The trip to Japan will be my first time overseas.  I wonder how different the climate is in Japan.
What kind activities you do in summer?
I like to go hiking in remote areas. The more remote, the better.
Tokyo has a humid, subtropical climate with warm summers and cool winters, that can occasionally be very cold.
That sounds perfect.  Our trip will be in summer.  Do you know what manner of dress is considered appropriate for summer in Japan?
dress up in lightweight, breezy clothes that keep things nice and cool without exposing too much skin.
That will be easy, and fits my style.  Do you know if there are any good places to go hiking while in Japan?
Mount Takao is one of them, we can hike the trails between waterfalls and peaks along the way
I am very much looking forward to this trip.  I would like to learn more about the culture, too.  Do you have any tips?
Learn a few Japanese phrases and how to recognize key words.
We are studying some basic phrases in class, but I think I will try to do some extra studying on my own.  I am also very interested in the history of the Akita dog.  Do you know when it was first brought to America?
The first Akita was brought to the United States by Helen Keller in 1937, a puppy having been presented to her as a gift during a tour of Japan.
That is surprising! I didn't know it was Helen Keller! Do you know what the Akita was originally bred for? Were they bred for status only, or to do something?