Joys in Japan
June 21, 2026
Hello Moondance Families!
It’s hard to believe that our time in Japan with your incredible kids has come to an end. Our last few days together were extremely special and bonded us all even closer as a group. Every single one of the kids have shown incredible maturity and been an absolute joy to spend the last 2+ weeks with. Picking up with day 14 of our adventure!
Between days 13 and 14 the kids accomplished a lot in our hotel! Laundry, relaxing, repacking from trekking, and most important of all: karaoke. After so many early mornings up in the mountains, we let the kids sleep in this morning until 8 am. It was such a treat! Per usual, we fueled up with a breakfast buffet spread from our hotel. The girls were especially excited about the build your own yogurt bowl bar with açaí berries, icy cold kiwi and bananas. The boys really dug into the pancake bar and loaded up. After packing up all of our belongings, we led the kids on an adventure of our own this morning. We had some free time and figured we might as well make the most of it, so we set out on a hike to climb to the top of the Ryugadake peak. Some kids were more enthused than others to be back on the trails so soon, but everyone had a great attitude. Henry led the pack as he often does, and we followed his lead up the mountain. We climbed nearly 2,000 ft. in less than 2 miles. As the sun came out from behind the clouds, it was really spectacular. As we climbed above the tree line there were sweeping views. On the right side we marveled at the delicious looking Lake Motosu, and the left was even more memorable with a straight shot of Mt. Fuji. We are so lucky that the morning fog had burned off and we could really see the mountain in its full glory! The way up was challenging as all of our calves were burning from the steepness combined with soreness from prior days trekking. The group prevailed nonetheless. As previously mentioned, we have an insanely athletic group and there is really nothing these kids can’t handle! A little over halfway up the mountain we stopped at a sack spot to hacky sack in front of the magnificent Mt. Fuji. We continued on our way to the top. It was humid and toasty as the sun beat down on us, but we all reached the top with huge smiles on our faces. Libby said it felt great to sweat! Atop the mountain we practiced our gymnastics and roundoff skills courtesy of the king, Bone. They showed off their hidden talents and we were all super impressed. We also broke into our Japanese candy and snacks. The group favorite is crunchy chocolate and hi-chews. All sugared up, we headed down the mountain. The way down flew by. We listened to some great country music tunes and chatted the whole time. Em and T learned more about Will, Lawson, and OCs past Moondance trips and loved learning about some of their favorite memories from previous trips. At the base we headed straight to the lake to jump in and cool off! It was so sunny and beautiful outside. Naturally, we got ice cream after. Then we piled into the bus to head to even warmer weather. It was beautiful as we made it from the Mt. Fuji region to the coastline. Once we arrived in Shimoda we dropped our bags to head to dinner. Tonight we decided to switch up the typical cuisine and try some Indian food. It was a huge hit. We all thoroughly enjoyed our curry and especially loved the varieties of naan bread that accompanied it. Lawson, Will and OC tried all three types: butter, garlic, and cheesy. Em & T’s tables all went around sharing a typical day in the life and we loved hearing more about each other’s lives at home. OC wins the prize for earliest riser at 4:30 every day! And we were impressed by the dedication that Will and Lawson have to her efficient morning routines. Meanwhile, Bone crushed five plates of naan. With super full bellies we made our way back to the bus and home to Moonup. Tonight we enjoyed a super memorable Moonup on the beach. The stars were popping off and glistening in the sky as the ocean waves crashed in the background. It was really so special and a great bonding moment for our crew. Following Moonup, the kids all played a heated game of Monopoly. The winner is still debated given the lack of clarity on the official rules!
Day 15. We can’t believe we only have two days left! The landscape of Japan is truly extraordinary. Just a couple days ago we were 10,000 ft high in the alps and now we’ve made our way to sea level and are soaking up the sun. It honestly feels like we just teleported to an entirely new biome! We woke the kids up to Left Hand Free (the outer banks soundtrack and a classic beach vibe song) to really get excited for the day ahead. Breakfast was prepared by our B&B hosts and we were thrilled to have fried eggs, a familiarity from home. We also had bottomless coffee which many of the girls were enthusiastic about. We hopped on the bus at 9:30 to head to our surfing lesson. We met our guides, picked out boards, and headed straight to the beach. It was a perfect temperature and the sun was shining strong. We could all use some color after many of the rainy days we’ve had this session! Libby was the first to pop up on her board and rode waves like a real pro, and also showed off her skills in the water. After we were tired of surfing, Henry and Emily played with a beach ball for a while. Shortly after, the rest of the group came together after to play beach baseball. The group broke into two teams, created a first, second, and third base, and had an intense game. Bone was really skilled, and Lawson mastered the art of getting a walk to first base! Henry kindly offered to be the referee for the group. He is always so thoughtful and caring towards others and it certainly does not go unnoticed. After a while of playing on the beach we worked up an appetite and headed into Shimoda for lunch. But first, thrifting! We walked by a vintage store and just couldn’t resist. Will really assessed all of the options and found two great articles of clothing to add to his collection. He is super passionate about thrifting and always finds great items. Then we hit up the grocery store which has become a favorite activity amongst the group. Everyone picked out sushi and other meal items for lunch, and some snacks, too. We sat in the sun on benches outside the store and chowed down. Lawson found a delicious premade açaí bowl for lunch that she loved. Afterwards, we ate gelato. Olive oil was arguably the best flavor, with pistachio coming in close second. Once we were back on the bus we headed to the beach for a second time today. We were led to a beautiful cave and sand dune spot. We broke the group into four teams and had an exhilarating relay race. The rules included sliding down the dune, running into the water, fully submerging, and running back up the dune when finished. It was a serious workout and we were all totally gassed afterwards! Exhausted from a long day in the sun, we went back to our house. Despite being tired, everyone wanted to head back to the beach which happens to be right across the street from where we are staying. Taylor took the whole group to do some evening surfing and soak up the last bits of sunshine left in the day. Then we headed to BBQ dinner. It was a really serene setting to be outside on the beach. We shared our highs and lows of the day, and Em introduced the kids to her version of the game which includes a good deed and goal. Everyone had great acts of kindness to share from the day and goals for the rest of the trip. Following dinner we stopped by 7-11 to stock up on some late night treats on the way to Moonup. Lawson and Taylor used the smoothie making machines for the first time and hit was a success. We need some of these in the U.S.!!! Tonight we did Moonup outside, inside of a shrine. When in Japan…. ! We talked about the best advice we’ve ever received. Many of you were named as sharing excellent advice that the kids live by. Thank you for being such role models in their lives and giving them the opportunity to experience the magic of Moondance.
Day 16… Our final day! First thing on the books was a traditional sushi making experience! We spent our ride over on the bus jamming out and preparing to chef things up once again. When we arrived, we washed hands, put on our cook caps and coats, and went to town constructing our nigiri. Our instructor spent a good deal of the afternoon laughing at us and our attempts, which of course only made us crack up more. It was a goofy lunch; our instructor communicated to us exclusively through sound effects while patting the sushi. We followed along as best we could. Will got the hang of it immediately, perfectly forming the rice into shape. Henry tried a chunk of the freshly grounded wasabi and nearly breathed fire out his nose. Lawson took it upon herself to create her makeshift sushi rolls because she preferred it to the nigiri. After lunch we traveled for some souvenir shopping. However, first we booked it to 7/11 to fuel up. We got all the cult classics. Waffle wafer ice-cream, hi-chews, smoothies, and coffee. Libby and OC both got ice coffees topped with vanilla ice-cream. With full bellies we set off on the town. We did some damage to our yen as Libby, Will, Lawson and OC found chopsticks. Bone picked up an awesome Fuji T-shirt and Libby and OC tried on kimonos! The shopping day was a success as we walked back to the bus with lighter wallets and huge smiles. Before the afternoon slump could get us, we headed straight to the beach for some surfing. A fantastic idea headed by Bone! Pros from our training before, we shredded the gnar and rocked out to music on the shore. From then, we had a quick turnaround as the boys went to pick up dinner to-go and the girls got ready for banquet. After our squad was ready, we all sat down to enjoy one last supper together. We organized a huge spread with 3 sushi platters, carbonara, curry, and burritos. We chowed down, tunes in the background, and laughed about the day. Will tried sushi for the first time. What better time than the final Banquet dinner in Japan to try the delicacy!?! Henry said his curry was delicious and everyone gobbled up the food. Of course, we were not too full for one last 7/11 run. We threw on our raincoats, stopped at the beach along the way to take some pictures, and then crossed through the automatic doors of the fluorescent 7-Eleven oasis. We absolutely balled out, nothing spared for this amazing group of kids, and we walked home with several bags of sweets to try. Back in the haven of the Turtle house, we did an ultimate mukbang! Lawson kept us laughing the whole time. With perfect timing, Emily arrived back just in time for the final Moonup. This one was a particularly special and memorable Moonup for our group. We closed off the night with a love roast (where we go around the circle and each person says what they love about each other). As leaders, it was one of the most special Moondance banquet dinners we have ever been a part of and there is no one better we could have spent it with than these students.
Today, we rose and sat for a bittersweet last breakfast together. Once we packed up and boarded the bus, we were off for the airport. In just two weeks, we have gone from strangers to family. We could not be prouder of the incredible people now making their way through airport security, carrying with them fantastic memories, friendships, and leadership that made this trip with them so special. Thank you so much for sharing them with us! We cannot wait to see all the incredible things they accomplish throughout their last years of high school and beyond. Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to meet and LOVE your kids!
❤️💙
Em & T
Bonding in the Alps!!
June 18, 2026
Hey Moondance Families!
Checking in from the Japanese Alps! 🇯🇵 We just completed the Panorama Gina Trek in the Northern Alps and we are so excited to tell you all about it. Let’s pick up where we last left off!
Day 7 of our Japanese adventure began in a quaint town where we woke up to beautiful blue skies! We were pumped to begin our second day of water activities on the river. Per usual, our crew fueled up with a delicious breakfast spread of pretty much any cuisine you can imagine. Yogurt, smoothies, french toast, omelets, and even ice cream, too! After our bellies were full we hopped in the car to meet our white water rafting guides. Before we knew it we were in the river ready for a fun morning in the water. We split into three rafts, each with team names. Raft 1, included Megan, OC, Bone, Shreve, Kirby, and Henry. Raft 2, was comprised of Emily, Otis, Michael, Libby and Katherine. And finally, in raft 3, was Taylor, Leena, Will, Preston, Lawson. We had an absolute blast splashing around all morning. There were two cliff jumping spots where we de-boarded the rafts to jump into the water. Our awesome guides even created a makeshift slide for the JPN 1 crew to slide into the river. We did summersaults, two-man slides, and slid down on our bellies. It was seriously a blast! Our second cliff spot was even higher than the first. Megan was the first to jump in, followed by Otis who faced his fear of heights. The rafts played an intense game of two truths and a lie where we learned that Katherine has visited 25 colleges and Michael has been to Russia before. It’s been such a blast getting to know everyone better and finding out all sorts of fun facts. Following our morning in the water we whipped up another BBQ lunch, courtesy of our LODs Lawson and Henry who manned the grills. We’ve come to learn that it is customary to prepare food in Japan even when you’re eating out. It’s been fun to learn how to make traditional meals, and hopefully the kids can bring some of their new knowledge back home to cook for all of you. While our chefs were hard at work, Bone and Shreve started a game which has become a favorite activity amongst the group! Post-lunch we were craving a sweet treat, so we went to a local ice cream shop. It was unlike any type of ice cream we’d had before. The milk-based treat was more creamy than sweet, topped with our choice of chocolate, nuts, honey, or jelly. Everyone was pretty traditional and ordered chocolate, except for Michael who branched out and tried the honey nut flavor. Delish! The rest of our day was more low-key. We taught the kids how to play codenames, a game involving two teams and code givers. It’s similar to the New York Times connections game where you have to connect nouns on the board using only one word. Our first clue givers were Megan and Kirby who helped us teach everyone how to play. At dinner we had a blast trying everything possible at the hotel buffet. Preston somehow secured an entire pizza for himself. Michael loved that all of the sushi had wasabi, which the rest of the group was less keen on. And Lawson even tried sushi for the first time! We are proud of how adventurous some of these kids have been about trying new foods. The best part of dinner was that we all wore our kimonos. Not only were we comfy, but even more importantly we were super stylish while we ate. Henry and Lawson led a great Moonup and we headed to bed smiling ear to ear from laughing all day!
Day 8 The next morning began on the bus as we headed towards the alps to prepare for the trekking portion of our trip. Our first stop along the way was at a strawberry farm to do some fruit picking. The inside of the farm was lined with rows of beautifully fresh berries. The fruit was so fresh and we started a competition to see who could find the biggest strawberry. Otis was the winner! Most of us just ate berries as we collected them and had fun trying to find the perfectly ripe fruit. Stop #2 of the day was at a wasabi farm. We got to see firsthand how this Japanese delicacy is made, which is actually quite a complicated process. Wasabi takes over two years to grow, and it requires pristine conditions. The crop must be shaded with a couple inches of water constantly flowing through the soil. It is super labor intensive, and we now understand why it is so rare to actually eat the real wasabi root. We even had an opportunity to taste the wasabi, where we found it to be much more mild in flavor than what we are accustomed to eating in the United States. The grounds that the farm sits on are beautiful, and we had fun exploring the area after lunch. There was a shrine with a wooded area that provided a great view of the farm. Stop #3 of the day was our first Japanese grocery store. Unsurprisingly, they had an insane sushi selection like nothing we’d ever seen before. Katherine, Leena, and Megan tried sushi rolls. Will helped us pick out snacks for our trekking GORP (good ol’ raisins and peanuts) bags. We found tons of local snacks to include, as well as some familiar candy. Leena discovered wasabi peas which we had to include, too. Once we arrived we dropped our bags and began exploring the town. We led the kids to a magical castle in town where we learned about its history. The Castle is one of only twelve castles with a surviving original structure. The architecture is especially unique as it’s formed on flatland rather than on a hilltop, and it has a moat surrounding it. We reached the castle and marveled at how beautiful it was. We’d been walking in the rain and suddenly the rain stopped and a huge rainbow formed. It was absolutely beautiful. Then, just when we thought it couldn’t be any prettier, a second rainbow appeared! We played some hacky sack adjacent to the castle and had a mini photo shoot. Get excited for lots of great pictures soon! We made our way to dinner in town-a local restaurant with all you can eat BBQ. Preston was the order master of his table, and ordered basically the whole menu. We absolutely chowed down. Shreve and Michael discovered that you could even order pancakes here! And ice cream! We took full advantage of the “all you can eat,” especially at Emily, Otis, Bone, and Preston’s table. At the end of dinner we surprised Lawson by celebrating her (fake) birthday by singing HBD but really just wanted to celebrate Lawson because she is the best! After another quick sack sesh outside of the restaurant, we headed back to our hotel. The streets of Matsumoto were beautiful at night. We piled into one of our rooms for Moonup led by Will and Libby where we talked about something we’d devote time to even if no one saw or applauded. It was a great way to reflect on the activities that matter most to us back home while learning more about each other. To close Moonup we had a scary laugh competition. Henry won, but it was a close call between Henry and Will who both have impressively scary fake laughs!
Lets go! Day 9 and the start of our trekking adventure in the alps. We finished packing up our bags and felt fantastic leaving most of our belongings behind. After breakfast, Emily took the girls and Will on a coffee run to a local spot in town. We have been on the hunt for the best matcha and coffee we can find, and this one is definitely a top contender. Kirby kept her tea order streak alive by tasting the earl gray latte. Meanwhile, the boys (unsurprisingly) played hacky sack. We all met up at a local Saturday market to do some thrifting and find Japanese trinkets. Will secured an awesome polo shirt and Megan found a great little tote bag. OC and Preston bought vintage watches, too. We spent most of the morning exploring the town and securing last minute necessities for trekking. In the afternoon we transferred to the start of our four day trek in the alps. Our first traditional mountain lodge near the Northern Japanese Alps. It is nestled in the woods near a natural onsen. We drove up windy roads to reach our lodge where we had a quick gear check and settled in. Otis and Preston were first to discover the 15-minute coin massage chairs which were very popular amongst the group. Lawson hit the onsen, and the rest of the girls followed her lead that evening. We also had a safety briefing courtesy of our new guides. They created their own booklet just for our group where he hand drew our route and explained our three trail rules. 1. Speak up, 2. No rushing, 3. Cooperation. We are in great hands with him! It was super informative and gave us a great understanding of the alps, including what to expect over the next four days. We also learned that two of our guides have summited Mt. Everest. So impressive! At dinner we had the pleasure of getting to know more about their lives while sharing a delicious traditional meal. We even had tiramisu for dessert. Yum! We got to have our first mega sleepover with one big room for the girls and another one for the boys. We set up our beds shikibuton style, which consists of a mattress on the floor, quilted blankets on top, and a rice-filled pillow. It felt great to be up in the mountains, and we were so excited to start trekking in the morning.
Day 10 Our first official day of trekking started off strong with an early departure. Our route today was nearly 4,000 ft of elevation gain, so we had to fuel up for the day ahead. Our traditional Japanese breakfast included fish, rice, miso soup and some pickled veggies. We are all becoming more accustomed to new cultural experiences, including the meals. Following breakfast, we packed our bags and hit the trail. In just 3.7 miles we climbed 3,900 ft. We followed the road to reach the trailhead where we ascended through the forrest. It was a steep uphill climb, but nothing the athletes of JPN 1 couldn’t handle. About halfway we reached a mid route hut where we had lunch. The beef udon noodles were a huge hit, and Will said it was his favorite meal of the trip. We also enjoyed tons of watermelon, which this region is known for, especially in the mountains. Shreve and Emily probably ate an entire watermelon between just the two of them. Preston drew a beautiful picture in the sand, leaving a mark for anyone who passes through. And, per usual, Kirby kindly shared her hacky sack with the group to play a quick game before continuing on our route. We continued trekking up the mountain, playing trail games like 20-questions and talking about our “perfect days” at home. We learned that Leena, Megan, and Katherine all have very similar perfect days including morning pilates and coffee! In no time at all we reached Enzansou, our lodge for the night. Just as we reached the lodge, the sun began to peer out from behind the clouds and we had a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains. It was seriously so picturesque! We checked into our next mega room accommodation, but this time it was bunk bed style. We had our own section with 3-person top and bottom bunk rooms. We settled in and hit the cafe, where Lawson and OC bought slices of cake to treat themselves after a big day of hiking. The perfect reward! Before long, our guide guided us back outside to reach the nearby summit of Mt. Tsubakuro. It was a solid push effort after our long day of hiking, but so rewarding once we reached the top. Along the way we captured some great photos as the clouds dissipated. We led the kids in one of our favorite mountain activities: 2 minutes of silence. This exercise is both meaningful and memorable, as it gives us time to be present with our own thoughts and take in the beautiful surroundings. It felt magical to watch the clouds shift, becoming less dense and more translucent. We were able to see the staggering cliff-like mountains all around us as we sat on the peak. A total WOW moment! Leena and Libby were especially appreciative of the views and shared how grateful they are to be trekking in such a serene destination. We made our way back to the mountain hut where we had an early dinner followed by an intense game of codenames. This has become a favorite game within our group and we play nightly! We ended the night in typical Moondance fashion with a great Moonup led by Megan and Shreve. The mountain huts there is a strict quiet hour at 8:30 sharp, so we went to bed early to rest up for our second big trekking day!
Day 11… we can hardly believe how fast this trip is flying by! We had an earlyyy wake up today at 5 am for breakfast at 5:30 sharp. The sun rises super early here and most hikers begin trekking before 7 am, hence the early wake up time. Despite our early alarm, spirits were high as we were so excited to begin our second day of trekking. It was super foggy and chilly in the morning, so we all enjoyed a slow wake up with coffee in the side cafe of our lodge next to the glorious space heaters. After packing up our bags and bundling up with all of the layers we brought, we hit the trail. Today’s hike was 6.8 miles with 2,600 ft of elevation gain, and a significant amount of loss, too. We trekked along the ridge where the terrain was mostly rocky and super steep at times. Per usual, this group totally crushed it with smiles on their faces! The cold could not keep us down. We spent a while playing would you rather questions and more 20-questions, two great trail games that make the uphill sections feel less draining and more fun. Halfway through the hike we reached our spot for lunch. But before we stopped to feast, we hiked up to the tallest peak. One of the trail games we played along the way was describing your “death row meal”. Megan’s hypothetical last meal of choice was Indian food. Oddly enough, lunch was a detectable Indian chicken curry dish complete with naan bread. With our bellies full and our toes warm again, we set off on foot. We reached our picturesque mountain hut around 3:30. Here, all the girls got to sleep in one big room together! We spent the time until dinner playing games and warming up in the drying room. The drying room is where hikers can hang up their wet gear from hiking to dry. However, the warm little room quickly became a cozy oasis for us as and we hung out recapping the day. Several Japanese hikers came in to hang up clothes periodically, all of whom thought we were totally crazy as we smiled, looking up at them from our places on the floor in a circle. After another hamburger dinner, we played games and met some fun, new friends who are staying here from a different part of Japan. The boys dove into a cross-cultural game of Uno with the men of their group. Meanwhile, our girls were taught and played a Japanese version of tic-tac-toe by the ladies of the mountain crew. Camaraderie prevailed despite the language barrier and I doubt the little hut has ever heard so much noise. Truly a wonderful immersive culture moment to be apart of. Quiet hour start early in the mountains at 8 PM so we did an early Moonup and tucked ourselves in bed.
day 12 Following the trend, Tuesday breakfast was even earlier…this time at 5AM sharp. However, we rose to some tunes and beautiful sunny clear skies. The first in days! The sun was finally out and here to stay. After our early bird breakfast, we packed up and began our trek. OC and Kirby exclaimed how much fun they had in the girls mega room. Our daily trekking stats were 5 miles with an elevation gain of 2,100 ft and around 1,500 ft of loss. A lot of hiking up and down mountains! We set off straight up-hill, the trail climbing steadily to the summit of Mt. Jonen (9,373 ft high). On top we took a break and enjoyed the panoramic views of the Northern Japanese Alps and the Valley below. Our route then followed an undulating ridgeline and across rugged alpine terrain toward the next mountain. To pass the time, Otis and Will talked with Taylor about what their dream job would be if money didn’t matter. We also played a ridiculous amount of celebrity (a game where you list out celebrities names based on last name, simple but entertaining). What started as a big group game with Libby, Megan, Kirby, Bone, and Taylor turned into one-on-one battle with Bone and Taylor for hours. Bone is a natural at the game. Meanwhile, Emily, Leena, Katherine and Will entertained themselves by playing the alphabet game with countries and foods. After a rewarding day of high-elevation trekking we arrived at camp, perched above the valley with spectacular views of the surrounding peaks. Business first, we immediately got our lunch and chowed down outside. Michael, who had kicked himself for not getting the Indian curry the day before, had his shot at redemption and enjoyed his curry bowl for lunch at this new mountain hut. OC, Leena, and Megan were thrilled to have a warm bowl of ramen. The kids said that this was the biggest challenge, but most rewarding and favorite day of trekking! Em and Taylor could not agree more! We napped, played hacky sack and did mid trip check ins. Another early dinner at 5:30. Following supper, Em, Megan, Lawson, OC and Taylor played codenames, student vs leader style! (Leaders were the champs obviously). Meanwhile, the first of the group faced off outside, enjoying the weather, in a huge game of sack. They played many rounds, with Will, Bone, Katherine, Shreve, and Libby each taking home the gold! It was a super solid day! 😎
On Day 13 we woke up and got to sleep in…breakfast was at 5:45 instead of 5 and we were all grateful to not have to wake up in the 4’s again. Another beautiful morning and the sun was out! Before we started our hike down, our guides led us in a Nepali radio workout to get our limbs nice and loose for the day. The clouds perfectly framed the mountains in the background and Lawson pointed out the outline of Mount Fuji in the distance. We start the hike down, the trail descended from the alpine zone through forests and along the ridge toward the valley. We stopped for a long break where the kids got pizza, coffee, matcha, ice cream, and affogatos at 9 in the morning. We basked in the sun and competed in an epic battle of ultimate sack as our group playlist provided a cinematic score in the background. Libby and Bone were the last men standing. Passing through a scenic meadow surrounded by towering peaks, we continued alongside clear mountain streams and well-maintained trails. Along the way we saw some Japanese monkeys! Will decided that if he could be any animal that he would be a monkey! They were adorable. The trek ended at one of Japan’s most famous mountain destinations. Then we met back up with our guide before transferring for 3 hours to the next stage of the adventure. We said our farewells to the guides and thanked them for the last 4 days of spectacular trekking. We arrived back at our tried and true hotel where we stayed at the start of our adventure. Everyone took a well deserved shower and a few of our ranks hit up the onsen before dinner. Lawson and Will said they washed their whole body twice. We all felt like new (clean) people as we sat down for our buffet dinner. Shreve decided to keep his blossoming mustache and displayed his new upper lip stubble at dinner. Leena commented that this made him look a lot like Borat and we all had a good laugh. After a delicious dinner we celebrated completing our fantastic trekking section in the Japanese Alps with some fireworks provided by Joy. The sparkles were a big hit. Preston and Otis especially loved it. We lit up the night with the dazzling flames and our whooping victorious laughter. To finish out the day, Otis and OC led us in a memorable Moonup where we shared some of our favorite childhood memories. It was another fantastic Moonup to end a full day of fun in Japan!
We have absolutely LOVED spending the past two weeks with your incredible kids. We’re heading now to the beach, ride some waves, and experience more of this incredible country. We can’t wait for you to hear all of the stories soon from the kids. Sending our love and gratitude!
❤️💙
Em & T
Shoutouts!
Henry Wallace: Hi Mom and Dad I can’t wait to play tennis with you in Nantucket. Japan has been great, I’ve had spaghetti with meat and curry soup. We just got back from hiking in the Japanese Alps, it was beautiful, you can see the album when I get back. I can’t wait to see both of you and miss you both very much.
Hbone: Thank you so much mom and dad for this awesome opportunity! I’ve had so much fun and made many new friends here in Japan. I miss all of you all so much and can’t wait to tell everything to y’all when I get back. Please tell the rest of the family that I miss them and will see them when I get back. Can’t wait to see y’all!
Will: Mom and Dad, thank you so much for sending me to Japan I’ve had an amazing time. I’ve enjoyed an adventure of trekking, learning how to use chopsticks, and having fun doing numerous other activities. While I’ve had so much fun here, I am excited to come home and see you all again soon. I’ll see you all later love you bye bye!
Michael: Hey Mom and Dad, thank you for sending me here because I’ve had a great time and I’ve made a lot of new friends. I’m looking for a nice pair of chopsticks to bring back and I’m looking forward to telling y’all about the trip.
Lawson: Hey Mom and Dad, I miss y’all so much. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to go on this trip. We just finished trekking and I’m not gonna lie it was not too easy. We are currently on our way to the beach and I’m so excited. Please stay up late enough to answer my call on Sunday. I love and miss yall so much. And hi Abby, Sophia, and Lilly, I miss y’all too.
Oc: Hey Mom and Dad!!! I love and miss y’all sooo much!!! Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to go on this trip it has truly been so amazing!! We just finished trekking the Japanese Alps and it was so beautiful I can’t wait to show y’all the pictures when I get back!! We are now headed to the beach and I am so so excited and ready for it!! Also I kind of learned how to solve the rubix cube so I will have to show y’all when I get home!! I love and miss y’all so so much!! See y’all soonnnn!!
Kirby: Hi Mom and Dad, I hope all is well at home! I’m still having a great time in Japan. We just finished trekking the Japanese Alps and it was such a cool experience. We’re on the way to a beach town right now to stay a couple of days and surf. I just remembered that I never told you guys to feed my fish so please do so if you haven’t already. I miss the dogs a lot and I can’t wait to see all of you guys. Thank you so much for this opportunity it’s been amazing and I can’t wait to tell you guys all about it!
Preston: Hey mama and dmitry, I miss you guys a ton and am so happy that you guys are engaged. Thank you so much for sending me on this trip in Japan. Tell chase and scout I miss them.
Otis: Hi mom and dad, I miss y’all so much and I am so thankful to be able to experience this! We just finished trekking and it was truly an amazing experience and I cannot wait to show y’all the pictures. I really hope lovely is adjusting to the new house well and is able to figure out what is happening. Cannot wait to see y’all in Spain. Do me a favor and tell Hardin I miss her and love her a lot and cannot wait to see her and tell her about this trip.
Henry Werner: Hey Mom and Dad I’m having a great time in Japan we just finished trekking in the Japanese alps and the views were incredible! We’re staying on the beach now and are surfing and sliding down sand dunes and just hanging out on the beach and I’m super excited. I love and miss y’all and can’t wait to see y’all and show and tell everything that we’ve done.
Leena: Hi Mom and Dad!! I’m having so much fun!! We just finished trekking the Japanese alps and it was so so much fun and unbelievably beautiful. We just got to the beach and we are about to surf! I can’t wait to tell y’all everything that we have done. I love y’all and miss y’all and I can’t wait to see you guys! Thank you so much for this experience! Also tell Aidan that I miss him!
Katherine: Hi Mom and Dad!! I am having the best time ever!! Trekking the Japanese Alps was so cool and I can’t wait to show you pics when I get home!! We
Libby: Hello family! I just want to say thank you for this once in a life time opportunity and i am so grateful to be here! We just finished trekking and it was incredible, I can’t even begin to explain how beautiful and fun it was!! I can’t wait to show y’all all of the vids and pics! Miss y’all! ❤️ 🇯🇵✌️
Megan: Heyy fam!! I am having the most amazing time ever in Japan!! This is literally the best moondance trip I’ve ever been on! My group is so amazing, and I have made the best friends! We just finished trekking the Japanese alps and it was soooo cool! I can’t wait to show you all the pics and vids I have gotten but I never want to leave. Love y’all so much! 🏔️❤️✌️
Jamming Out in Japan!
June 11, 2026
Hey Moondance Families!
Hello from Japan!!!! (日本からこんにちは – Nihon kara konnichiwa) Its hard to believe that we are already a week in to our incredible Japanese adventure. Since arriving in Tokyo, we’ve toured cities, climbed mountains, cooked delicious meals, and everything in between. We are so excited to tell you all about it, so let’s jump right in!
We eagerly awaited the kids arrival in Tokyo by stocking up on tons of viral, known to be delicious snacks from 7-11. Japan has amazing food at all convenience stores, so what better way to kick off our trip than with a smorgasbord of goodies. After a seamless customs experience, we finally received all of the kids and we were so pumped to meet them! We immediately dug in to the famous snacks. The pancakes were a crowd favorite. I mean, who doesn’t love pre-buttered and syruped food?! Before we knew it, we were off and headed into Tokyo for our first night. The city itself has so much to offer. Watching through the windows while driving through the city is a cultural experience in and of itself. For starters, they drive on the left side of the road. Everything is immaculate with not one piece of trash, nor trash can, in sight. And the biggest culture shock of all is how everyone is so disciplined while crossing the street. It’s super illegal to j-walk in Japan and the locals take it very seriously! On our first night we stayed in the coolest neighborhood. It is known for being less touristy and more local. Anime and pop culture are big here, which we quickly discovered just from driving in. Once we dropped our bags at the hotel, we immediately began to explore. Libby was the first to notice the pet store, a very common shop in Japan. Of course, we had to check it out. Will especially loved holding the cats. We wandered the neighborhood streets before dinner and were all in awe of the fascinating culture, including different shops, restaurants, and clothes. We had to stop in a 7-11 where the kids bought more snacks to try. Michael gave some recommendations to the group since he’d already been in Japan for a few days. Otis discovered soft serve in a pouch which he said was a 10/10! Megan, Kirby, Katherine, and Libby tried onigiri-rice balls filled with tuna or salmon. Yum! Per Moondance first night tradition, we had pizza for dinner. The kids were all exhausted from a long travel day so we went straight to bed following Moonup. We elected Henry Bone (nicknamed Bone since we have three Henrys) and Megan as our first LODs. They both were natural leaders from the start, and we know the group will be in great hands having the two of them set the prescient of leading the group!
Our first full day together began with a full breakfast spread to fuel up for a day of exploration. Kirby was especially excited by the overwhelmingly expansive tea selection. Before heading out of Tokyo, the girls found local matcha (and coffee) to try. Leena had scouted a place the day prior, so we had a fun little morning stroll to get some drinks for the bus ride. It was a success, and everyone loved their matcha. Meanwhile, Henry Werner (aka Shreve from Shreveport) entertained the boys with his hacky sack. We have a group full of hacky sack pros and could see that we’d be playing a lot in our future! Our first stop of the day was to visit a small village in the Fuji Five Lakes region, famous for its eight crystal-clear spring ponds. The ponds are fed by snowmelt from Mt. Fuji that filters down through porous layers of volcanic rock for decades. We had a chance to wash our hands and faces with water from Fuji which was a real highlight. The walkways are lined with food stalls and souvenir shops selling local specialties, so we all had a chance to try some new food. Our second stop of the day was a cooking class where we learned how to make Houtou Noodles. This is a signature dish in the region we are visiting. We made the noodles from scratch using just flour and water, and we then split into groups to cook them hot pot style. Our noodle experts, aka the “top house” or “t-ouse” were Kirby, Taylor, Will, and Shreve. The secret ingredient is kabocha (Japanese pumpkin), which partially melts into the broth and gives it a sweet, rich flavor. At our third, and final, stop of the day, we climbed 400 steps! It felt great to stretch our legs. The weather was overcast and a little misty, but the woods we hiked through were still beautiful, nonetheless. Between our three stops today we had a lot of fun on the bus, listening to the group playlist, and getting to know fun facts about each other. Coincidentally, we have a ton of Ole Miss fans in our group. Of course, we turned to our local expert OC on this matter! OC told us all about life in Oxford and gave us the local inside scoop on the school. We also talked about countries and their capitals with the help of Will, who knows all of them by heart! Henry Wallace (who is our only Henry who actually goes by Henry!) started reading a massive book and blew us away with his speedy reading abilities. Our hotel for the night was incredible! The setting was beautiful, and we loved being more tucked away outside of the craziness of Tokyo! We took advantage of the fun hotel amenities including ping pong, foosball, and a traditional Japanese onsen. Everyone had a chance to experience the natural spa and felt super relaxed heading into dinner. The best part of our meal was seeing Preston try sushi for the first time, and he loved it! At Moonup, LODs Megan and Bone led us in talking about our goals for the trip, which was a great way to set the scene for our big climbing day tomorrow… more to come! To finish off the day, we did karaoke in the hotel and had an absolute blast. Preston and Otis kicked us off with a duet singing “This Love” by Maroon Five. We shared a lot of laughs and it was the perfect way to end an awesome first full day together!
BIG DAY! Mt. Fuji!!!! We woke up feeling rested and energized to hit the mountain. Our amazing guides met us at the hotel and we stopped to get snacks for the hike. Going to the convenience stores is always so fun because they have all sorts of different, new snacks that are so much fun to try. We listened to some pump up music on the way to the mountain and were feeling great once we arrived! Here, we met our third guide. The summit hike led us to the second highest peak on Mt. Fuji. In less than two miles we climbed nearly 1,000 ft in elevation, walking entirely on rocky lava flows. Katherine and Henry were at the front of the pack the whole time. We experienced the magnificence of trekking through the crater of Mt. Fuji’s most recent eruption. The climb was steep and challenging, but so rewarding once we reached the top. The sun began to peer out from behind the clouds while we ate lunch and rested our legs before heading back down. For lunch we had bento boxes, where Michael announced he’d be eating everything with chopsticks for the entire trip. He has yet to pick up a fork! The boys played hacky sack at the top and everyone else joined in. It was an incredible, serene backdrop, as we were all on such a high after completing our first true challenge together. Despite the steepness, everyone absolutely crushed it and cheered each other on along the way. The way down was the best part of all, as we got to basically ski down the mountain on loose rock. Preston said it felt like we were on the moon, which we all agreed was true. Megan and Kirby say it was the best thing they’ve ever done, and we feel the same way. With tired legs at the bottom, we headed to our glamping accommodation for the night. Our camp host made us feel right at home and prepared an amazing BBQ dinner for us with local meat and veggies. Following dinner, we roasted marshmallows by the fire and had a lovely Moonup outside. The days just keep getting better and better as our group becomes more of a tight-knit family.
We rose to the light shinning through the flaps in our tent. Some of our early risers got to see Mt. Fuji and its full grandeur in the distance before it faded back into the fog. The Tuesday began with a home-cooked breakfast at our glamping facility. We celebrated Preston’s belated (pre-trip travel day) birthday, and we sang to him as he blew out his birthday candle over a delicious plate of french toast. At 9:30, we started our tour at a waterfall where the kids tried Fuji water and explored. We were accompanied by our guide’s adorable dog “Ichigo” (strawberry in Japanese) and Leena, Libby, and a few others even got to walk her through the forest. After, we drove to a beautiful waterfall. It is a marvelous. Nicknamed “Waterfall of white threads”, it looks just as it sounds; hundreds of snowmelt and spring water streams trickling over a curved cliff. For lunch, our squad flexed our chef muscles again making Yakisoba noodles. We enjoyed ourselves a ton. OC was in her element and took charge helping flip the Japanese pancake. Michael was a master noodle mixer at his table. To wrap up this culture-heavy day, we explored Mt. Fuji grand shrine. Throughout the trip, we are playing a game of whoever learns the best fun fact gets a prize, and Kirby had some good ones she learned from the shrine. Megan, Preston, and Otis got their fortunes read. Megan is predicted to find love in a year’s time, Preston is going to get broken up with soon (he does not have a girlfriend, so he says he is not worried!), and Otis’s fortune said he was perfect and to not change a thing about what he is doing. We said goodbye to Mt. Fuji guides and began our drive to the hotel. We had a blast on this longer car ride playing card games, 20 questions (Kirby was the champ), Leena graciously offered up her string to make bracelets, and we jammed out to some throwback tunes. At a pit stop, Bone’s premiere hacky sack once again came in handy! Henry finished his 700-page-book, and the whole bus cheered when he told us he had impressively completed it in a mere 4 days! Dinner was a local, traditional Japanese menu with tempura and hot pots. Lawson adventurously tried the mystery gelatinous balls. While not her favorite, we are proud of her for trying! After, Preston led us in some pushups to work off dinner. OC and Shreve facilitated Moonup, encouraging the group to share about someone they look up to and why. So many of you were mentioned, and it was so clear how much these kids love and appreciate you!
Day six rolled around, and our group woke up and started the day off with a buffet breakfast on the top floor of our hotel. We cannot believe we are already on day six of our spectacular Japanese adventure! At breakfast, Otis ate a delicious omelette and Megan enjoyed a bowl of traditional yogurt. Preston tried out the breakfast pizza bites, and they were a huge hit among our group. After, we geared up and loaded the bus for our jam-packed day of canyoneering! Naturally, we hyped ourselves up to some pump-up anthems on the bus as we drove to our activity location. The sun was out and spirits were exceptionally high! Once the JPN 1 gang was fully suited up ready for combat in our slick wetsuits and helmets, we began our first round of canyoneering. Henry took the lead down our first watery run. The group, clearly the adventurous type, bravely ventured down several runs backwards and superman style (on your belly)! The icy water was deliciously refreshing as the sun shone down on us from above. After several hours, we broke for lunch. Lunch was traditional Japanese BBQ on the grill, prepared by yours truly, the blossoming chefs of JPN 1! The spread was a group effort headed by our LOD’s, Kirby and Otis. While they manned the coals, the rest of the group played hacky sack and dried off our water-soaked limbs in the warmth of the sun. Lunch was a scrumptious labor of love! Lawson caught some funny moments on the camera, and she kept us laughing while we cooked. To get our bodies moving, we shook things up with a game of shake and pop! This classic was just what we needed as we headed back out into the field for the more extreme section of the river. We had a bit of hike before we started, however, there was not a silent moment as we trekked up river yapping, playing games, and enjoying each others company! The highlight of the next set of runs was going down a natural waterslide. Never ones to do anything half way, our gang went down the slide on our bellies holding on to each others ankles in a train, joyously hollering all the way down! It was an awesome way to end the day of water sports. We chilled out for second in the hotel, before walking through town to a local restaurant for a hot pot dinner. Once our bellies were full and our faces hurt from laughing, we headed back to the hotel for Moonup. Our LODs, Otis and Kirby, led a fantastic Moonup, opening the circle with each member giving a compliment to the person sitting next to their right. Our leaders of the day passed the baton to LawDog and Henry Wallace, and our troop headed to bed.
We have absolutely loved getting to spend the past week with your amazing kids and are so pumped for all of the fun that is to come. Thank you for sharing them with us!!!
Love,
Emily & Taylor
Shoutouts
Libby: Hi Mom, Dad, Marg and Tiny!! This trip has been AMAZING! It’s beautiful here and so much fun! My fav part so far has been hiking Mt Fuji! The hike down was so fun I can’t even describe it. It’s been the best few days, and I can’t wait for so many more fun ones. I love my 13 new friends and can’t wait to tell yall everything! Thank y’all for this opportunity!! love yall ❤️ ✌️🇯🇵
Lawson: Hey Mom, Dad, Barrett, and Watson!!! I miss y’all so much. We have already done so much, and everything has been so fun. We hiked Mt. Fuji and everyone made it to the top. We went canyoneering and whitewater rafting today which was literally amazing. Everything is so clean and nice, and I wish y’all could see it all with me. Also, HEYYYY Abby, I know you are gonna read this so…. Thanks for helping me pack. I love y’all, and I’m so excited to tell y’all everything.
Megan: Heyy Mom, Dad, and Katelyn!! Miss y’all so much!! This trip has actually been so amazing, and I’m having so much fun! We summited Mt. Fuji the other day, made lots of noodles, went canyoneering, and went white water rafting! The food has been so good! My group is sooo good I love everyone so much! I’m so excited to see y’all in Tokyo soon! Thanks for this opportunity!! Love y’all so much! 💗💗💗
Leena: Hi Mom and Dad! I miss y’all so much! The trip has been amazing and it’s so much fun. We have had so much good food and done lots of fun activities! We summited Mt. Fuji, white water rafted, went canyoneering, and done cooking classes. My group is so much fun, and I can’t wait to trek and surf! Thank you guys for letting me come on this trip!! Also, Aidan I miss you so much and I’m still looking for Pokémon cards! I Love you guys!❤️🍣🍜!!
Katherine: Hi Mom, Dad, Will, and Sarah!! I miss you guys so much!! The trip has been SO SO much fun, and I am having such a great time!! We explored Tokyo, summited Fuji, rafted, canyoneered, and have done lots of cooking!! I am so excited to tell you all about it when I get home! We still have trekking and surfing left, and I could not be more excited!! Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity and I can’t wait to see you guys!! I hope Wrangler is keeping you busy!! I love you guys!! ❤️🇯🇵
Will: Hi y’all! I hope you all are doing well. I am having such a fun time in Japan! I am learning so much about Japan, as well as the Japanese language, and it’s really like home. The food is also great! All the activities are so much fun, and I can’t wait for trekking tomorrow. I miss you all so much too! Love y’all so much, see y’all later, bye bye!
Henry Wallace: Hi Mom, since you’re probably the only one reading this 🙂 If dad’s reading it, then hello as well. I’m having a great time in Japan with all the great dinners and relaxing onsens. Despite what you might’ve thought, I’ve been able to avoid eating seafood for the most part. On the first night we had pizza believe it or not. It’s been a very fun trip, and I started my book on the second day and finished on the fifth. I hope you’re having a wonderful time in Nantucket.
Otis: Hi Mom and Dad! I miss and love y’all a lot, but this trip has been amazing I’m sure you all can read the other messages to understand what we have done so far. Right now, I’m sitting on the terrace with Michael and Preston looking off into the distance and it is very peaceful. I’m very excited to go to Madrid and try good Spanish food. Can you please do me a favor and tell Hardin I love her and miss her, and I hope she is having the best time in Dallas. Yours truly, Otis Danielson.
Henry Bone: Yo what up twin, it’s ya boi. This place is lowk fire. But actually this place is so awesome and I miss y’all so much (Pickles and Andy too). I’ve had so much fun so far. Please send this to the family group chat, so that our lovely grandparents see this and know I miss and love them. Can’t wait to be home, but I also don’t want to leave. I can’t wait for the rest of the trip! I’m so excited to see all of y’all when I get back. Love y’all so much, -HBoss
OC: Hey Mom and Dad!!! Japan is AMAZING, we will definitely have to come back! Everywhere we have stayed is so so nice!! We summited Mt. Fuji, and it was so so cool the way down was my favorite, though we got to basically run down the mountain, and it was sooo fun!! Everyone here is so nice, and I love all of my 13 new best friends!! I love y’all so much, and thank you for sending me here to experience this!! Can’t wait to see y’all when I get back!!🇯🇵🗻🍣👌😁
Michael: Hi Mom and Dad,! Japan has been super fun! Tell the rest of the family and Ana that I miss and love them too. The trip has flown by so far. The peak of mt Fuji was closed so we ended up just summiting the second highest peak, which was still super cool. I love and miss y’all and can’t wait to tell y’all more about it.
Kirby: Hi guys! I’m having the best time in Japan-it’s so beautiful and peaceful. My group is great, and we’ve gotten really close. The food has been delicious, but I still haven’t had any fish…maybe that’ll happen later on the trip. I miss everyone very much but hope you guys are having lots of fun at home. I’m excited to get back, but I am having the best time here and will be sad to leave. Love and miss you all!!!
Henry Werner: Hey mom and dad! I’m having so much fun in Japan, and I’m so glad I was able to come. So far we’ve climbed Mount Fuji and canyoneered. My group is super fun and nice and we’re all super close together. I haven’t learned how to make sushi yet, but we have made a bunch of noodles and meat which was super cool, and I’ll cook them when I get home. I’m getting some souvenirs so be excited! I’m bringing them back. I love y’all so much, and thank y’all for giving me the chance to come it’s been amazing!!!
Preston: Hey Mama and Dmitry, hope you’re having a great time in France. I am 3/4th of the way of learning how to solve a rubrix cube, learned I’m not the best noodle chef. We are still having a blast. I am trying my best to bring back a katana for our house, we have been staying at such cool places, and PS, I need a bidet. The summit of Mt. Fuji was very cool by the way.
Taylor: Hey Brown Fam! Leading this trip has been spectacular. Japan truly is unlike any place I have ever been. The kids are rockstars, and we are having a blast together. Mt. Fuji was surreal, and I could not stop smiling the whole time we hiked. I can’t believe I get to wake up everyday and do this. So grateful. Doing this again with Em is so insanely special. We are starting the Alps section of our trip, and I am pumped to trek. I love and miss y’all a ton. I will call y’all soon. Mark I am so proud of you for leading and can’t wait to catch up. Mom and Det give Maxy boy knuckles from me. 💙💙💙- T
Emily: Hi guys! I am having the best time and absolutely loving this group of kids. It’s so fun to be back in Japan for a second time and see all that these new cities have to offer. My high so far was being on Mt. Fuji… it was seriously such an amazing experience and unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. It’s so cool to stay in some of the spots Miles saw last year and feel like I can picture some of his trip, too. I feel so lucky to be leading with Taylor again and can’t wait to tell you all of the details soon. Love you guys so much!!!! Xo. Ems ♥️♥️
Safe Arrival!
June 6, 2026
Hello Japan Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely in Tokyo! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from their adventure! Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next week! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
