Work

Volunteer will take care of children (age 0~3) at the childcare facility where the host works. They will also play with children (age 3~10) by introducing their culture or showing their special skills, like playing the musical instrument or sports, dancing, drawing, cooking. etc.

Partner

This project is actively working for SDG4 (Quality Education) and SDG10 (Reduced Inequalities). The worksite is the non-registered childcare facility where the host works. In Japan, there is a big issue that the number of children on waiting lists is increasing these days. Because the number of parents who are both working is increasing and they look for some registered childcare facilities to leave their child there. And many registered facilities cancel parent's application because of beyond its capacity. The host works for parents who can't leave their child at such a registered childcare facility with various reasons.

Location

*Location: Imabari city, Ehime prefecture. About 300 km south west of Osaka. Near Seto Island sea. *Other activities: Join the local events, going out to a park, the river, the sea with children. Cycling in Shimanami road.

Accomodation

Single room at the volunteer's house or homestay at the local host's house. Volunteers will cook by themselves, but lunch will be provided by the local on working day. Smoking is prohibited. No necessary to bring sleeping bag.

Requirements

*ONLY female. *Language: English and Japanese. Local host can speak English. But Japanese skill is helpful for talking with kids. *Other requirements: High motivation to learn and speak Japanese language, to work with kids. Positive attitude to communicate with children. Only female volunteer.

Notes:

Work

Maintaining flowerbed (ex. watering, removing grass etc.), and support for local event cleaning up river, shopping street with local people to activate the area and communication with local people. Also volunteers will join local some activities and events.

Partner

This project is actively working for SDG11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDGS6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). This project has been organized with NPO, Bizan Daigaku (B.D) since 2015. They organize workcamp with NICE from 2013. They have many types of projects, one of the project started “Flower Road Project” from last year in Tokushima city. It made flowerbed along the national road by a local citizen. But it is difficult to do daily maintenance (ex. watering, removing grass etc.) for them. So, they want to keep it with international volunteers. B.D. has also other projects, cleaning up rivers, projects which it cooperates with a shopping street, etc. They want to activate this town though having local events with volunteers.

Location

*Location: Tokushima City, the capital of Tokushima Prefecture, has a population of about 260,000. The city is in northern Tokushima Prefecture where the Yoshino River and its tributaries create a delta. *Other activities: Awa Odori Festival on August, Exchange parties, experiencing Japanese culture, etc. Join the local events etc. Sightseeing, short trip (hot springs, famous places here).

Accomodation

Single room in local apartment house. Shower room in each rooms. Sometimes volunteers need to share 1 room. Volunteers need to prepare for breafast by themselves. Lunch and dinner are usually cooked by themselves, sometimes provied from the local. There is wi-fi.

Requirements

*Language: English and Japanese. The local host can speak English. Japanese is also welcomed! *Other requirements: Respect for the local cultures and way of the local organization.

Notes:

Work

Visiting the local primary school and kindergarten and communicating with local students. Volunteer will prepare for some activities and lesson for children. For example, helping their homework, discuss about some game which is related with cultural exchange for them. Joining in some kind of local events which BD organizes.

Partner

This project is actively working for SDG4 (Quality Education). This project has been organized with NPO, Bizan Daigaku (B.D) since 2019. They organize workcamp with NICE from 2013. They have many types of projects, one of project started that visiting local primary school or kindergarten from this year in Tokushima city. There is a kind of problem that the children who live in countryside face to have few opportunities to communicate with foreign people compared with city because of the lack of number of foreigners. They want to change the situation and activate both of children and the situation of education for cultural exchange through having such local activities with volunteers.

Location

*Location: Tokushima City, capital of Tokushima Prefecture, has a population of about 260,000. The city is in northern Tokushima Prefecture where the Yoshino River and its tributaries create a delta. *Other activities: Awa Odori Festival on August, Exchange parties, experiencing Japanese culture, etc. Join the local events etc. Sightseeing, short trip (hot springs, famous places here).

Accomodation

Single room in local apartment house. Shower room in each room. Sometimes volunteers need to share 1 room. Volunteers need to prepare for breakfast by themselves. Lunch and dinner are usually cooked by themselves, sometimes provided from the local. There is wi-fi.

Requirements

*Language: English and Japanese. A few locals can speak English. When volunteers communicate with children, mainly language is Japanese. *Other requirements: High motivation to learn and speak Japanese language. Respect for the local cultures and way of the local organization. It's also better if volunteer have experience of taking care of children.

Notes:

Work

Volunteers will engage in the process of organic farming with duties such as cultivating vegetables and rice, weeding, harvesting and packing them for shipment.

Partner

This project is actively working for SDG2 (Zero Hunger). This project is co-organized with Sugiura Farm that engages in organic farming for pursuing food safety and environmental-friendly society. The owner of this farm is Mr. Sugiura who is the only one man taking care of 2 hectares of farmland abandoned by local people. The local people became too old to keep working on the farm. Mr. Sugiura cultivates, harvests crops, even makes fertilizer and processes the harvest into products. He is working not only for crops but also for conserving the environment and the beautiful scenery of living fields in the countryside of Japan.

Location

*Location: It is located in Gose city, Nara pref. which is about 50 km southeast of Osaka. *Other activities: Join the local events, many opportunities to learn the local wisdom, etc. Sightseeing, short trips (hot springs, temples and shrines).

Accomodation

Volunteers stay at an old Japanese house next to the local host's one. The kitchen and shower are shared with the local host. Volunteers cook by themselves. Smoking is not allowed. A cat and dog are kept around the house.

Requirements

*Language: English and Japanese The local host speaks English. But also High motivation to learn and speak Japanese language. *Other requirements: High motivation to work hard with simple mountain life in a remote area. Respect for the local culture and way of the local organization. Interests in agriculture.

Notes:

Descrizione

Learn precious lacquer culture and traditional architecture! Landscaping/Gardening organic herb garden and renovate the lacquer ware gallery!

Work

WORK 1) Landscaping/Gardening (digging abandoned field, cutting grasses, removing stones, planting, etc.) and maintaining herb gardens. 2) Supporting work of lacquer products 3) Assistance of café space 4) Cleaning up an old house and removing stuff, etc. Also, do other works for the community. Study theme: Japanese lacquer ware culture. Revival of the abandoned villages.

Partner

First cooperation and organize together with Kunsthaus Higashiya Kobo since 2020. Aratani Village has a unique traditional house-style which with red roofs and chimney. In the past, it prospered in the charcoal industry, but depopulation has become a severe problem now. This local host is a world-famous lacquer artist. He restores and creates Japanese lacquerware. To focus on lacquer culture succession, they have planned to renovate traditional houses and to establish a new gallery where people can learn lacquer culture. They also try to maintain the herb garden with sustainable natural farming. The local host expects about revitalizing communities by accepting international volunteers.

Location

LOCATION The southwest part of Ishikawa prefecture. Aratani village is surrounded by mountains, so very isolated, but volunteers can enjoy mountain life in a very beautiful/traditional place. (https://goo.gl/maps/mVwW7psY1RJKUyWTA) LEISURE Participate in local events and festivals. Lacquer art class. (Depending on the season, you can see fireflies in the garden, pick up chestnuts, play in the river, etc.) TERMINAL The nearest airport is Narita/Haneda airport in Tokyo. From Tokyo to the project site, it takes 5 hours by express train/ 8 hours by night bus. *Volunteer needs to arrive in Japan on the day before the orientation and can leave Japan after 22:00 on the last day.

Accomodation

ACCOMMODATION Renovated house (traditional Japanese house!). Simple shower room. Clean toilet. Not need a sleeping bag. Cooking meals by volunteers self. Wi-Fi can connect basically.

Requirements

Japanese speaking skill is not necessary, but high motivation to learn and speak Japanese language is needed. High motivation to work hard (for gardening) and work patiently and delicately (for lacquer work). Also, enjoy simple mountain life in the isolated area. Respect for the local culture and way of the local organization.

Notes: