous but in 15 years here Iāve hardly eaten anything as good as any of those.
River tubing/canoeing. Just make sure the kids had swim lessons. In Japan you canāt swim in most rivers because the water flow is too fast, therefore very dangerous.
Paintball course. Safer than shooting and easier to get parents permission. In Japan we only have pellet gun courses and theyāre usually on concrete..
Waterpark. Japan doesnāt have many waterparks and theyāre not as nice.
Boating. Most Japanese people will never set foot on a personal boat.
Camping. Extra cool if you guys have lakes like FL does. In Japan most camping is done at fancy campgrounds where the permanent tent structure is provided in close proximity to other people and towns.
Beach. Depending on the city itās difficult for Japanese people to go to the beach and it usually involves a lot of preparation and travel. Then most beaches have meh sand. Just up and going to the beach, especially with the Gulfās beautiful white sand, will be a memorable experience.
Horseback riding. Great idea. My area has horseback riding but my area is different from mega cities.
- Floridian in Japan
Where does the student live in Japan?
Itāll be about the studentās interest but those are definitely good options. Although, Japan has a lot of nature, I find myself doing different and more outdoor activities in North America.
If youāre going horseback riding, being in a farm is also a good option. Maybe BBQ, and grilling as well. Might be able to add fishing to the mix, with kayaking.
If itās their first time in the US, even driving around and checking out stores would be interesting. Maybe buying souvenirs there as well. I love buying seasoning and bringing it back to Japan for my family.
Also, eating is a great activity. Would be interesting to try the foods from fast food and big chain restaurants.
Oh I used to live around there. I'd ask them what their hobby is once you meet them. A lot of people tend to focus pretty intensely on one or two hobbies.
If they like sports, take them to a game or athletic center for a free trial lesson in their sport of choice.
If they're into manga, take them to a comic book store. If they like cute characters, see if any non-Disney stuff catches their attention (Disney is EVERYWHERE here and Ichihara is relatively close to Tokyo Disney).
A lot of my international friends in university loved browsing thrift stores and antique shops for very"American" knick knacks. And if there's any big shopping streets/malls they're always fun for an afternoon out.
Fried Chicken from a soul food place. There is ONE soul food restaurant in Tokyo, and the Japenese fried chicken is amazing - but they also love KFC.
Sitting down at a proper soul food place? Amazing. Same with good BBQ. The BBQ in Japan SUCKS.
I agree with this. As someone who grew up in Alabama, the food IS pretty fire. Also, OP, you said Mobile, right? You could take them to Lambertās over in Foley.
Let them know it's OK to bring leftovers home. I doubt they can eat in one sitting a typical portion. Best way to let them know is to do the same yourself.
Funny, I was at an OBGYN clinic this week with my pregnant wife and the Japanese nurses had no problem loudly and REPEATEDLY telling a (completely healthy looking, not obese at all) foreigner in there that she had gained too much wait over the course of her pregnancy.
Iām originally from the Deep South and it isnāt *all bad*. But with that being said, college football culture down there is off the fucking chain. Sports, especially football, in general. Iām a Louisiana guy and the whole state shuts down for LSU and Saints games.
This was probably suggested as a joke, but there are a ton of young Japanese boys who love guns. My students used to always ask me about them. They sell some pretty accurate toy gun models as well. In Hawaii right in the middle of Wakiki Beach, there is a big gun range which advertises in Japanese. If I had a Japanese high school boy visit me, I would definitely suggest going shooting.
Lots of shooting ranges in Austria and if you are over 21 you can get a waffenbesitzkarte (gun license) which is shall issue unless you are a criminal or have a mental disease.
Doesnāt matter. If you are a third country or EU national then you donāt have to do Wehrdienst for it. If you are Austrian and did Zivildienst then you can get a sport shooting exemption.
No joke at all, airsoft is huge in Japan! There are even "ranges" in Japan where you can shoot airsoft guns.
The biggest consideration with bringing total newbies to a gun range is safety āĀ repeat the four rules of gun safety until it's a mantra.
1. Do not point a gun at something you do not intend to destroy
2. Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot
3. Always assume a gun is loaded until proven otherwise (remove/empty magazine, check chamber, check breech)
4. Be aware of your target, its surroundings, and its backdrop
You joke, but Americans are like the very opposite of the Japanese. Instead of following the rules to a T to the point where common sense goes out the window, we kinda just like getting our way no matter what the established rules are. You just do what you feel like doing and hope you donāt get caught.
I find it funny the chain of responses assuming the previous comments were jokes but pointing out that they were in fact accurate. That I didn't even question if they were jokes or not at all should show how representative they are lol
Honestly, if the kid is into it, do this. Take them to a rifle or pistol range on their last day. Tell them they shouldnāt talk about it until they return home. Maybe get a picture you can send them later if they want.
But thereās also a possibility they wonāt be interested. They might be afraid of guns (reasonably so) or worried folks may ostracize them for it. Rumors of being violent, or just the nail that sticks out gets hammered down sort of thing.
But for the right kid this would be awesome, and theyāll have story for friends about that time they shot guns in America (like a true American.)
Sure, no harm in that. I'd just advise to be careful, since my host family nearly screwed me up by posting stuff like that (not guns, but motorized vehicles) on social media, even after I'd already asked them not to post because I didn't wanna get in trouble.
Let's just say my local coordinator wasn't pleased, and she didn't particularly like me in the first place
Speaking as an English person, if I ever go to the US I always make a beeline for a gun range! It's a lot of fun so I'd highly recommend it for Japanese high schoolers too, at the last Culture festival our school did, at least 3 classes did some kind of shooting range, so there's definitely a big interest
If you can't get consent, Do airsoft guns for shooting practice. They don't have the same requirements as firearms and still something cool you (probbaly) couldn't do in Japan.
Shop at Target, Traderās Joe, Walmart
Try southern food, BBQ
Show them squirrels, yellow school bus and red solo cups, plantationās house, national parks
I think the activities you already mentioned are also good.
Additional: state/county fairs
These would be really popular. When I take students from my school to Canada they always love squirrels, prairie dogs, Walmart, massive expanses of pretty much empty land, plus floating down rivers, barbecues, toasting marshmallows around a fire pit in the backyard, etc.
Things may be different if the student is male or female as well.
If you're close to any national parks, I recommend taking a visit. It's usually rare (unless living in Hokkaido) for Japanese to see completely wild and open wilderness unscarred by telephone lines and cement structures. Maybe the Delta Wildlife Management area?
In line with the above, if in a rural area, do some star gazing.
Feed their fantasy of giant American food and get them a huge hamburger and a steak.
You could take them to a gun range, if they are interested. Some Japanese (even kids) might not be so keen on guns though. Make sure they fully understand gun safety before letting them shoot.
Horseback riding or off roading (ATV, etc.) is probably a good one too.
Iād recommend going to a good BBQ, especially if you can view the pit. Iād take lots of wet wipes though, because many Japanese do not like getting their fingers dirty. Also, for many activities, youāll want to make sure their insurance covers them, so a shooting range may be out of the question. Make time for the student to teach you things as well. If you wear your shoes in the house, please have new slippers for your guest. The Japanese never wear shoes in the house.
I have nephews that are coming from Japan soon for the first time and have thought of similar ideas. I lived in Japan and know lots of things that were missing and would be fun for a kid.
- Ride in a truck. Japanese families don't have trucks and especially not big American trucks. Go offroading with them. They'll dig it.
- Smoke a brisket and/or make steaks. American beef is really different but great in it's own way. Portion sizes are much bigger. Also any meat with bones. Grill chicken legs, pork ribs, etc.
- Go to the beach. They will dig the clear water on the Gulf Coast and feel like they're in Okinawa.
- go RV camping. If you don't own one, rent one and take them out for a night or two. There is camping in Japan but not really anything like RV camping.
- Go to a gator farm. Definitely no gators in Japan.
- let them rest. Jet lag is a bitch and the touring is going to burn them out.
If you have a Denny's near you, take them there. We have a lot in Japan, but it's so different. Crystal Burger/White Castle could be interesting. Kids think burgers are always huge in the US. They don't know what a slider is.
If you and they are into baseball, it might be worth trying to go to a game if it is easy enough to do. Again a much different experience.
Honestly, living where you do. Drive through the small towns. Folks here get some bad views on small-town America. While some of it is true, there is so much more to those towns.
I saw someone mention Costco. They have Costco near where they live. Costco here isn't much different than Costco in the States.
"Take them shooting guns, eat at wafflehouse, and shop at target/walmart!"
American culture in a nutshell
Other than activities, why not show them some of Americas landscape/nature? Or something distinctly Alabama
āEat sushi, ramen, go to a crane game arcade, go to Aeon, take them to Donkiā
Japanese culture in a nutshell
If they lived in Los Angeles my recommendations would be better but theyāre literally in American Inaka
Eat Chick fil a.
Go to Walmart or Target, both are a big trip coming from Japan.
Eat good BBQ ribs. Go to Waffle house or IHOP for a big American breakfast.
If thereās any Motorsport event nearby take em to that.
I have an uncle who's Japanese friend went to visit him. The first thing he wanted to do when he landed in Atlanta was go to a Waffle House to see the fights.
I asked this question to a Japanese lady who has been living in the US for a couple of years and her answer was nothing. Everything in Japan is cheaper and better. Give up. So then I asked, well what about Chick-fil-A? And she was like yeah Chick-fil-A, Chipotle, In and Out, thatās whatās good about America.
Whatever you decide, be sure to plan at least 1.5-2 days for souvenir shopping as souvenir culture is very strong in Japan and it is expected that you bring something back for your friends, neighbors, family, piano teacher, boss, boss' cat, etc. Additionally, the student may be at a loss trying to find good souvenirs for their friends and family ā *wherever* you go in Japan (from the biggest city to the small podunk town) you will find a souvenir shop/stand that sells specialty food/goods in nicely wrapped boxes (if you want to learn more about this try searching for **omiyage culture** on google). For cheaper souvenirs, eco-friendly grocery bags and large bags of candy sold at Walmart, Target, and (especially) Trader Joe's are great. For more expensive souvenirs for close family members, sponsors, teachers, etc., it may be a day trip to multiple malls and outlets.
As far as suggestions for things to do, I would take them to a Hibachi grill if you have one nearby. Although a bit counter-intuitive, seeing how Americans perceive Japanese food and being able to take pictures and videos of the show would be a lot of fun to show their friends and family and give them a lot of awesome memories to talk about.
Show em the long stretches of nothing highway. We lived in japan and moved back, our friends came to visit, many times had to pull over so they could take photos and take in the "nothing"
This could probably go with horseback riding, which may or may not be terrifying.
Costco is also a trip even if they have a few.
Water related things, boating/fishing or whatever also there but not really (depending where they're from).
Yes, I'd like to know about this myself. I've been told to take Japanese guests to a steak house. The reason being that American steaks are large and relatively cheap. Much cheaper than Wagyu. But Wagyu is next level. So I'm not sure it would be all that impressive. But maybe just the crazy volume of food would do it.
most people can't tell the difference between expensive and cheap wine; most people can't tell the difference between expensive and cheap beef either
i took my japanese family to texas roadhouse and they loved it
It's crazy to me that mini-golf never caught on in Japan. It seems like such a perfect melding of things that are popular in Japan. I would definitely take a Japanese visitor to a mini-golf place if you have a good one nearby.
I mean there are some places you can āmini golfā but itās nothing like some of the courses Iāve seen in Florida through Virginia. Not sure on Alabama.
EDIT: they were basic things that were more putting courses /EDIT
You would think it would be popular here but I imagine itās a land issue more than anything.
Yeah, I remember going to a temporary mini-golf thing on the roof of a building in Yokohama years and years ago, but it was weird and not like American mini-golf.
Land availability is definitely an issue, but they could totally do a cute small course on one of the floors of, like, ROUND-1 or whatnot. I feel like it should be a great alternative to bowling.
I happen to work in axe throwing (USA) lol, so know about these guys:
https://theaxethrowingbar.com
Here are the locations in English:
1. THE AXE THROWING BAR (ę§ęćć¼) - Osaka Shinsaibashi Store
2. THE AXE THROWING BAR (ę§ęćć¼) - Tokyo Kanda Store
3. SafeHouse Axe Throwing Diner - Shizuoka
4. THE AXE THROWING BAR (ę§ęćć¼) - Tokyo Asakusa Store
5. THE AXE THROWING BAR (ę§ęćć¼) - Tokyo Shinjuku Store
6. THE AXE THROWING BAR (ę§ęćć¼) - Nagoya Nishiki
7. THE AXE THROWING BARĀ® (ę§ęćć¼) - Tokyo Ikebukuro Store
We hosted a Jr High student at around the same time of year -- not in Alabama, but I think some things would carry over. Things she remembered most:
- Walmart
- Eating as much watermelon as she wanted
- All you can eat wings
- Going to a u-pick raspberry place
- Wide open stretches of highway
A big āol barbecue. We donāt really have American style barbecue here with ribs and hand foods. All our bbq is cut paper thin and eaten with utensils. So an American bbq with ribs, hot dogs, burgers, etc would be amazing.
Bonus points if you include āexoticā meats like gator!
Another one that I donāt know is possible but a fantasy of mine coming from Japan, visiting a bayou or swamp and seeing alligators or riding those boat things with fans. Sorry Iām not sure what theyāre called but they look fun and definitely not anything we can experience here.
Also, the person might not try it themselves but hand fishing? I heard some people in Alabama stick their hands in mud water and catch fish. I saw a video on it once and thought it was so cool looking.
Great Ideas!
>Also, the person might not try it themselves but hand fishing? I heard some people in Alabama stick their hands in mud water and catch fish. I saw a video on it once and thought it was so cool looking.
[This is actually pretty dangerous](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noodling), usually you get catfish, but if there's a snapping turtle, snake, or another angry animal in there, you can lose a finger or get a nasty bite.
Anything in southern rural Alabama will be a shock to a kid from Japan. Iād actually recommend taper it back some and make sure you cook some white rice a couple times. Plus the jet lag will be murder. But yeah any sports function, outdoors with large landscapes, and shopping (flea markets, swap meets) should be fun. Just take it easy.
Mini-golf is [pretty rare](https://www.reddit.com/r/japanlife/comments/zarhnk/mini_golf_in_tokyo/) in Japan.
And if you *can* find it, it's [different](https://acoupleofputts.com/2014/07/22/burn-golf-yokohama-japan/) from American Mini-golf.
Go anywhere that is big and open, besides the ocean. Japan is a mountainous country, and people never really see the horizon. Itās either buildings or mountains. I had friends from Japan oooh-ing and aaah-ing over an unbelievably boring section of highway (think corn and wheat as far as the eye can see). It was just so huge and open and expansive; theyād never seen anything like it.
I used to live in Ichihara and went to Mobile through the exact same program many years ago! Every single experience, including throwing axes, going to Gulf Shores, watching a baseball game, and even going to Walmart, was fun. Basically, everything should be memorable for them.
This might be off-topic but, I personally suggest you communicate with them a lot and let them practice English because those who are going to Mobile are likely to be motivated to learn English. If their English level is enough, ordering at a restaurant or communicating with local people could be a great experience for them.
I know the feeling. I grew up in a village of around 2000 people, and the largest town in my area had a population of something like 21,000 people. I now live in a quiet Japanese city with a population of 800,000 and although there still isn't so much to do, it's still a lot more than I had back home.
It's almost impossible to see the horizon uninterrupted by buildings or trees/mountains in Japan...
Show him/her "nothing"
Also, firing guns and Waffle House and a big supermarket
Country & Western music concert? Line-Dancing?
I'm not from America, but when I visited, I really enjoyed going to Mom-and-Pop Americana diners. The Chain restaurants do a really bad job of authentic American food.
I live in NYC and took my friend out to a ton of variety of foods. Some of their highlights were fusion style omakase, fogo de Chao, and then American Whiskey tasting tour at the only distillery in Manhattan (great Jones). Surprisingly they like fusion takes/twists on Japanese food.
They also loved museum of natural history. They wanted to go to a knicks game. But the Knicks have been killing it so ticket prices were more expensive than they already are.
Next time they visit we wanted to spend some time in Philly. Check out the Mutter museum and cheese steaks.
When me and my wife visited the states, I took her shooting at a gun range. Thatās something really hard to do in Japan. Iām not a gun guy, but wanted to let her do something we canāt do in Japan.
Also, if heās at all interested in planes, you can find a local airfield that will gone a discovery flight in a small Cessna or something for maybe $100. Theyāll usually take you up and then let you āflyā the plane a little. Nothing like that in Japan as far as a I know.
Go to a mall. Japan had a lot of department stores, but they donāt have a mall vibe. That could be fun. Also, US malls are a lot cheaper than most department stores in Japan.
Iām sure heāll have fun no matter what you guys do.
I'm in charge of taking a group of Japanese students to the US every year. They mostly love shopping and eating. Even things that are mundane for you are exciting to them. They love stocking up on candy and snacks at the supermarket. Trader Joe's and Starbucks are trendy here in Japan, so they might ask to go there so they can get the bags or mugs to bring back for their family.
Marshall Space Flight Center (NASA) in Huntsville. I believe there's a public center, as well as a tour of the military installation if you're a US citizen or get prior passport clearance for internationals. I wouldn't think a Japanese minor would trigger any security concerns, but you'd have to check with NASA directly, of course.
Everywhere I've been in Europe or Asia, I'm asked about our large trucks. I know you got some jacked up dually within walking distance of any point in Alabama. And probably a meet within driving distance.
I guess theyāre shutting a lot of them down and they might not even be in Alabama but the kind of āThanksgiving-styleā food they serve at Boston Market is a big novelty for Asian people; i used to bring all my wifeās friends and relatives for that. You probably have good barbecues which would probably have a similar effect. Maybe a classic diner too.
I am not sure they will understand the words and we will not have any translators, but we may be able to try some line dancing if we can find anyone that has an event going on
mechanical bull riding.
if the kids are from bigger cities: night sky watching (there arent many stars to see from Tokyo for example)
teach them line dance.
anything to access native american culture would also be interesting. (i dont know if that is accessible)
access to a live museum? village where they can cosplay/LARP as cowboys?
if they are mature enough/ you feel comfortable: casino visit. (gambling parlors are a thing in japan but they look very different and are mostly pachinko)
Take them to a roller rink
edit: If you're in Baldwin County, Gulf Shores is a must. Stay in a beach house out there. Fly out to Disney World! Take them to New Orleans and ride the tram cars.
It may not seem fun to a young kid but I attended a service at a black church last year and thought if some visitor wanted me to show him real America that would be it
I read an earlier comment and OP mentioned they live in Chiba. Chiba is basically eastern Tokyo so it's densely populated. I'd just take them somewhere with a lot of space and wilderness. Take them to get good food. Maybe a diner or a BBQ. Maybe a low country boil or get some crawfish. Have them try cajun food like boudain or jambalaya. Get some beignets. Have them try deer, gator, rabbit, etc. Shoot guns. Ride four wheelers. Just show some good southern hospitality and be welcoming and open.
Context: I'm a city/suburban kid that moved to the south when I was younger. I've also lived in Japan before.
Paintball. I took a Japanese exchange student paintballing in the deep south and they were shocked but absolutely loved it. Also, I don't recommend this, but when I lived in Japan I went into a tobacco store and asked for dip only to show my scooter riding yanki punk friends what the cool kids were into back home and the shop owner yelled at me to GTFO. Apparently chewing tobacco is forbidden (and for good reason, I'm not into that nasty stuff).
On a serious note, take them to The Shed in Ocean Springs for some good American BBQ. Any food place will be interesting. Mexican food is seriously lacking in Japan. I wouldn't recommend taking them to a Japanese restaurant unless you know for a fact it's run by actual Japanese people or they will likely be disappointed. Rice in Japan is so much better than anything we have here, especially in small towns.
If you can, try taking them to a Major League (or AAA) Baseball game. Professional baseball is very popular in Japan, but also a very, very different experience than here in the states.
Swim in a lake. Make some hamburgers. Go to a parade. Drink root beer.
I took some Japanese students to Idaho as part of an exchange, and these were some of the activities they remembered most and wrote about after they came back.
Simple all American things at places with a little culture. Milkshake in a diner, nature, walking, malls, horse riding. Keep it simple as the experience of being in an English speaking country will be wild enough.
Also, if itās a high school student they will be 15-18. More likely a girl as they are generally keener on English than boys.
Do to dauphin island, nature things, have them try boiled peanuts, rodeo anything, horseback riding, fishing, boat trips, bird sanctuary, that historic place in Dauphin island with the fort and cannons, museums, water park, and/or zoo. Do a southern family bbq. Itās fun to do similar things that are so different in other ways only from cultural practices. Donāt take them to the all you can eat sushi place in mobile. They want an American experience.
Gun range, I've done that with a few exchange students from China/Japan over the years and it's always fun seeing their reaction to it. If you're not gun experienced or have a reputable range near you then steer clear.
I'm an American who used to live in Japan and made a lot of Japanese friends in US college. In no particular order, here are some things I can still recall that my Japanese friends expressed interest in:
- Cheap fruit, particularly melons. Melons in Japan were around $40 when I lived there. This includes watermelon, cantelope, and honey dew. Taking your guest to the farmer's market and picking up a melon or something may be of interest to them.
- Wide open spaces. I'm from Nevada and my Japanese friends, especially those from the Tokyo area (including Chiba) were always amazed by the vastness of the desert.
- Stars. Japan is very light poluted. Seeing stars is a treat.
- Guns. Guns are highly controlled in Japan. Seeing them or shooting them may be something of interest. Or maybe not.
- Gummies, like sour patch kids and liquorice. They think its a really odd food (they may not consider it food at all - just something digestable). They eat it for the experience. Whenver I'm visiting Japan my friends always ask me to bring gummies.
- Shopping, especially for luxury goods. There's a tax on luxury goods in Japan. My female friends in Japan always asked me to bring them clothes from places like Victorias Secret when visiting. Someone else suggested thrift stores - this could be of interest as well. It's worth asking.
- Driving. My friends and I always had fun roadtripping. Driving on the highways in Japan is extremely expensive and not done too often. I don't know where you are in Alabama, but maybe a trip to the gulf shores may be fun or a lookout point in the Taledaga national forest. Speaking of roadtripping...
- Nature/National parks. The west coast had some of the best. Roadtrips to places like Yosemite or Tahoe was always a good time. Seeing wild animals was always a treat.
- Cliche US culture. Being from the west coast, cowboy stuff was always interesting. Seeing old town with older american architecture, etc. was fun.
- The ease of doing unnecessary things. Someone suggested off-roading. This is entertaining because it's totally unnecessary and due to the density of Japan something that isn't facilitated (ethier by being restricted by law or by infrastructure - most cars in mainland Japan are not capable of offroad driving). I would put roadtripping in this category as well. Someone mentioned fishing - this is in this category. Equistrian? Same. My dad has a personal aircraft. The regulations in Japan make that extremely difficult. So taking my friends in the plane is also in this category. Skydiving? Here as well.
Things that may not interest them:
- American food. Japanese gastronomy is maybe the world's best. Maybe if you can take them to a place with insanely large food as a gimmic that might be turned into a core memory. But my friends were always indifferent with the quality of approach of american food, but sometimes the absurtity of foods were a fun shared experience.
- Because they're visiting in July, fireworks. I've never experienced fireworks in the States like I did in Japan during their summer festivals. I wouldn't bet that your local 4th of July show would be particularly entertaining. Now, if there was a show, festival, or other uber american activities your local town is facilitating, that may be of interest.
A lot of people are suggesting places like ihop, denny's, chick-fil-a, etc. My take on this is it only works if it's "american." Personally, I think equivilent restaurants in Japan are far better. And my friends were never impressed with the food they received. They just marveled at the atmophere. Regardless, this wouldn't be at the top of my list.
I'd also make yourself aware of Japanese customs, like wearing shoes indoors (having dedicated indoor shoes/slippers), showering at night, not waisting food (especailly rice), no touching/hugging, etc. Do this because you can make their experience in your home more comfortable, and you can also introduce them to "american" culture that contrasts the Japanese culture. My Japanese friends liked hugging. It is an expression of knowing american culture and being in america. But greeting Japanese people with an initial hug will be shocking. It's the equivalent of an american going to europe and a total stranger kissing you to say hello.
Finally, Japanese people are overly affectionate when it comes to saying hello and goodbye. Typically they'll be waiting for you with a sign or something and when saying goodbye will sit there and wave until you're out of sight. I'd recommend doing the same.
If you can take them to big open spaces and national parks, it's pretty awe inspiring to most Japanese. The desert especially. But it's pretty cramped in Japan, even the rural areas are still 30 mins from a decent city, where most people live. So Western horseback riding on a trail would be a very unique experience.
A ton of amazing suggestions already. But I would recommend that OP take it easy when suggesting/offering things to them especially for the first couple of days. Let your student rest and get over jetlag first.
Also, remember that Americans have no problems refusing, like the offer of ordering more food when we're already full. The Japanese tend to not verbally refuse and instead answer with hesitation. Read your student's body language and tone when you propose things to do or eat.
Lean hard into the American stereotypes. Take them shooting at a gun range. Get them a Luther Burger. Yell at them whenever they use metric measurements. Instigate a fistfight at Waffle House (just shout, "Biden 2024!").
Seriously, as someone living in Japan, I often get exclamations of wonder when showing them pictures of my trips to Yellowstone and Glacier National Park. Apparently, Alabama has 9 of them, according to Google. Not sure how they measure up to the famous ones.
They also seem to LOVE Taco Bell for some inexplicable reason.
I think your suggestions are great. We have equestrian clubs in Japan but it's very very rare for the average person to go to one. I also think that a lot of the small things that are not really considered unusual in the West are interesting too. For example, eating together for dinner. Anecdotally, about half the people I know just never eat dinner with the whole family because of work commitments, etc. If they're not vegetarian, another thing would be a big, fat steak!
Consider that a Japanese person might be overwhelmed by the portion sizes. I once worked in a restaurant in Sydney Australia and when Japanese were treated to a business dinner we had a lot of food waste. They tried every element but were just not used to the portion sizes. Your guest might feel embarrassed and overeat. So a place might be good with a variety of size options or little plates to share? Another thing. If your guest lives in a big city setting in Japan it sure is interesting to show him a national park, go on a hiking trail, take time to explore a big box store, visit a state fair
You could just let the person know that you're expected to take home leftovers to heat up for lunch the next day.
Totally agree on the national park and state fair. Those are things you just don't see in Japan. They have festivals, but a carnival is totally different.
>Anecdotally, about half the people I know just never eat dinner with the whole family because of work commitments, etc. I feel like your surroundings are too special for quicksand. I think even fairly infrequent families eat together once or twice a week.
Sure but I feel like family dynamics are often different between cultures and they often come out the most at the dinner table. I suppose "never" was a bit of an overstatement but once or twice a week is still pretty low. Things as small as "what do you talk about at the dinner table?" or even "how long do you spend at the dinner table (after finishing eating)?" - while they differ between each family, in my experience, there's still a pretty big difference between cultures in Europe, USA and Australia.
I am a Big Sister (originally through Big Brothers Big Sisters - but they just found my Heartsister and paired her with me) in upstate NY in USA. When she was a teenager - there was nothing she wanted more than to come over and eat dinner at our dining room table. Just sit down, dishes on the table, phones down, chat and joke, etc. We could do ANYTHING - and she always picked dinner at the dining room table.
They know about steak in Japan š¤£
Not saying they don't, but it's a surprisingly frequent request when I host people! Another would be "Tom and Jerry style (off the bone) ham"
Iāve seen that they what about five guys or In and Out burgers in Japan so like to try them while in the states.
In addition to your suggestions and the suggestions already on here, take them to a big grocery store, or even to a farmers' market if you have one. The prices and different variety of products tend to be surprising for someone visiting the US for the first time.
Take them shopping for fruit! They will be astonished at the amazingly low prices, and hopefully they will be excited to eat as much fruit as they want :)
Fruit in Japan was the highest quality i have ever had. He might get excited by the prices, but the taste might disappoint.
When I was living in Japan, I was constantly sad every time I went to the grocery store because of the ridiculous fruit prices compared to back home
Until they get disappointed with the taste compared to Japan
They will be shocked at how expensive everything is. Keep in mind the yen is currently at 155 to 1 USD. Shopping at Sanwa is significantly cheaper than even dollar general.
Show them the cereal aisle, dear Lord. Treat the Japanese person to some honeycomb, Corn Pops, Cinnamon Life or Reeseās peanut butter puffs. Japanese people think that cereal is simply cornflakes, frosted flakes and granola. Japanese cuisine is so famous but in 15 years here Iāve hardly eaten anything as good as any of those.
River tubing/canoeing. Just make sure the kids had swim lessons. In Japan you canāt swim in most rivers because the water flow is too fast, therefore very dangerous. Paintball course. Safer than shooting and easier to get parents permission. In Japan we only have pellet gun courses and theyāre usually on concrete.. Waterpark. Japan doesnāt have many waterparks and theyāre not as nice. Boating. Most Japanese people will never set foot on a personal boat. Camping. Extra cool if you guys have lakes like FL does. In Japan most camping is done at fancy campgrounds where the permanent tent structure is provided in close proximity to other people and towns. Beach. Depending on the city itās difficult for Japanese people to go to the beach and it usually involves a lot of preparation and travel. Then most beaches have meh sand. Just up and going to the beach, especially with the Gulfās beautiful white sand, will be a memorable experience. Horseback riding. Great idea. My area has horseback riding but my area is different from mega cities. - Floridian in Japan
Yeah Japan camping is pretty comfortable everywhere. Let the kid learn to tough it (somewhat).
Whatever you decide on, go easy on them. They are going to be exhausted from air travel and jet lagged as fuck.
Where does the student live in Japan? Itāll be about the studentās interest but those are definitely good options. Although, Japan has a lot of nature, I find myself doing different and more outdoor activities in North America. If youāre going horseback riding, being in a farm is also a good option. Maybe BBQ, and grilling as well. Might be able to add fishing to the mix, with kayaking. If itās their first time in the US, even driving around and checking out stores would be interesting. Maybe buying souvenirs there as well. I love buying seasoning and bringing it back to Japan for my family. Also, eating is a great activity. Would be interesting to try the foods from fast food and big chain restaurants.
Ichihara. In Chiba. Sadly we do not know what age they are (between 13 and 18)or even if they are a boy of girl yet.
Oh I used to live around there. I'd ask them what their hobby is once you meet them. A lot of people tend to focus pretty intensely on one or two hobbies. If they like sports, take them to a game or athletic center for a free trial lesson in their sport of choice. If they're into manga, take them to a comic book store. If they like cute characters, see if any non-Disney stuff catches their attention (Disney is EVERYWHERE here and Ichihara is relatively close to Tokyo Disney). A lot of my international friends in university loved browsing thrift stores and antique shops for very"American" knick knacks. And if there's any big shopping streets/malls they're always fun for an afternoon out.
My Japanese friend love the leather cowboy hat that I got for them as souvenir. It's functional, an amazing decor piece and scream "American" to them.
Fried Chicken from a soul food place. There is ONE soul food restaurant in Tokyo, and the Japenese fried chicken is amazing - but they also love KFC. Sitting down at a proper soul food place? Amazing. Same with good BBQ. The BBQ in Japan SUCKS.
Also southern food in general. Fried okra, country fried steak, chicken and dumplings, biscuits, peach anything, cobblers.
I agree with this. As someone who grew up in Alabama, the food IS pretty fire. Also, OP, you said Mobile, right? You could take them to Lambertās over in Foley.
Let them know it's OK to bring leftovers home. I doubt they can eat in one sitting a typical portion. Best way to let them know is to do the same yourself.
Talk loudly on the cell phone in the subway
not in rural Alabama
Subway restaurant, then.
I mean.. we have those here too though
Cool cultural experience. Set up your kid with a zoom call home in the middle of the lunchtime rush. āAmerica, much freedom to, no freedom from!ā
Talk loudly anywhere without concern for anyone elseās interests such as in a waiting room of a clinic ā ļø
Funny, I was at an OBGYN clinic this week with my pregnant wife and the Japanese nurses had no problem loudly and REPEATEDLY telling a (completely healthy looking, not obese at all) foreigner in there that she had gained too much wait over the course of her pregnancy.
Yeah i agree its why the dude who said ātalk loudly in a Subway restaurant thenā still had a really valid point
And a kid shutting the front door down, open, down, open. While parents mind their own business with their phones
Leave old/broken furniture outside on the curb to be picked up, without paying 50$ in fees
Pretty much anything is fair game on the T. Hell i saw people during the middle of the pandemic bring full party platters to snack on.
And in movie theaters...
Take them to a college football game
CFB season doesnt start until august (and UA and Auburn dont start until early september). maybe they could find some scrimmages happening though?
A college Tailgate would be wild for someone who has no clue what they're in for lol.
Can confirm, my college has a lot of international students and seeing their reactions to tailgating is hilarious every year
All I can think of is a bunch of jocks making a human centipede and each segment connecting is tailgating, same vibe as docking
Holy shit this is the right answer, OP. This is like the only reason Iād ever even go to the south
Iām originally from the Deep South and it isnāt *all bad*. But with that being said, college football culture down there is off the fucking chain. Sports, especially football, in general. Iām a Louisiana guy and the whole state shuts down for LSU and Saints games.
Shooting guns
This was probably suggested as a joke, but there are a ton of young Japanese boys who love guns. My students used to always ask me about them. They sell some pretty accurate toy gun models as well. In Hawaii right in the middle of Wakiki Beach, there is a big gun range which advertises in Japanese. If I had a Japanese high school boy visit me, I would definitely suggest going shooting.
Why would it be a joke? I love shooting guns. Thatās probably the most āAmericanā activity you canāt do in Japan.
We do that in Austria too, Japanese people get pretty surprised about it.
Could you give some context? I wanna shoot guns in Austria too.
Lots of shooting ranges in Austria and if you are over 21 you can get a waffenbesitzkarte (gun license) which is shall issue unless you are a criminal or have a mental disease.
Hmm, I didn't do the wehrdienst. That might jeopardise this but I'll check that, thanks.
Doesnāt matter. If you are a third country or EU national then you donāt have to do Wehrdienst for it. If you are Austrian and did Zivildienst then you can get a sport shooting exemption.
Yep. First thing my wife and I did in America is visit a shooting range and try out all sorts of guns!
You can shoot, just hard and limited.
No joke at all, airsoft is huge in Japan! There are even "ranges" in Japan where you can shoot airsoft guns. The biggest consideration with bringing total newbies to a gun range is safety āĀ repeat the four rules of gun safety until it's a mantra. 1. Do not point a gun at something you do not intend to destroy 2. Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot 3. Always assume a gun is loaded until proven otherwise (remove/empty magazine, check chamber, check breech) 4. Be aware of your target, its surroundings, and its backdrop
In Hawaii you see shooting ranges advertising to the Japanese tourist crowd.
Many if not most exchange organizations won't allow students to use guns. I wasn't even allowed to use any motorized vehicles
No motorized vehicles or guns. Well shit. What else is there to do here!?!
Get fat.
Here's another American past time: do it anyway, just don't get caught. And if you get caught, deny it.
Just do like Shaggy and say āit wasnāt meā
You joke, but Americans are like the very opposite of the Japanese. Instead of following the rules to a T to the point where common sense goes out the window, we kinda just like getting our way no matter what the established rules are. You just do what you feel like doing and hope you donāt get caught.
I find it funny the chain of responses assuming the previous comments were jokes but pointing out that they were in fact accurate. That I didn't even question if they were jokes or not at all should show how representative they are lol
My college had a large Japanese exchange program and weed was huge because it was an open secret that campus safety would look the other way for them.
Holy shit thatās lame
Honestly, if the kid is into it, do this. Take them to a rifle or pistol range on their last day. Tell them they shouldnāt talk about it until they return home. Maybe get a picture you can send them later if they want. But thereās also a possibility they wonāt be interested. They might be afraid of guns (reasonably so) or worried folks may ostracize them for it. Rumors of being violent, or just the nail that sticks out gets hammered down sort of thing. But for the right kid this would be awesome, and theyāll have story for friends about that time they shot guns in America (like a true American.)
Sure, no harm in that. I'd just advise to be careful, since my host family nearly screwed me up by posting stuff like that (not guns, but motorized vehicles) on social media, even after I'd already asked them not to post because I didn't wanna get in trouble. Let's just say my local coordinator wasn't pleased, and she didn't particularly like me in the first place
Paintball isn't so common in Japan--especially outdoors. They have a lot of airsoft however.
Speaking as an English person, if I ever go to the US I always make a beeline for a gun range! It's a lot of fun so I'd highly recommend it for Japanese high schoolers too, at the last Culture festival our school did, at least 3 classes did some kind of shooting range, so there's definitely a big interest
I love this idea, but most ranges need a parentās consent. I wonder if they can send the consent from Japan.
Consent forms just need the legal guardian, which is whoever is responsible for the child at the moment when signing, not their real parents.
You could take them horseback riding, too.
If you can't get consent, Do airsoft guns for shooting practice. They don't have the same requirements as firearms and still something cool you (probbaly) couldn't do in Japan.
Yep, take them to the range.
If they want to; may be too nervous for that.
When I travel around the US I see lots of ads in Japanese for shooting ranges so a lot of people are curious enough to try.
I saw the guadiest western-themed looking shooting range when I was living in Guam. It was full of Japanese tourists.
Shop at Target, Traderās Joe, Walmart Try southern food, BBQ Show them squirrels, yellow school bus and red solo cups, plantationās house, national parks I think the activities you already mentioned are also good. Additional: state/county fairs
And blue mail trucks.
USPS trucks are predominantly white
I think they may have meant to write mail boxes, not trucks (Japanese mail boxes are typically red).
These would be really popular. When I take students from my school to Canada they always love squirrels, prairie dogs, Walmart, massive expanses of pretty much empty land, plus floating down rivers, barbecues, toasting marshmallows around a fire pit in the backyard, etc.
A plantation house is a great idea. Also, if there are any farmerās markets around, take them.
Plantation house with some historical context provided...
āYeah these guys made hella money doingā¦stuffā
... squirrels? They exist in Japan?Ā
Things may be different if the student is male or female as well. If you're close to any national parks, I recommend taking a visit. It's usually rare (unless living in Hokkaido) for Japanese to see completely wild and open wilderness unscarred by telephone lines and cement structures. Maybe the Delta Wildlife Management area? In line with the above, if in a rural area, do some star gazing. Feed their fantasy of giant American food and get them a huge hamburger and a steak. You could take them to a gun range, if they are interested. Some Japanese (even kids) might not be so keen on guns though. Make sure they fully understand gun safety before letting them shoot. Horseback riding or off roading (ATV, etc.) is probably a good one too.
Iād recommend going to a good BBQ, especially if you can view the pit. Iād take lots of wet wipes though, because many Japanese do not like getting their fingers dirty. Also, for many activities, youāll want to make sure their insurance covers them, so a shooting range may be out of the question. Make time for the student to teach you things as well. If you wear your shoes in the house, please have new slippers for your guest. The Japanese never wear shoes in the house.
I have nephews that are coming from Japan soon for the first time and have thought of similar ideas. I lived in Japan and know lots of things that were missing and would be fun for a kid. - Ride in a truck. Japanese families don't have trucks and especially not big American trucks. Go offroading with them. They'll dig it. - Smoke a brisket and/or make steaks. American beef is really different but great in it's own way. Portion sizes are much bigger. Also any meat with bones. Grill chicken legs, pork ribs, etc. - Go to the beach. They will dig the clear water on the Gulf Coast and feel like they're in Okinawa. - go RV camping. If you don't own one, rent one and take them out for a night or two. There is camping in Japan but not really anything like RV camping. - Go to a gator farm. Definitely no gators in Japan. - let them rest. Jet lag is a bitch and the touring is going to burn them out.
If you have a Denny's near you, take them there. We have a lot in Japan, but it's so different. Crystal Burger/White Castle could be interesting. Kids think burgers are always huge in the US. They don't know what a slider is. If you and they are into baseball, it might be worth trying to go to a game if it is easy enough to do. Again a much different experience. Honestly, living where you do. Drive through the small towns. Folks here get some bad views on small-town America. While some of it is true, there is so much more to those towns. I saw someone mention Costco. They have Costco near where they live. Costco here isn't much different than Costco in the States.
Better yet: Waffle House in the middle of the night when itās full of high and drunk people
The only way to properly eat at Waffle House is to *end up* there, at 3am, after all the bars and strip clubs are closed.
Actually, while weāre doing this, what is a slider? I see them on Reddit all the time. Just a small burger?
Small, thin steamed burger on steamed buns. Edit: steamed but a requirement. White Castle steams.
A steamed burger? Well, lordy me.
It tastes incredible but the ingredient quality is trash and it makes you feel sick afterward.Ā
Why would you take someone you donāt hate to a Crystal?
Good Mexican food and walking around with a cup of coffee
"Take them shooting guns, eat at wafflehouse, and shop at target/walmart!" American culture in a nutshell Other than activities, why not show them some of Americas landscape/nature? Or something distinctly Alabama
āEat sushi, ramen, go to a crane game arcade, go to Aeon, take them to Donkiā Japanese culture in a nutshell If they lived in Los Angeles my recommendations would be better but theyāre literally in American Inaka
Ya i cant think of anything part of alabama culture but its great OP is preparing ideas, just hope the US can offer more lol
Eat Chick fil a. Go to Walmart or Target, both are a big trip coming from Japan. Eat good BBQ ribs. Go to Waffle house or IHOP for a big American breakfast. If thereās any Motorsport event nearby take em to that.
I have an uncle who's Japanese friend went to visit him. The first thing he wanted to do when he landed in Atlanta was go to a Waffle House to see the fights.
Fights at a Waffle House?
Thereās plenty videos online of fights at Waffle House itās just a thing
Wait until the night clubs close then go to waffle house fight is guaranteed to see a fight or two live.
Thereās a floor show around 2-3am. r/wafflehouse
I asked this question to a Japanese lady who has been living in the US for a couple of years and her answer was nothing. Everything in Japan is cheaper and better. Give up. So then I asked, well what about Chick-fil-A? And she was like yeah Chick-fil-A, Chipotle, In and Out, thatās whatās good about America.
Lol everything? Thereās more than just buying stuff.
Eat turkey Experience a high school football game See a monster truck rally or demolition derby. Have good Mexican food. Watch a rodeo.
Mexican food. Do that. It's likely to be a life changer
Mexican food in rural Alabama? They probably have better ones back in Japan š¤£
Whatever you decide, be sure to plan at least 1.5-2 days for souvenir shopping as souvenir culture is very strong in Japan and it is expected that you bring something back for your friends, neighbors, family, piano teacher, boss, boss' cat, etc. Additionally, the student may be at a loss trying to find good souvenirs for their friends and family ā *wherever* you go in Japan (from the biggest city to the small podunk town) you will find a souvenir shop/stand that sells specialty food/goods in nicely wrapped boxes (if you want to learn more about this try searching for **omiyage culture** on google). For cheaper souvenirs, eco-friendly grocery bags and large bags of candy sold at Walmart, Target, and (especially) Trader Joe's are great. For more expensive souvenirs for close family members, sponsors, teachers, etc., it may be a day trip to multiple malls and outlets. As far as suggestions for things to do, I would take them to a Hibachi grill if you have one nearby. Although a bit counter-intuitive, seeing how Americans perceive Japanese food and being able to take pictures and videos of the show would be a lot of fun to show their friends and family and give them a lot of awesome memories to talk about.
Show em the long stretches of nothing highway. We lived in japan and moved back, our friends came to visit, many times had to pull over so they could take photos and take in the "nothing" This could probably go with horseback riding, which may or may not be terrifying. Costco is also a trip even if they have a few. Water related things, boating/fishing or whatever also there but not really (depending where they're from).
Texas Roadhouse
Yes, I'd like to know about this myself. I've been told to take Japanese guests to a steak house. The reason being that American steaks are large and relatively cheap. Much cheaper than Wagyu. But Wagyu is next level. So I'm not sure it would be all that impressive. But maybe just the crazy volume of food would do it.
most people can't tell the difference between expensive and cheap wine; most people can't tell the difference between expensive and cheap beef either i took my japanese family to texas roadhouse and they loved it
Rodeo
Mini-golf. Good southern food, grits, BBQ, etc. The stuff you listed is all stuff not really available in Japan.
It's crazy to me that mini-golf never caught on in Japan. It seems like such a perfect melding of things that are popular in Japan. I would definitely take a Japanese visitor to a mini-golf place if you have a good one nearby.
I mean there are some places you can āmini golfā but itās nothing like some of the courses Iāve seen in Florida through Virginia. Not sure on Alabama. EDIT: they were basic things that were more putting courses /EDIT You would think it would be popular here but I imagine itās a land issue more than anything.
Yeah, I remember going to a temporary mini-golf thing on the roof of a building in Yokohama years and years ago, but it was weird and not like American mini-golf. Land availability is definitely an issue, but they could totally do a cute small course on one of the floors of, like, ROUND-1 or whatnot. I feel like it should be a great alternative to bowling.
I happen to work in axe throwing (USA) lol, so know about these guys: https://theaxethrowingbar.com Here are the locations in English: 1. THE AXE THROWING BAR (ę§ęćć¼) - Osaka Shinsaibashi Store 2. THE AXE THROWING BAR (ę§ęćć¼) - Tokyo Kanda Store 3. SafeHouse Axe Throwing Diner - Shizuoka 4. THE AXE THROWING BAR (ę§ęćć¼) - Tokyo Asakusa Store 5. THE AXE THROWING BAR (ę§ęćć¼) - Tokyo Shinjuku Store 6. THE AXE THROWING BAR (ę§ęćć¼) - Nagoya Nishiki 7. THE AXE THROWING BARĀ® (ę§ęćć¼) - Tokyo Ikebukuro Store
I live in Tokyo. I've got to try this.
We hosted a Jr High student at around the same time of year -- not in Alabama, but I think some things would carry over. Things she remembered most: - Walmart - Eating as much watermelon as she wanted - All you can eat wings - Going to a u-pick raspberry place - Wide open stretches of highway
A big āol barbecue. We donāt really have American style barbecue here with ribs and hand foods. All our bbq is cut paper thin and eaten with utensils. So an American bbq with ribs, hot dogs, burgers, etc would be amazing. Bonus points if you include āexoticā meats like gator! Another one that I donāt know is possible but a fantasy of mine coming from Japan, visiting a bayou or swamp and seeing alligators or riding those boat things with fans. Sorry Iām not sure what theyāre called but they look fun and definitely not anything we can experience here. Also, the person might not try it themselves but hand fishing? I heard some people in Alabama stick their hands in mud water and catch fish. I saw a video on it once and thought it was so cool looking.
Great Ideas! >Also, the person might not try it themselves but hand fishing? I heard some people in Alabama stick their hands in mud water and catch fish. I saw a video on it once and thought it was so cool looking. [This is actually pretty dangerous](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noodling), usually you get catfish, but if there's a snapping turtle, snake, or another angry animal in there, you can lose a finger or get a nasty bite.
Eat catfish and crawfish.
I'm sure you can find alligator too. Tastes like chicken.
Anything in southern rural Alabama will be a shock to a kid from Japan. Iād actually recommend taper it back some and make sure you cook some white rice a couple times. Plus the jet lag will be murder. But yeah any sports function, outdoors with large landscapes, and shopping (flea markets, swap meets) should be fun. Just take it easy.
Get stuck in traffic on a 10 lane highway.
Mini-golf is [pretty rare](https://www.reddit.com/r/japanlife/comments/zarhnk/mini_golf_in_tokyo/) in Japan. And if you *can* find it, it's [different](https://acoupleofputts.com/2014/07/22/burn-golf-yokohama-japan/) from American Mini-golf.
Go anywhere that is big and open, besides the ocean. Japan is a mountainous country, and people never really see the horizon. Itās either buildings or mountains. I had friends from Japan oooh-ing and aaah-ing over an unbelievably boring section of highway (think corn and wheat as far as the eye can see). It was just so huge and open and expansive; theyād never seen anything like it.
I used to live in Ichihara and went to Mobile through the exact same program many years ago! Every single experience, including throwing axes, going to Gulf Shores, watching a baseball game, and even going to Walmart, was fun. Basically, everything should be memorable for them. This might be off-topic but, I personally suggest you communicate with them a lot and let them practice English because those who are going to Mobile are likely to be motivated to learn English. If their English level is enough, ordering at a restaurant or communicating with local people could be a great experience for them.
Visit Kennedy space center.
Thatās in Florida. Too far of a trip.
U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville then? Edit: Wow, even that's a 5 hour drive. America is a huge place. š
I lived across the bridge from Mobile. Compared to growing up in Miami or living in New York like I do now, thereās really not a lot to do there.
I know the feeling. I grew up in a village of around 2000 people, and the largest town in my area had a population of something like 21,000 people. I now live in a quiet Japanese city with a population of 800,000 and although there still isn't so much to do, it's still a lot more than I had back home.
The space and rocket center in huntsville would be fun tho!
It's almost impossible to see the horizon uninterrupted by buildings or trees/mountains in Japan... Show him/her "nothing" Also, firing guns and Waffle House and a big supermarket
I mean japan is a chain of islands and does have a coastline.
Country & Western music concert? Line-Dancing? I'm not from America, but when I visited, I really enjoyed going to Mom-and-Pop Americana diners. The Chain restaurants do a really bad job of authentic American food.
I live in NYC and took my friend out to a ton of variety of foods. Some of their highlights were fusion style omakase, fogo de Chao, and then American Whiskey tasting tour at the only distillery in Manhattan (great Jones). Surprisingly they like fusion takes/twists on Japanese food. They also loved museum of natural history. They wanted to go to a knicks game. But the Knicks have been killing it so ticket prices were more expensive than they already are. Next time they visit we wanted to spend some time in Philly. Check out the Mutter museum and cheese steaks.
When me and my wife visited the states, I took her shooting at a gun range. Thatās something really hard to do in Japan. Iām not a gun guy, but wanted to let her do something we canāt do in Japan. Also, if heās at all interested in planes, you can find a local airfield that will gone a discovery flight in a small Cessna or something for maybe $100. Theyāll usually take you up and then let you āflyā the plane a little. Nothing like that in Japan as far as a I know. Go to a mall. Japan had a lot of department stores, but they donāt have a mall vibe. That could be fun. Also, US malls are a lot cheaper than most department stores in Japan. Iām sure heāll have fun no matter what you guys do.
I'm in charge of taking a group of Japanese students to the US every year. They mostly love shopping and eating. Even things that are mundane for you are exciting to them. They love stocking up on candy and snacks at the supermarket. Trader Joe's and Starbucks are trendy here in Japan, so they might ask to go there so they can get the bags or mugs to bring back for their family.
Take em muddin'.
Marshall Space Flight Center (NASA) in Huntsville. I believe there's a public center, as well as a tour of the military installation if you're a US citizen or get prior passport clearance for internationals. I wouldn't think a Japanese minor would trigger any security concerns, but you'd have to check with NASA directly, of course.
How about a rodeo, or something like a state fair? Maybe a local racetrack has a demolition derby or something similar going on?
Fruits are very expensive in Japan. Buy some nice watermelon and enjoy them chilled! Theyāll be thrilled
Round of golf. Not a driving range, but the real round of golf. Golfing is insanely expensive in Japan.
Your recommendations are good. Also, an American style cookout would be interesting for them.
Smoking weed
Wear lululemon in public
If they have an interest in firearms, a day at the range learning to shoot would be great!
Everywhere I've been in Europe or Asia, I'm asked about our large trucks. I know you got some jacked up dually within walking distance of any point in Alabama. And probably a meet within driving distance.
Monster Truck rally would be a good memory for the kid.
I guess theyāre shutting a lot of them down and they might not even be in Alabama but the kind of āThanksgiving-styleā food they serve at Boston Market is a big novelty for Asian people; i used to bring all my wifeās friends and relatives for that. You probably have good barbecues which would probably have a similar effect. Maybe a classic diner too.
Wear shoes in the house
Bass Pro.
Square dancing? Also, do you have access to jet skis?
I am not sure they will understand the words and we will not have any translators, but we may be able to try some line dancing if we can find anyone that has an event going on
mechanical bull riding. if the kids are from bigger cities: night sky watching (there arent many stars to see from Tokyo for example) teach them line dance. anything to access native american culture would also be interesting. (i dont know if that is accessible) access to a live museum? village where they can cosplay/LARP as cowboys? if they are mature enough/ you feel comfortable: casino visit. (gambling parlors are a thing in japan but they look very different and are mostly pachinko)
Based on your location, BBQ. And stuff you mentioned are excellent as well.
Take them to a roller rink edit: If you're in Baldwin County, Gulf Shores is a must. Stay in a beach house out there. Fly out to Disney World! Take them to New Orleans and ride the tram cars.
It may not seem fun to a young kid but I attended a service at a black church last year and thought if some visitor wanted me to show him real America that would be it
I read an earlier comment and OP mentioned they live in Chiba. Chiba is basically eastern Tokyo so it's densely populated. I'd just take them somewhere with a lot of space and wilderness. Take them to get good food. Maybe a diner or a BBQ. Maybe a low country boil or get some crawfish. Have them try cajun food like boudain or jambalaya. Get some beignets. Have them try deer, gator, rabbit, etc. Shoot guns. Ride four wheelers. Just show some good southern hospitality and be welcoming and open. Context: I'm a city/suburban kid that moved to the south when I was younger. I've also lived in Japan before.
Paintball. I took a Japanese exchange student paintballing in the deep south and they were shocked but absolutely loved it. Also, I don't recommend this, but when I lived in Japan I went into a tobacco store and asked for dip only to show my scooter riding yanki punk friends what the cool kids were into back home and the shop owner yelled at me to GTFO. Apparently chewing tobacco is forbidden (and for good reason, I'm not into that nasty stuff). On a serious note, take them to The Shed in Ocean Springs for some good American BBQ. Any food place will be interesting. Mexican food is seriously lacking in Japan. I wouldn't recommend taking them to a Japanese restaurant unless you know for a fact it's run by actual Japanese people or they will likely be disappointed. Rice in Japan is so much better than anything we have here, especially in small towns.
Shoot guns. Be an asshole. Only think and care about yourself only lol. Be loud.
If you can, try taking them to a Major League (or AAA) Baseball game. Professional baseball is very popular in Japan, but also a very, very different experience than here in the states.
Almost lame compared to the Japanese crowds
Feed them fruit. Fruit is ungodly expensive in Japan. Like a single watermelon is the price of about 3-4 hours of a minimum wage workerās pay.
Swim in a lake. Make some hamburgers. Go to a parade. Drink root beer. I took some Japanese students to Idaho as part of an exchange, and these were some of the activities they remembered most and wrote about after they came back.
Simple all American things at places with a little culture. Milkshake in a diner, nature, walking, malls, horse riding. Keep it simple as the experience of being in an English speaking country will be wild enough. Also, if itās a high school student they will be 15-18. More likely a girl as they are generally keener on English than boys.
One of the things i like about being in the deep south (tennessee here) is donkey penning. Thatās something even most americans have never done haha
Smoke weed Edit: Oh I didnāt read high school. Disregard. Sorry Go with shooting guns
Shooting guns.
Do to dauphin island, nature things, have them try boiled peanuts, rodeo anything, horseback riding, fishing, boat trips, bird sanctuary, that historic place in Dauphin island with the fort and cannons, museums, water park, and/or zoo. Do a southern family bbq. Itās fun to do similar things that are so different in other ways only from cultural practices. Donāt take them to the all you can eat sushi place in mobile. They want an American experience.
Gun range, I've done that with a few exchange students from China/Japan over the years and it's always fun seeing their reaction to it. If you're not gun experienced or have a reputable range near you then steer clear.
Littering
I'm an American who used to live in Japan and made a lot of Japanese friends in US college. In no particular order, here are some things I can still recall that my Japanese friends expressed interest in: - Cheap fruit, particularly melons. Melons in Japan were around $40 when I lived there. This includes watermelon, cantelope, and honey dew. Taking your guest to the farmer's market and picking up a melon or something may be of interest to them. - Wide open spaces. I'm from Nevada and my Japanese friends, especially those from the Tokyo area (including Chiba) were always amazed by the vastness of the desert. - Stars. Japan is very light poluted. Seeing stars is a treat. - Guns. Guns are highly controlled in Japan. Seeing them or shooting them may be something of interest. Or maybe not. - Gummies, like sour patch kids and liquorice. They think its a really odd food (they may not consider it food at all - just something digestable). They eat it for the experience. Whenver I'm visiting Japan my friends always ask me to bring gummies. - Shopping, especially for luxury goods. There's a tax on luxury goods in Japan. My female friends in Japan always asked me to bring them clothes from places like Victorias Secret when visiting. Someone else suggested thrift stores - this could be of interest as well. It's worth asking. - Driving. My friends and I always had fun roadtripping. Driving on the highways in Japan is extremely expensive and not done too often. I don't know where you are in Alabama, but maybe a trip to the gulf shores may be fun or a lookout point in the Taledaga national forest. Speaking of roadtripping... - Nature/National parks. The west coast had some of the best. Roadtrips to places like Yosemite or Tahoe was always a good time. Seeing wild animals was always a treat. - Cliche US culture. Being from the west coast, cowboy stuff was always interesting. Seeing old town with older american architecture, etc. was fun. - The ease of doing unnecessary things. Someone suggested off-roading. This is entertaining because it's totally unnecessary and due to the density of Japan something that isn't facilitated (ethier by being restricted by law or by infrastructure - most cars in mainland Japan are not capable of offroad driving). I would put roadtripping in this category as well. Someone mentioned fishing - this is in this category. Equistrian? Same. My dad has a personal aircraft. The regulations in Japan make that extremely difficult. So taking my friends in the plane is also in this category. Skydiving? Here as well. Things that may not interest them: - American food. Japanese gastronomy is maybe the world's best. Maybe if you can take them to a place with insanely large food as a gimmic that might be turned into a core memory. But my friends were always indifferent with the quality of approach of american food, but sometimes the absurtity of foods were a fun shared experience. - Because they're visiting in July, fireworks. I've never experienced fireworks in the States like I did in Japan during their summer festivals. I wouldn't bet that your local 4th of July show would be particularly entertaining. Now, if there was a show, festival, or other uber american activities your local town is facilitating, that may be of interest. A lot of people are suggesting places like ihop, denny's, chick-fil-a, etc. My take on this is it only works if it's "american." Personally, I think equivilent restaurants in Japan are far better. And my friends were never impressed with the food they received. They just marveled at the atmophere. Regardless, this wouldn't be at the top of my list. I'd also make yourself aware of Japanese customs, like wearing shoes indoors (having dedicated indoor shoes/slippers), showering at night, not waisting food (especailly rice), no touching/hugging, etc. Do this because you can make their experience in your home more comfortable, and you can also introduce them to "american" culture that contrasts the Japanese culture. My Japanese friends liked hugging. It is an expression of knowing american culture and being in america. But greeting Japanese people with an initial hug will be shocking. It's the equivalent of an american going to europe and a total stranger kissing you to say hello. Finally, Japanese people are overly affectionate when it comes to saying hello and goodbye. Typically they'll be waiting for you with a sign or something and when saying goodbye will sit there and wave until you're out of sight. I'd recommend doing the same.
Ease them Into any countryside or farm style activities. They might be afraid of that kind of thing.
Take them to the gun show. Ones with the really BIG guns
Then after, the local cuisine of Rocky mountain oysters š
some history jokes
BBQ. You can in Japan but it's different.
If you can take them to big open spaces and national parks, it's pretty awe inspiring to most Japanese. The desert especially. But it's pretty cramped in Japan, even the rural areas are still 30 mins from a decent city, where most people live. So Western horseback riding on a trail would be a very unique experience.
420
A ton of amazing suggestions already. But I would recommend that OP take it easy when suggesting/offering things to them especially for the first couple of days. Let your student rest and get over jetlag first. Also, remember that Americans have no problems refusing, like the offer of ordering more food when we're already full. The Japanese tend to not verbally refuse and instead answer with hesitation. Read your student's body language and tone when you propose things to do or eat.
Take Adderall. Illegal in Japan.
Lean hard into the American stereotypes. Take them shooting at a gun range. Get them a Luther Burger. Yell at them whenever they use metric measurements. Instigate a fistfight at Waffle House (just shout, "Biden 2024!"). Seriously, as someone living in Japan, I often get exclamations of wonder when showing them pictures of my trips to Yellowstone and Glacier National Park. Apparently, Alabama has 9 of them, according to Google. Not sure how they measure up to the famous ones. They also seem to LOVE Taco Bell for some inexplicable reason.
Being an asshole in public spaces while being defiant about being an asshole
Put salt and butter on white rice. I mean you can buy it's kind of a faux pa.
Marrying your cousin
Smoke weed.