Organized together with Sanson-Juku (SJ) since 2008 (but first time for the short term with NICE). SJ maintain the forest and rice fields through the exchange programs between cities and the countryside. In spite of the town’s natural heritage, depopulation (especially of youth) is a serious problem here similarly to many other parts of the countryside in Japan. We aim to help with nature conservation and to activate the area through workcamps.
Work:
We will work in the forests doing activities such as hiking and cutting bushes in maintenance of the forest by which we can contribute to nature conservation through global voluntary power. We will repair traditional stone rice fields.
Study Part:
Effective cases of activated depopulated areas in each country. Bring some information from your country on this issue.
Accommodation:
Building in an abandoned school. Self-catering.
Location:
Southern part of the Fukuoka prefecture. Kurogi town lies through 135,49 km2. There are many tee trees and terraced paddy fields.
Travel Terminal:
Fukuoka airport (3 hours by express train). From Tokyo to Fukuoka airport, 1.5 hours by airplane or from Tokyo to Hakata station, 5.5 hours by Shinkansen.
Qualifications:
Interest in nature protection and exchange with a community. Adaptability to enjoy a simple lifestyle.
Work: We will mainly work for "marine project" such as cleaning the beaches and helping to research the living in the wet land. We may also maintain the workcamp forest by transplanting the seedlings, etc. and probably also do some farm work and World Tanabata Action. STUDY : Future plan of Minamata and Greening Asia. Bring some info.! Location: South west in Kyushu island. People are cheerful and many of man like to drink sake!! If lucky, you could enjoy parties under cherry flowers! TERMINAL : Fukuoka (3 hours by train). From Osaka, 6 hours by bullet train or 12 hours by midnight bus. LEISURE : Home stay, exchange parties, elementary school visit, etc. Partner: Organized together with Minamata International Friendship Association (MIFA) since 1992. Though there was a big tragedy of public pollution 40 years ago, it's completely safe now and Minamata is pioneering to be ecological town by distinguishing garbage into 21 categories, etc. The workcamps have been creating a forest on the reclaimed land to bear new lives as a symbol of revival, with strong wish of the patients as well as doing various community works to activate local communities. Requirements: Interest to protect nature and to exchange with people. Accomodation and food: Public hall (we will barrow the bathrooms of neighbors that creates nice exchange).
Work: We will do various works to take care of the forest such as cutting trees, cutting branches, maintain the footpath, etc. Main work of this year is fixing a hiking way near the pond for dragonflies. Physically hard. We will support the Youth event in there. Part of Greening Asia. STUDY: Local participation to protect nature and Greening Asia. Bring some info.! Location: About 60 km east of Osaka. There are famous falls nearby many hikers visit. The climate in this season is quite cold, so don’t forget to bring warm clothes. TERMINAL : Osaka or Nagoya (1 hour by train from both). LEISURE : Excursion, exchange parties, Visiting schools, communication with elderly people of eco-resort, etc. Partner: Organized together with "Akame no Mori wo Mamoru kai", a local environmental NPO since 99. Being located near from both big cities of Osaka and Nagoya, there were some plans of a golf link and disposing industrial garbage and local people have stopped them by "Woods Trust" movement. They formed this group in 96 to collect donations to buy and protect lands, to own a pension to enjoy nature, to maintain forests, to create a pond for dragonflies, to host national copse meeting, etc. Requirements: Motivation letter is needed! Volunteers should have strong motivation for conservation forest work. Physically strength. Accomodation and food: The pension named "Eco Resort Akame".
Work: We will create a trail of 1.5 km by physical work (peeling barks, diggingholes, cutting trees, painting, putting stones, maintaining wood trails,etc.)as well as concept work (creating ideas, making sign boards, leaflets,etc.).In the end, we will celebrate completion of our work with a music parade! Location: Foot of Mt. Hakken with wonderful nature in Hokkaido island. It will bestill cold in May. Exchange parties, excursion, cycling, hot spring, etc.Study part about nature trails in each country and global cooperation. Bring some info.! Partner: Newly Organized together with Environmental Group for Mt. Hakken (EGMH)and Hakkenzan Orchard (HO). EGMH was founded in 2000 by German ladywhose husband runs HO. EGMH runs German style of environmentaleducational programs in HO such as hand craft by natural materials(stones, wools, woods, etc.), eco-workshops and hosting Germanlong term volunteers. They want to create a Nature Experience Eco Rally Course Construction (including a barrier free wood-path zone). Requirements: High motivation to the work and its aim. Experience of making trails is welcome! Accomodation and food: Rest house of HO. Sleeping bag is necessary. Cooked by volunteers byturns.
Work: We will remove some alien conifer trees that disturb growth of other plants and animals and also help to prepare/ run/ clean up the Lake Water Festival on 24-25 Jul. We will also make and put the carbon fivers in the lake to purity the water with some specialists. Part of Greening Asia. Study : 100 years plan of the forests and sustainable town planning. Bring some info.! Location: South of Hokkaido island, in a national park near Hakodate city which is famous for romantic view in the night, especially for sweet couples! Terminal : Sapporo (3 hours by express train). From Tokyo, 10 hours by bullet train or 30 hours by ship. Leisure : Excursion, joining the lake festival, exchange parties, etc. Partner: Organized together with Onuma Milestone 22, a local NGO made by President of Fishermen's Cooperative and Director of international exchange association since 2004. Though Onuma lake has been a popular tourism spot for a long time because of its beautiful scenery, it has been polluted by over use of agricultural chemicals in cattle farming and erosion from abandoned forests with alien trees. President of Cooperative has bought a forest and wants to revive it to original nature with native trees! Requirements: Motivation to actively work in the forests and with local people! You will live and work together with 5 volunteers (Japanese and international) of the 3 months workcamp in 12 Jul.-30 Sep. Accomodation and food: Local house rent for the workcamps.
Work: We will help landscaping and weeding in the organic rice field where they plan to create an eco-village. We may also sometimes help other local farmers in the area (fruits, chicken, etc.). TCEN expect your physical power and also to create a bridge between the world/ cities and the local area.Study : Eco-villages in each country and global cooperation, future plan of TCEN. Bring some info.! Location: Central Hokkaido with 12,000 inhabitants. Farming is the main industry while the town promotes slow food and green tourism. The place you will stay is quite isolated for transportation! Terminal: Sapporo. It takes about one hour by bus from Sapporo and also Shin Chitose Airport. Leisure: Exchange parties, excursion, home stay, visit to the temple, etc. Partner: Newly Organized together with Team to Create Eco-villages in the North (TCEN). TCEN was founded just in 2009 by a lady who have researched many eco-villages in the western Europe. They have 30 members and run "Eco-village Life School" (organic farming, seminars, workshops) and also introduce many different eco-villages on the web., newsletters, etc. even though they still don't really have their own village (they rent a land from the farmers and other eco-village) yet since they are still new! Requirements: High motivation to eco-villages (you are welcome to visit them in your country beforehand!). A motivation letter is needed! You will live and work together with a few staff of TCEN. Accomodation and food: Common House in place where they plan to create the eco-village, with a few local staff.
Work: We will 1) run 2 days international exchange program with 20 local girls and boys within the ages of 10 to 15, 2) work on a garden around an old samurai residences which is designated as important cultural properties with local vol. groups and 3) care for elderly people at a nursing-care facility. Study: Current volunteer activities by kids in your country. Bring some info! Location: Small town, about 80 km east of Nagasaki, very famous as a symbolic place against nuclear war. Unzen is very famous for football in Japan. Terminal: Fukuoka (3 hours by train/ ferry). From Osaka, 7 hours by bullet train or 13 hours by midnight bus. Leisure: Home stay for a few days, exchange parties, etc. Partner: Organized together with Unzen Social Welfare (a semi-governmental) Association since 1994. The first location was in ‘Minami-takaki' the neighboring town to ‘Kunimi', where it is now held. ‘Kunimi' town has been incorporated into ‘Unzen city'. The past workcamps were quite successful in encouraging Summer Volunteer School (SVS) that is held for 2 days to promote volunteering and international friendship with about 20 local kids aged 10-18 . Requirements: Motivation to encourage youth involvement in care for the elderly and disadvantaged. Some fluency in Japanese is helpful. Accomodation and food: Social Welfare Center where we also have day-care facility.
Work: We will be divided into some groups, help local farmers such as planting flower seedling with local people. And we will work in the Kyushu central mountainous district quasi-national park such as making the Mountain climbing trail and sign bord. Study: Best practice to revive depopulated areas in each country and their networking. Bring some info.! Location: Shiba village is a very beautiful village and in the center of Kyushu Island. It is located near the border with Miyazaki and Kumamoto prefectures. Terminal: Fukuoka (5 hours by train). From Osaka, 9 hours by bullet train or 13 hours by midnight bus. Leisure: Exchange parties and excursion and trekking, etc. Partner: Organized together with Shiba Agriculture Association since 2009. Shiiba-village is 90 % or more in the mountainous district, it is specified for the Kyushu central mountainous district quasi-national park. In spite of the town's natural heritage, depopulation (especially of youth) is a serious problem here similarly to many other parts of the country side in Japan. We aim to help with nature conservation and to activate the area through workcamps. Requirements: High motivation to work hard and simple life in the isolated area and respect to the local culture and way of the local organization! Accomodation and food: Community center.
« The outside world did not interfere, because it seemed so distant, and so we spent our spare time getting to know each other and learning about each other countries', languages and cultures. Everyone was completely relaxed. This simply would not have been possible on any other type of holiday. VAP enabled me to have a truly memorable experience. »