Volunteers will have private school for elementary school kids for and organize international exchange classes. Also volunteers will clean local area such as shrine or temple, and do weeding in tea farm if local people need it. Also planning international exchange day and invite local people to interact.
Accomodation & food:
Local community center. Meals will be cooked by volunteers by turns. Sleeping bag is necessary.
Location & leisure:
Hirata town, Izumo city, About 250 km north west of Osaka. Near the Sea of Japan
Main works are1)Making biotope for promoting natural farming (Pesticide-free), 2)Helping elder local farmers to work on their farm such as cutting glasses or harvesting. We also work in a facility for the disabled people. The schedule of work will be changed due to weather condition, so you need to be flexible!
Accomodation & food:
Volunteers will stay in shared room in an old house (newly-renovated). Meals will be cooked by volunteers by turns. Sleeping bag is NOT necessary.
Location & leisure:
Nishiwaga town, center of Tohoku area (north part of Japan), and located in border between Iwate and Akita prefecture. It surrounded by beautiful mountains, and famous for hot spring (there is one even in a train station)!
Requirements:
Interest in community development, cultural exchange with a local community, and agricultural works.
Volunteers will 1) maintain abandoned chestnut forest. IMS already planted maple trees and acer there. volunteer will cut grass around these trees, 2)maintain footpath we call Yunodake nature walking course. IMS organize nature tour and nature game there.
Accomodation & food:
Yunodake-sanso(it means Yunodake moutain cottage). Shared room (male and female are separated). Cooked as a group by turns. All basic facilities are provided. Volunteers need to bring sleeping bags.
Location & leisure:
It is located Iwaki city(south part and near shore) in Fukushima pre.. Iwaki-city is most huge land and highest population number in Fukushima.
Requirements:
Interest to protect nature and to exchange with people.
Volunteers will do some work that is hardly done by the daily work of the community (last year, it was creating a trail) with the supervision of the specialists. Volunteers will also join farm work (weeding and harvest in vegetable, corn and Japanese noodle fields) and other community work including house work.
Accomodation & food:
The community (female and male are separated). Meals will be cooked by volunteers together with the people by turns. Sleeping bag is necessary.
Location & leisure:
Agricultural country side, 120 km east of Sapporo. -20 degree in winter and 20 in summer.
Requirements:
Interest and motivation to work and live in this type of community. Respect to their life.
Age:
18-99
Location:
Shintoku, hokkaido
Language(s):
English
Airport:
SPK: Chitose (Chitose, Japan)Vegetarian food will be available
In the morning, volunteers will work in the forest to maintain it. Cutting woods, pealing skins, cutting bamboos, sometimes chopping firewoods. In the afternoon, volunteers will have acticities such as discussion about environmental issues, bamboo craft, having a lecture about SATOYAMA.
Accomodation & food:
Very simple renovated house and a log house constructed by local people. Cooking with firewood. Meals will be cooked by volunteers by turns. Sleeping bag is necessary.
Location & leisure:
Takidani fudo, Tondabayashi city in Osaka. 60 km south of Osaka city.
Requirements:
Interest in nature conservation. Adaptability to enjoy a simple lifestyle is needed!
Maintain the rice field called "tanada", a traditional Japanese rice field in the mountain area. Tanada here was selected as one of "the 100 most beautiful tanada" in Japan. We will also do some farming work or any work that local people need. We might make signpost of the area for tourists. Disucussion about how to make this village attractive.
Accomodation & food:
Local community center. Meals will be cooked by volunteers by turns.
Location & leisure:
Ojiro-ku, Kami town, located in the north-west the Hyogo prefecture, the middle of the Hyo-no mountain.
Volunteers will 1) work in the forest (removing some alien conifer trees that disturb growth of other plants and animals, maintain the foot paths, etc.), 2) make the rafts with reeds to purity the water of the lake and 3) do other work needed in the community (e.g., cleaning the lake, removing alien plants, organizing Eco Sponge Action, etc.)
Accomodation & food:
Cabin rent for the workcamp. Meals will be cooked by volunteers by turns. Sleeping bag is necessary.
Location & leisure:
South of Hokkaido island, in a national park near Hakodate city which is famous for romantic view in the night, especially for sweet couples!
Requirements:
Motivation to actively work with local people!
Age:
18-99
Location:
Nanae, hokkaido
Language(s):
English
Airport:
SPK: Chitose (Chitose, Japan)Vegetarian food will be available
Volunteers will visit the elementary (age 6-12) / junior high (age 12-15) schools to run the English speaking classes and to organize inter-cultural exchange of play, music and dance of the world. Volunteers will also continue the last year's work to create and maintain the trail as well as walking around the area with taking pictures and having interviews to the local people.
Accomodation & food:
Public hall. Meals (attention: only vegan food is possible!) will be cooked by volunteers by turns. Sleeing bag is necessary.
Location & leisure:
Shinko district is located in the south west of Nagano city which is located in the noth east of Nagano prefecture. The climate is colder than low land, so even in summer, it may be cool in the evening and morning. Rice and apples farming is the main industry.
Requirements:
High motivation to work with kids. Similar types of experience and Japanese speaking skill are welcome! Volunteers need to accept and enjoy vegan food.
« I would recommend participating in a workcamp, especially with VAP, who ensured that I found a project to suit me and provided essential training for me in preparation for my trip. Being part of a workcamp really is a life-changing experience, oh, and it looks great on your CV! »
