Some Japanese travelers will be getting a taste of Oak Park in an educational visit this January.

A group of twelve Japanese scholars, students and social workers will be staying in Oak Park from Jan 17 to 21 while they learn more about American school social work to bring back to their homeland. This is the third such trip for the group to learn about the subject, which is becoming more popular in Japan in recent years, said Carol Masset, an Oak Park resident school social work professor. She said America is ahead of the curve in school social work, a subject that is just beginning to catch on in Japan.

“They were very excited about the possibilities of school social work,” she said, referring to the first trip to the Chicago area three years ago. “Their translator told us that when they visited (other Western nations) it was ‘This is how you have to do it.’ I think it is very important for use to teach them different ways to do it. It all has to be adapted to different cultures.”

Masset, who works at the Jane Addams College of Social Work at University of Illinois-Chicago, will be one of the handful of residents who will be hosting the travelers. She volunteered to host some of the visitors, figuring that the village would be an ideal spot. One major selling point, she said, is the Japanese respect and admiration of the work of Frank Lloyd Wright. The architect was a collector of Japanese art and frequently traveled to the country, using eastern style as an influence for some of his work.

“Oak Park is an interesting destination for international visitors,” she said. “They are very interested in seeing Frank Lloyd Wright’s work.”

The visitors will be hearing lectures from various Illinois professors and will be touring Chicago Public Schools, not to mention the sightseeing that is already planned in Oak Park.

“We have a lot to pack in to a weeklong visit,” Masset said.