40 years ago, Minamata suffered from a major man-made environmental disaster when a large proportion of the town were affrected by what is now termed Minamata's Disease, a neurological disaster brought about by mercury poisoning. Although the town is now completely safe, the image held of it is still the one of an unclean place and its inhabitants often suffer discrimination due to this. Through 10 years of international volunteer projects, NICE have been working with the Minamata International Friendship Association to create a forest on the reclaimed land as a symbol of revival. Over the years international volunteers have created a new forest by planting trees in the area. Volunteers will mainly work on a marine project involving cleaning the beaches, helping to purify the water with using EM bacteria, etc. Volunteers may also maintain the forest by transplanting the seedlings, do some farm work etc. This project is part of the Greening Asia campaign.

The future plan of Minamata and Greening Asia Campaign.

In a public hall. Bathrooms will be offered by neighbours, thus creating a nice exchange with the local community. Sleeping bag required.

Minamata is a small coastal town in Kumamoto prefecture, on the southwest part of Kyushu island.

Fukuoka (3 hrs by slow train) or Osaka (6 hrs by bullet train or 12 hrs by overnight bus)

Volunteers should have an interest in nature protection. The group will consist of 6 Japanese and 8 international volunteers.

This project is organised together with the Maki Farm of Kyodo Gakusha (MFKG), a cooperative community living in an extremely isolated village in the "Japanese Alps". At one time the village was abandoned but now 10 people live and farm here. This isolation means the village has retained something which many modern parts of Japan have lost. Volunteers will assist the organic farm with weeding, planting, handling goats and chickens, renovating footpaths as well as carrying things from the town (a 4km walk into the mountains), renovate trails, etc.. Volunteers should expect to work long days.

In a building at the farm with gas, electricity and water. Sleeping bag required.

A very isolated mountainous village (900m above sea level) in Nagano Prefecture.

Tokyo - 4 hours by express train or 8-10 hours by bus and train

Work will be physically hard. Volunteers must be physically fit and strong. Agricultural or building skills welcome. Motivation letter required. The group will be made up of 4 Japanese and 4 international volunteers.

This project is organised together with the Takane local government. Takane village, along with many other rural areas in Japan, suffers from depopulation to the cities. Volunteers will assist the elderly people of the village with various types of farm work including cutting grasses, mending fences, cleanind cowsheds, feeding cows etc. An exchange party with a local youth group and an excursion to Takayama are also planned.

In a public building. Sleeping bag required.

About 450km west of Tokyo, near the town of Takayama. The World Heritage site of Shirakawa is not far.

Nagoya (3 hrs by express train) or Tokyo (5 hrs by bullet train, 8 hrs by bus)

Motivation to work hard with local people. The group will be made up of 2 Japanese and 4 international volunteers.

This project is organised together with Choma-Club, a local NPO concerned with community development and youth empowerment. Showa village, like many areas in rural Japan, faces a serious problem of depopulation of young people to the cities. This group is trying to restore and reanimate the local area. Volunteers will help local farmers, assist at vegetable and flower farms and help to repair some abandoned buildings. Exchange parties and excursions are also planned.

In a building of an abandoned school. Sleeping bag required.

Showa village, in a rural area of Fukushima prefecture.

Tokyo - 5 hrs by bus

Volunteers should have an interest in agriculture and in the aims of the project. The group will be made up of 3 Japanese and 5 international volunteers.

This project is organised together with Choma-Club, a local NPO concerned with community development and youth empowerment. Showa village, like many areas in rural Japan, faces a serious problem of depopulation of young people to the cities. This group is trying to restore and reanimate the local area. Volunteers will help local farmers, assist at vegetable and flower farms and help to repair some abandoned buildings. Exchange parties and excursions are also planned.

In a building of an abandoned school. Sleeping bag required.

Showa village, in a rural area of Fukushima prefecture.

Tokyo - 5 hrs by bus

Volunteers should have an interest in agriculture and in the aims of the project. The group will be made up of 5 Japanese and 5 international volunteers.

This project is organised together with a specially formed local group. Namino is a small village in the centre of Kyushu island. The religious cult Aum Shinrikyo responsible for the Sarin gas attacks on the Tokyo subway system in 1995 previously had a base near Namino. Even though the area is now completely safe, the village still has a bad image. The local group want to activate the community using international voluntary power. Volunteers will help to prepare, run and clean up the local summer festival, help local farmers with cutting bushes, harvesting vegetables etc. and also join a children's summer camp for a few days. A homestay and hiking excursion are also planned.

In an environmental education centre. Sleeping bag required.

Namino is a very beautiful village in the center of Kyushu Island, about 110km southeast of Fukuoka. It is located near the border of Oita and Kumamoto Prefectures.

Fukuoka (5 hrs by train) or Osaka (9 hrs by bullet train, 13 hrs by overnight bus)

An interest in agriculture and the aims of the project. The group will be made up of 6 Japanese and 6 international volunteers.

This project is organised together with a specially formed local group whose aim is to promote cultural exchange. Un-nan, like many rural places in Japan, suffers from depopulation to the cities. Young people are very few so a teenage volunteer project for 13 kids (10 Japanese, 3 international) is being run to encourage inter cultural exchange with local people. This project will run alongside UN-NAN A (the teenage project). Volunteers will help in the running of the teenage project and assist with communication between the teenage participants. Volunteers will live and work alongside the teenagers all day and will share their culture with them. An orientation will be held before the project.

20Accomodation: In a public house. Sleeping bag required.

Un-nan is a small city located in the east part of Shimane Prefecture, about 100 km from Matsue city.

Osaka (5 hrs by train) or Tokyo (8 hrs by bullet train, 12 hrs by overnight bus)

Volunteers must be over 20 years old and motivated to work with teenagers. Similar experience welcome! Motivation letter required. The group will be made up of 3 Japanese and 2 international volunteers.

This teenage project is organised together with a specially formed local group whose aim is to promote cultural exchange. Un-nan, like many rural places in Japan, suffers from depopulation to the cities. Young people are very few so this teenage volunteer project will encourage inter cultural exchange with local people. Volunteers will prepare, run and clean up the local summer festival and assist farmers with agricultural tasks such as cutting bushes, harvesting vegetables etc.

18Accomodation: In a public house. Sleeping bag required.

Un-nan is a small city located in the east part of Shimane Prefecture, about 100 km from Matsue city.

Osaka (5 hrs by train) or Tokyo (8 hrs by bullet train, 12 hrs by overnight bus)

The group will be made up of 10 Japanese and 3 international teenage volunteers. Although the age range for this project is 15-18, Concordia sends only volunteers aged 18.

20,000 yen paid on arrival.