Japan 2026 — Trip Briefing Notes

Summary of the briefing held 13 August. Recording also available.

Dates

Depart Australia: Wednesday 23 September
Return to Australia: Tuesday 6 October
On the ground: 12 days

Interstate students: you fly to Brisbane on Tuesday 22 September and stay at the airport hotel that night. Aim to land in Brisbane early evening — no earlier than 2pm (hotel check-in), and not late at night. Flights are held but not booked; Sam will finalise these with you individually over the coming weeks. Return flights home will be booked as close to the Brisbane arrival as sensible, with some margin.

Where We're Going

The route is Tokyo → Nagasaki → Tokyo → Aomori → Tokyo.

Nagasaki (24–28 Sept, 4 nights) — Our context-setting days, and the most structured part of the trip. Life Share Church on the Sunday. Ministry opportunities here are limited this year — Life Share hosted a lot of teams last year and needed to scale back — so expect these days to feel fairly touristy. That's deliberate: Nagasaki is where the history we studied becomes real. Highlights include the 26 Martyrs Museum and Monument, Ōura Cathedral, the Atomic Bomb Museum, and the former Latin Seminario.

Tokyo (28 Sept – 1 Oct, 3 nights) — Based around Pastor Kathy's church in Ekoda, a university suburb the church is deeply embedded in. We'll run English classes at their preschool and at the university where Kathy lectures. Around that, half-day activities will be slotted in as gaps appear: Shibuya Crossing, Takeshita Street, Meiji Jingū, Sensō-ji, Akihabara. We're also working on connections with River Valley Tokyo (and their cafe) and Table Church.

Aomori (1–4 Oct, 3 nights) — Penny Nakanishi's church, and where Gemma will be based. This is the least-planned part of the trip on purpose: we're handing the schedule to Penny and serving however she sees fit. If that's cleaning the church, that's what we're doing. Expect rural Japan, a change of pace, and the trip's real ministry weight.

Tokyo (4–5 Oct, 1 night) — Our catch-all day. Anything we missed the first time, we do now. Splitting into smaller groups is fine. Tell Sam what you want to do.

Flights & Travel

Brisbane → Tokyo: JQ9, Wed 23 Sept, 9:30am → 5:40pm
Tokyo → Brisbane: JQ10, Mon 5 Oct, 8:50pm → 6:45am (Tues 6 Oct)

Domestic: Tokyo → Nagasaki (24 Sept, 8:40am → 10:50am) and Nagasaki → Tokyo (28 Sept) are flights. Tokyo ↔ Aomori is the Shinkansen — tickets are booked but we have flexibility on which train, so times will be confirmed closer to the date.

Airport call times will be provided closer to the trip.

Accommodation

Narita Tobu Hotel AirportFirst night, Tokyo. Basic, functional, gym and sauna on site.The Global View, NagasakiVery nice. Good communal spaces downstairs for devotions. Short walk to the train station, and the new Peace Stadium (with a good food court) is 5 minutes the other way.THE KNOT, ShinjukuOpposite a large park — useful if you need to escape a small room.Hotel Live Max, AomoriStandard.Henn na Hotel, Tokyo BayFinal night. Staffed by dinosaur robots. Amy is very excited.

Rooms are mostly twins and triples. Japanese hotel rooms are smaller than you're used to. Room allocations will be sorted for you.

Money

The bulk of the trip is already paid for — flights, trains, accommodation. You're covering food, personal spending, and Suica top-ups.

Before you go:

  • Wise account ✓

  • Physical Wise card (~$10 — order it)

  • Transfer money in and convert some to yen, even just $10, so you know how it works

Possible extra: we may organise private transfers a few times to avoid lugging bags across the city. Last year that was roughly $30 each across four transfers. It goes on the Youth Alive card and gets invoiced afterwards.

Suica (Transport Card)

Your Japanese travel card — trains, convenience stores, vending machines.

The official Suica app is entirely in Japanese. Add it through Apple Wallet instead (Wallet → add card → transit cards). Top up with Face ID in seconds; minimum top-up is ¥1,000 (about $10). Sam spent around $100 total last year, mostly on drinks.

We'll set these up together at Brisbane Airport. If your phone is more than about four years old and Apple Pay is temperamental, flag it now — we can get you a physical card. Leftover balance can be converted back at the end.

eSIM

Use Saily. There's a link with a 20% discount code on the missions page.

Buy between 23 August and 17 September — not before, as it has to activate within a month of purchase. If you already have an eSIM provider you've used and trust, that's fine.

Ministry Prep

Testimonies — A few of you indicated interest on the form. Sam will follow up individually and may need to trim the list.

  • 2–3 minutes only. Translation doubles it.

  • Short sentences. No slang.

  • Write a script. Even if you'd normally speak from dot points.

The song — Praise (Elevation), verses in English and chorus in Japanese, at the Aomori service. Sarah is leading and will get the chorus to everyone beforehand. Everyone sings. If you play an instrument and want to be involved, prepare the song and come ready — we'll work out what instruments are available when we arrive.

Cultural Notes

  • Bow. Say thank you.

  • Shoes off in homes and churches — easy to forget, so keep it front of mind.

  • Be quiet on public transport. This includes debriefing.

  • Punctuality is a form of respect.

  • Learn some Japanese. Everyone last year wished they'd done more.

Small things carry enormous weight. These are a real way of showing love.

Packing

Shoes — bring proper runners. You will walk a lot and your feet will thank you.

Clothing — dress the way you'd dress for church, most of the time. Modest and neat. Everyone covers shoulders. If you have visible tattoos, bring long sleeves — especially for rural areas.

Bags — total dimensions (length + width + height) must be under 160cm. Get a tape measure and check. A normal suitcase is around 141cm; even a large one is around 154cm, so this shouldn't be a problem. The limit is about Shinkansen overhead storage, not just the flights.

Also bring: a backpack for daily use (Bible, drink bottle), and a pen for arrival cards. Leave room in your suitcase — you will buy things.

Passports & Arrival Cards

All passports received — thank you. Australian citizens don't need a visa for a trip this length.

Arrival cards can be completed on the plane or online in advance to skip the queue. Sam will confirm which we're doing. Bring a pen either way.

Expectations

You're adults, not kids, and you'll be treated as such — which means autonomy and responsibility.

  • High communication, always. If you're tired, struggling, or unwell — emotionally or physically — say so. Sam, Amy and Gemma are all available.

  • Show up. Ministry opportunities come first. Keep energy in reserve for them.

  • Keep up. Transport moves fast. We'll do head counts, not buddy systems — but don't be the person who misses a train. If you're lagging, communicate it.

  • Rest well. Marathon, not a sprint.

  • Stay flexible. Plans will change. That's mission, not disorganisation.

  • You're representing Youth Alive and your home churches.

Team

Sam CrawfordTeam leaderAmy TendeanOfficial timekeeper — if Amy says move, moveGemmaCultural knowledge in Tokyo and Aomori. Gemma is a team leader on this trip, not a student — please treat her accordingly.Sarah LewisFirst aid. Reach out to Sam, Amy or Sarah about anything we should carry in the kit.Photography & socialsStill being sorted — ongoing conversation

We'll set up a shared iCloud album for photos. We also want to capture the trip properly for Youth Alive — everything from day-in-the-life stories through to footage usable in future promo. More on this closer to the date.

Health & Safety

Medical forms received — thank you. Flag any significant dietary requirements now; most meals will be self-purchased.

Travel insurance — individual policies are being issued and haven't gone out yet. Sam is following up.

Location tracking — we'll use Find My this year. You'll be asked to share your location with the leaders at the airport. It's for safety, and it's genuinely useful when groups split up and want to meet for dinner.

Your Next Steps

  1. Bookmark youthaliveacademy.com/missions

  2. Book your one-on-one Zoom with Sam — button on the missions page. Not formal; just a check-in so there are no surprises. Needs to be done before the trip.

  3. Keep saving, and keep loading your Wise card

  4. Order your eSIM between 23 August and 17 September

  5. Set up Suica — we'll do this together at the airport

Questions? Ask Sam, Amy or Gemma. If there's something you're desperate to see or do in Japan, say so early — no promises, but we'll try.