Optional Local ToursJULY 10 [Wed]From the morning through early afternoon of Wednesday, July 10th, the three “Local Tours” will be offeredfor sightseeing. Please select your 1st and 2nd preferences. The organizer will offer one of them to you,avoiding duplication with your Local Session which will start on the next day, July 11th.
(These are optional tours with the extra tour fee. You do not need to join one of these tours, but could instead spendtime on your own.)The tour fee includes transportation, lunch, and admissions.
*Local tour participant minimum: 15. A tour may be canceled if the 15-person minimum is not reached.

A Esoteric Buddhism＄130Koyasan and Shojin Ryori (vegetarian meals)Maximum: 30 participantsB Tokugawa & ManyoWaka-no-ura, Kimiidera Temple, Yosui-en Garden, Wakayama CastleKoyasanⒸWakayama Tourism FederationWaka-no-uraⒸWakayama Tourism FederationJAPan-AMERICA GRASSROOTS SUMMIT in WAKAYAMAKoyasan is a sacred Japanese Buddhist site, where the teachings and traditions of ShingonEsoteric Buddhism, founded by Kukai, have been handed down for 1200 years. Visitors willstroll through the extensive sacred area and temple grounds, known as a place of healingenergy, for a taste of Buddhist approaches to enlightenment. For lunch: a vegetarian mealcalled shojin ryori, at one of the shukubo lodging houses where Buddhist monks stay.

＄107Maximum: 40 participants1300 years ago, the Man’yo poets were so moved by spectacular Waka-no-ura that they wroteof wanting to bring the views home with them. Medieval shoguns and feudal lords werefascinated by it, too, as are visitors today. This tour will introduce the history and arts of theWaka-no-ura area, which was long ruled by one of the leading Tokugawa families.

CArchaeology & Ethnography＄99Itakiso Shrine (god of forests and forestry), “Tama the cat” stationmaster at Kishi Station,historic houses at Kii Fudoki-no-OkaMaximum: 40 participantsThis tour introduces the folk traditions of Wakayama Prefecture, particularly the beliefsabout nature and the gods that developed in the deep mountainous terrain known as the“Land of Trees.” Discover the wisdom of living at one with the climate and natural world. Thisis a chance to enter extraordinary folk houses of the kind introduced in CIE’s “The Magic ofMinka” webinar in 2021.

Isabella WiesenMinkaThe Grassroots Summit trip was so much fun. In total, it was aweek long, and we visited so many different places and twodifferent towns. This was my first time in Japan, and it isdefinitely going to be one of the most memorable and uniquetrips that I will ever make. I learned and experienced so much ofthe culture and food, and it has really made me moreopen-minded and more intrigued by Japan. Hopefully I will beable to participate next time as well. The home stay with thefamily was awesome. They were so nice, and it was really cool toexperience and do things that you don't usually do as a touristin a foreign country. I really hope that this program willcontinue to bring more people to Japan, and more Japanesepeople to America, and that the friendship between these twocountries will continue.

4JAPan-AMERICA GRASSROOClosing Ceremony &Farewell ReceptionJULY 14 [Sun]Hotel Avalorm Kino-KuniThis hotel is situated in the cultural area of Wakayama City. With unique restaurants, weddings that prioritizeencounters and relationships, and the pride of being the epicenter of Wakayama's food culture, the establishment isconstantly evolving and pursuing "specialty" in every scene. Collaboration events are also conducted with thePrefectural Cultural Center, the Prefectural Museum of Modern Art, and the nearby Prefectural Museum. Aiming to be a"one-of-a-kind hotel" full of originality, they always strive to provide new impressions and fresh surprises to their guests.

Post Summit Optional Program JULY 15 [Mon]After the Grassroots Summit in Wakayama, you can extend your stay in Japan to discover more and make friends in other regions!

* The Post Summit Optional Programs are open to Grassroots Summit participants. Optional program fees are indicated below, and are in addition to theSummit participation fee* Transportation from the hotel on the final day is not included.
* The program schedule may change due to unforeseen circumstances.

PROGRAM WITH HOMESTAY * Host families are all un-paid volunteers.
OP 1 Kyoto Home Stay Number of participants: from 6 to 10 people（2 night homestay in Kyoto and 1 night hotel stay in Tokyo）＄428Participation fee includes all transportation from Wakayama to Kyoto and Tokyo, admission to Gion Corner and selected Kyoto monuments, and hotel room andbreakfast in Tokyo. Host family serves you meals when you are at their home. The Tokyo portion does not include a guide or personal transportation. Fees basedon double occupancy of the hotel room in Tokyo. If you prefer a single room, add $95.

July 15 Depart Wakayama city for Kyoto by train（Mon.）Meet volunteers at Kyoto stationKyoto Gion Corner experience [ Homestay in Kyoto ]July 16 Sightseeing and potluck party at night（Tue.） [ Homestay in Kyoto ]Kinkaku-jiMaikosKyoto is one of the world's most popular touristdestinations. Come see the city with your host familiesand volunteers. In Tokyo, enjoy exploring on your own.

Key personOP 2Yoshie NakayamaJuly 17 Depart Kyoto for Tokyo（Wed.）Freetime in Tokyo[ Stay at Shinagawa Prince Hotel ]July 18 Departure on your own（Thu.）

Kanazawa・Noto Home Stay Number of participants: from 6 to 10 people（2 night homestay in Kanazawa, 2 night homestay in Noto, and 1 night hotel stay in Tokyo）＄625Participation fee includes all transportation from Wakayama to Kyoto and Tokyo, admission to Gion Corner and selected Kyoto monuments, and hotel roomand breakfast in Tokyo. Host family serves you meals when you are at their home. The Tokyo portion does not include a guide or personal transportation. Feesbased on double occupancy of the hotel room in Tokyo. If you prefer a single room, add $95.

July 15 Depart Wakayama city for Kanazawa by train（Mon.）Arrive in Kanazawa and meet host family[ Homestay in Kanazawa ]July 16 Sightseeing in Kanazawa（Tue.） [ Homestay in Kanazawa ]DELECCANJuly 17 Move to Noto by train with a volunteer（Wed.）Sightseeing in Noto and meet host family[ Hometay in Noto ]Kanazawa Kenrokuen GardenShiroyone Rice Fields in NotoKanazawa is located in the center of Honshu facing theSea of Japan, and is the center of the government,economy, and culture of the Ishikawa prefecture. NotoPeninsula is known for its beautiful coastal scenery andwas the host location of the 2007 Grassroots Summit.

Key person9Shinobu UogishiJuly 18July 19 Fly to Haneda (Tokyo) airport from Noto airport（Fri.） Freetime in Tokyo[ Stay at Shinagawa Prince Hotel ]July 20 Departure on your own（Sat.）* Please arrange your own transportation from the hotel to your destination on the final day.
If you need help with the arrangements, please consult NTA.

Sightseeing in Noto [ Homestay in Noto ]（Thu.）6

< Deadline : May 15, 2024 >☆YOU MUST TYPE OR PRINT CLEARLY!!☆
1Name(Exactly as itappears inpassport)

2Date of BirthLast NameFirst NameMiddle NamePrefered Name(to be appeared on Name Tag)DayMonthYear3. Age4. GenderM / FStreet:5AddressCity:State:6Telephone7Fax

8E-mail address

9Occupation /GradeZip:Cell:@□ Student Discount (up to 25 year old) $100 discount *Please submit a copy of school ID (proof of attendance)10 Hobbies / InterestsFood and other allergiesFoods you can't eat /won't eat

1112Pets

13Are you a smoker?

14□Like/□DislikeWhat kind of pets do you dislike?
□ Yes/Do you mind if your host family smokes?
Note to Host Family / Special Request□ No□ Yes/□ NoLanguage Ability (Japanese)★Physical Restriction

1516 □Not All □Greetings □SimpleConversation □FluentFamily Members (This information helps us match you with a similar family in Japan)NameRelationshipOccupationAge

17Preferred Hotel Companion? (Listed price are based on double18 occupancy. Unless otherwise requested, another participant will Name:share a room with you.)19 Would you prefer a single room in the hotels? (at extra cost of $41.5 for 3 nights)Basically, one participant stays at one host's house. However, because20YesNAME/

NoRelationshipof special reason (wife and husband, parent and child, etc.), if you wantto homestay with someone else, please write his/her name. (Due to thehouse space, this request cannot be guaranteed.)

21How did you know about thisSummit?

1. From CIE/CIE-US 2. By CIE-US Newsletter4. Japan America Society or Japan Society of [5. Other (3. From friends or relatives])Departure/ Arrival AirportPlease insert the number and name of Airport you will use.
221. Land Only (Arrange flights & transportation to Wakayama by your own)2. Los Angeles3. Dalles, VAYour Choice: (______)__________________________________OPTIONAL LOCAL TOURS on July 10Please insert the alphabet and name of your 1st and 2nd choices. (Please see the brochure or HP for Local Tour details.)
23A. Estoric BuddhismB. Tokugawa & Manyo1st : (_ ____)__________________________________C. Archaeology & EthnoraphyD. None2nd : (____ _)_______________________________________LOCAL SESSION CHOICE
24Please insert the number and name of your 1st, 2nd and 3rd choices.
(Please see the brochure for Local Session details. Your preference will be considered, but not guaranteed.)1. Wakayama2. Hashimoto 3. Tanabe 4. Shirahama5. Kamitonda6. Kushimoto 7. Nachi Katsuura8. Shingu1 stc h o ic e :(_ _ _ _ _ _ )_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 2 n d c h o ic e (_ _ _ _ _ )_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 3 rd c h o ic e (_ _ _ _ _ )_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _POST SUMMIT OPTIONAL PROGRAM from July 15Please insert the alphabet and name of your 1st and 2nd choices. (Please see the brochure for the details.)OP1. Kyoto Homestay OP2. Kanazawa & Noto HomestayOP3. Yamato-Asuka in Nara prefecture Homestay, and TokyoOP4. Kyoto Free OP5. Tokyo Free

251st : (_ ____)__________________________________2nd : (____ _)_______________________________________26 If you prefer a single room at the hotel during the optional program, please check the right box. (at extra cost)TRAVEL INFORMATION27 Passport Number:

2829 Passport Expiration Date (DD/MM/YYYY) :/30 Person(s) traveling with you:YesNationality:/(Name:) /No31 Special Request (meals, desired seating etc.) :32 Do you require travel insurance from NTA ? :Yes

/No (Travel insurance is your own responsibility)Consent for the Handling of Personal InformationBy checking the consent box and signing on the space provided below, the undersigned consents to the processing activities. The undersigned acknowledges unchecked boxes mean that I DO NOTconsent to the processing activities.
Consent to Sharing of Personal Data (Required): The participant's personal data will be shared with relevant entities such as our affiliates, a travel agency and accommodation to the extentnecessary for providing the travel services for which the participant applies. If the participant does not consent to this sharing of the personal data, we may not be able to provide our travelservices.
Consent to Use and Provision of Contact Information for CIE: The participant's personal data such as name and address obtained through this application form will be used for31 announcement for Center for International Exchange (CIE), related activities, and events by direct mail, e-mail and so on, and it will be strictly kept confidential. Without obtaining the priorconsent of the participant, the personal information is not offered or disclosed to a third party.
Consent to Use of Photographs for CIE: The participant hereby grant permission to CIE to take and use: photographs, digital images, videotapes, audio recordings or quoted remarks ofparticipant taken during this events for use in the reports, bulletins, news releases, Website and/or promotional materials of future activities for CIE and CIE-US. These materials might includeprinted or electronic publications, Web sites or other electronic communications. All medias and digital reproductions shall be the property of CIE.

□ Yes, I agreePlease send this application form with your passport copy to:U.S. Desk at Nippon Travel Agency America, Inc (Greater LA Branch)Attn: Grassroots Summit in Wakayama 2024Address: 1411 W. 190th St. Suite 650, Gardena CA 90248Tel: 310-630-0898Email: grassroots@ntaamerica.comContact: Mr. Yoshihiro Kobayashi / Ms. Yoko AdachiPassport Copy: Please make a photocopy of the page of your name, passportnumber, expiration day.

[ CONTACT ]REGARDING TRAVEL(special flight arrangements or considerations)Please contact Mr. Yoshihiro Kobayashi orMs. Yoko Adachi of NTA AmericaTel: 310-630-0898Email: grassroots@ntaamerica.com【 Office hour : 9:30 am - 5:30 pm PST, Mon.- Fri. 】REGARDING THE SUMMIT:CIE-US (C/O NAJAS)Telephone: 202-429-5545 (Washington DC)E-mail : manjiro@us-japan.org*The program organizers reserve the right to approve, deny or cancel any application at their discretion and to alter the program and activities at any time.