{"id":21613,"date":"2025-01-21T15:39:20","date_gmt":"2025-01-21T06:39:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/?page_id=21613"},"modified":"2026-07-24T15:58:31","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T06:58:31","slug":"uniqueness","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/en\/uniqueness","title":{"rendered":"About us"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-layout-grid container column1-desktop-grid__span-12 column1-desktop-grid__row-1 column1-tablet-grid__span-8 column1-tablet-grid__row-1 column1-mobile-grid__span-4 column1-mobile-grid__row-1\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-layout-grid-column wp-block-jetpack-layout-grid__padding-none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-layout-grid column1-desktop-grid__span-6 column1-desktop-grid__row-1 column2-desktop-grid__span-6 column2-desktop-grid__start-7 column2-desktop-grid__row-1 column1-tablet-grid__span-4 column1-tablet-grid__row-1 column2-tablet-grid__span-4 column2-tablet-grid__start-5 column2-tablet-grid__row-1 column1-mobile-grid__span-4 column1-mobile-grid__row-1 column2-mobile-grid__span-4 column2-mobile-grid__row-2\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-layout-grid-column wp-block-jetpack-layout-grid__padding-none\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-x-large-font-size\">Our Story<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-layout-grid-column wp-block-jetpack-layout-grid__padding-none\"><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SIJ-14th-logo-PNG-1-1024x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-28847\" style=\"width:193px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SIJ-14th-logo-PNG-1-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SIJ-14th-logo-PNG-1-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SIJ-14th-logo-PNG-1-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SIJ-14th-logo-PNG-1-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SIJ-14th-logo-PNG-1-1536x1536.png 1536w, https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SIJ-14th-logo-PNG-1.png 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Summer in Japan (SIJ): Where Global Minds Meet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>People gather where they are truly welcomed and their worth is recognized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hello, I&#8217;m Mari Hirotsuru, Founder and Executive Producer of Summer in JAPAN (SIJ). In 2012, I co-founded the nonprofit educational organization Summer in JAPAN together with my daughter, Sumire Hirotsuru, then a student at Harvard University. We had a single conviction: talent and potential exist in every child, everywhere, but too few are given the opportunity to discover and act on it. SIJ exists to be that opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To make this happen, SIJ invites undergraduates from Harvard to Japan, where we run a summer school helping elementary, middle, and high school students discover and develop &#8220;what they love and what they&#8217;re good at,&#8221; all in English.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since our first summer school in 2013, SIJ has grown on the connections forged on mutual respect. We don&#8217;t bring the world&#8217;s brightest minds to Japan simply to stand at the front of a classroom as &#8220;teachers.&#8221; We bring them here to build genuine mentorship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What we&#8217;ve come to realize is that this mentorship is a two-way exchange of learning. The children discover their own &#8220;voice&#8221; and build unshakable confidence. At the same time, our global mentors find a renewed sense of purpose, and return home carrying a deep respect for Japanese culture. It&#8217;s a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that develops them intellectually and personally. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">SIJ&#8217;s Impact: Connecting Regional Potential with World-Class Intelligence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><strong>Bridging Local Potential with Global Excellence<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SIJ connects the world and brings diverse talents and expertise to Japan. We bridge the distances, making sure that the exchange of ideas, cultures and learning is continuous and seamless.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SIJ develops and implements workshop curricula that have a meaningful impact on younger generations\u2019 future and their communities. Since the inaugural year 2013, we have been a platform where the youth can grow as future leaders for the good of society and personal fulfillment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Action-Driven Curricula<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We develop and implement workshop curricula designed not for the world of yesterday, but for the complex society of tomorrow. Whether it is coding dynamic solutions in our Tech Hackathon, pitching civic revitalization strategies in our Public Speaking symposium, or building creative synergy in the Performing Arts, our programs force students out of their comfort zones. We pivot youth from being passive consumers of information into active creators of real-world solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A Legacy of Future Leaders<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since our inaugural year in 2013, SIJ has grown from a local summer camp into a premier global platform. With over 8,300 lives impacted, our alumni have gone on to study at top universities abroad, innovate within their local communities, and tackle global challenges head-on.Ultimately, our impact is measured by a dual promise: equipping the youth with the critical skills needed for the <strong>good of society<\/strong>, while ensuring they never lose the joy of <strong>personal fulfillment<\/strong>. We are architecting a generation that is not only ready to survive the future, but ready to invent it.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u30fcMari Hirotsuru Summer in JAPAN Co-founder\/President\/ Executive Producer<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/1-2\/harvard.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/1-2\/writing.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/sij_students.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/sij_harvard_students-1.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-layout-grid container column1-desktop-grid__span-12 column1-desktop-grid__row-1 column1-tablet-grid__span-8 column1-tablet-grid__row-1 column1-mobile-grid__span-4 column1-mobile-grid__row-1\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-layout-grid-column wp-block-jetpack-layout-grid__padding-none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group group-mission mb-4 has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f5f6f7\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center blue\"><strong>SIJ\u2019s Mission: <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Make the world a place where everyone can happily pursue what they love doing.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns mb-4 is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column group-mission has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"background-color:#f5f6f7\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center blue\">Core Values<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center h4-mission\">1.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">SIJ creates a space where genuine human connections transcend differences, empowering participants to collaborate toward a more peaceful and inclusive world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center h4-mission\">2.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">We proudly provide a safe, well-structured, and engaging learning platform where young leaders from diverse backgrounds come together to work together for a better future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center h4-mission\">3.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Our programs blend language, culture, and the arts to deliver engaging, transformative learning experiences that are as enjoyable as they are impactful.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column group-mission has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"background-color:#f5f6f7\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center blue\">SIJ Summer School 2026<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">An immersive summer experience where participants develop their strengths, pursue their passions, and exchange ideas in English within an international community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">We welcome motivated students to be part of this shared journey!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group group-mission mb-4 has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f5f6f7\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center blue\"><strong>SIJ motto<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-pink-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-0b0e05642a04563a7c9b35fcef70662e\">The best way to predict the future is to invent it.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our Story Summer in Japan (SIJ): Where Global Minds Meet People gather where they are truly welcomed and their [&#8230;]<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn-secondary understrap-read-more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/en\/uniqueness\">Read More&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> from About us<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/fullwidthpage.php","meta":{"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"https:\/\/localhost:8888\/?page_id=13","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-21613","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","en-US"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>About us - Summer in JAPAN<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/en\/uniqueness\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"About us - Summer in JAPAN\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Our Story Summer in Japan (SIJ): Where Global Minds Meet People gather where they are truly welcomed and their [...]Read More... from About us\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/en\/uniqueness\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Summer in JAPAN\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-07-24T06:58:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SIJ-14th-logo-PNG-1.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"2000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"11 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/summerinjapan.com\\\/en\\\/uniqueness\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/summerinjapan.com\\\/en\\\/uniqueness\",\"name\":\"About us - Summer in JAPAN\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/summerinjapan.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/summerinjapan.com\\\/en\\\/uniqueness#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/summerinjapan.com\\\/en\\\/uniqueness#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/summerinjapan.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/SIJ-14th-logo-PNG-1-1024x1024.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-01-21T06:39:20+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-24T06:58:31+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/summerinjapan.com\\\/en\\\/uniqueness#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/summerinjapan.com\\\/en\\\/uniqueness\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/summerinjapan.com\\\/en\\\/uniqueness#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/summerinjapan.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/SIJ-14th-logo-PNG-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/summerinjapan.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/SIJ-14th-logo-PNG-1.png\",\"width\":2000,\"height\":2000},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/summerinjapan.com\\\/en\\\/uniqueness#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"\u30db\u30fc\u30e0\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/summerinjapan.com\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"About us\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/summerinjapan.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/summerinjapan.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Summer in JAPAN\",\"description\":\"\u30cf\u30fc\u30d0\u30fc\u30c9\u751f\u3068\u5b66\u3076\u82f1\u8a9e\u30b5\u30de\u30fc\u30b9\u30af\u30fc\u30eb\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/summerinjapan.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"About us - Summer in JAPAN","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/en\/uniqueness","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"About us - Summer in JAPAN","og_description":"Our Story Summer in Japan (SIJ): Where Global Minds Meet People gather where they are truly welcomed and their [...]Read More... from About us","og_url":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/en\/uniqueness","og_site_name":"Summer in JAPAN","article_modified_time":"2026-07-24T06:58:31+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2000,"height":2000,"url":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SIJ-14th-logo-PNG-1.png","type":"image\/png"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"11 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/en\/uniqueness","url":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/en\/uniqueness","name":"About us - Summer in JAPAN","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/en\/uniqueness#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/en\/uniqueness#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SIJ-14th-logo-PNG-1-1024x1024.png","datePublished":"2025-01-21T06:39:20+00:00","dateModified":"2026-07-24T06:58:31+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/en\/uniqueness#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/en\/uniqueness"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/en\/uniqueness#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SIJ-14th-logo-PNG-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SIJ-14th-logo-PNG-1.png","width":2000,"height":2000},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/en\/uniqueness#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"\u30db\u30fc\u30e0","item":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"About us"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/","name":"Summer in JAPAN","description":"\u30cf\u30fc\u30d0\u30fc\u30c9\u751f\u3068\u5b66\u3076\u82f1\u8a9e\u30b5\u30de\u30fc\u30b9\u30af\u30fc\u30eb","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21613","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21613"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21613\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29116,"href":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21613\/revisions\/29116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/summerinjapan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21613"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}