A group of 12 students from Australia will stay at the main keep of Fukuchiyama Castle in Fukuchiyama, Kyoto Prefecture, as “one-day lords.” (Takehiko Yokoyama)

FUKUCHIYAMA, Kyoto Prefecture--In a type of "Home Alone" situation, 12 Aussie teens will get the keys to the main keep of Fukuchiyama Castle here to do as they please for 24 hours.

The students, aged 14 and 16, will become "lords of the castle" on Sept. 17, city representatives said.

The teens said they're psyched to become samurai and experience Japanese culture first-hand.

The city is holding the event to hype the 2020 start of an annual historical drama series put on by Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK) that will feature the warlord Akechi Mitsuhide, who built the castle in 1579.

When city officials solicited ideas for opening the main keep to the public, they received 28 proposals from across the country and one from the students in Australia's southeastern state of Victoria.

The city said it picked their proposal to become keepers of the castle for a day as it offered an opportunity to promote Mitsuhide outside Japan.

Eleven of the students are ninth-graders and the other is an 11th-grader.

All are studying Japanese, a city representative said.

The kids got wind of the city's call for ideas through a contact in Ayabe, also in Kyoto Prefecture.

As part of their Japanese cultural studies, they will also stay with host families in Fukuchiyama.

During their time in the city, the students will also get to wear “kacchu” suits of armor and other feudal-style clothing, in addition to trying their hands at the tea ceremony, a traditional Fukuchiyama “odori” dance and other activities.