Asakura is organized together with “Kodomo-Art” since 2004. Kodomo art, Society of Children's Theater Works and Community Development, was founded in 1972. They have held the international child art festival for several years. They want to activate this area through art and cultural promotion in the future for kids and build the fruitful network of a child and a cultural art organization. We aim to involve local people to promote global understanding, friendship and solidarity through this festival.
Work:
We will help to prepare the festival, such as site management and decoration. We will promote this festival to local kids through the visiting the kindergarten and the nursery school. We will do the activities for children to spend the festival with a lot of fun.
Study Theme:
Unique art festival. Bring some info.!
Accommodation:
Local house.
Location:
Small town in the mountains, 60 km south of Fukuoka. Good access by highway bus from Fukuoka.
Transport:
Fukuoka (1.5 hours by bus. You need to arrive at Fukuoka airport by 12:00 on Mar. 15th and can leave there after 15:00 on Mar. 26th). From Osaka, 5 hours by bullet train or 12 hours by midnight bus.
Newly organized together with Sumiyaki Kobo Otsuchi Mura, founded by local people to keep the original landscape. There were 140 inhabitants with 20 houses in 1916, but now no people live there! Still 10 houses are remained and the area was designated as Nation's Preservation District for Groups of Historic Buildings. We will try to improve the situation of the village by young voluntary power.
Work:
We will do various work to activate the area and success their culture. Main work is cultivation of abandoned land and maintenance of traditional stone walls, but possibly also help to have a kids’ camp, trekking and staying in the traditional house and do some other work for the community.
Study part:
Best practice to revive depopulated areas in each country and their networking. Bring some information.
Accommodation:
Renovated house (traditional house). Self-catering.
Location:
The southwest part of Ishikawa prefecture. Otsuchi village is surrounded by mountains, so very isolated, but beautiful place. Charcoal making was main industry.
Terminal:
Osaka (Kansai) airport (2.5 hours by express train). From Tokyo, 4 hours by express train/ 8 hours by highway bus (For Narita airport, you need to arrive by 21:00 on Jul. 14. and can leave there after 11:00 on Jul. 29.)
Leisure time:
Cultural exchange parties with local people.
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. Speaking Japanese language is welcomed but not compulsory.
Newly organized together with Satoyama Shizen Gakko Komatsu Takigahara (nature school), founded in 2011 to teach attraction and importance of Satoyama forest. Depopulation (especially of youth) is a serious problem here similarly in many other country sides. It is difficult to keep traditional culture, so we aim to help keeping this landscape and telling Satoyama’s attraction by young power.
Work:
Main work is maintenance of building and setting of fences, benches, signboards and the heart-shaped stone carvings. We may possibly also help to have a kids’ program, cut grasses for landscape preservation and do some other work for the community.
Study part:
How to interchange and dispatch about Satoyama forest’s enlivening. Bring some information.
Accommodation:
The old school buildings. Self-catering.
Location:
Small village located in South part of Ishikawa prefecture. Main industry is quarrying stones.
Terminal:
Komatsu is nearest city. Osaka (Kansai) airport (2.5 hours by express train). From Tokyo, 4 hours by express train/ 8 hours by highway bus (For Narita airport, you need to arrive by 21:00 on Jul. 24. and can leave there after 12:00 on Aug. 09.)
Leisure time:
Cultural exchange parties in the international center, trekking, hot spring.
Requirements:
High motivation to work hard and seriously and enjoy simple life. Speaking Japanese language is welcomed but not compulsory.
Organized together with some local groups. A giant earthquake occurred in the Tohoku area on the 11th Mar. that caused unprecedented damage. 80% of the houses were damaged in Rikuzen-takata and so many people still have to be living in the temporary houses. We have the special workcamps in Tohoku area for reconstruction work with over 350 volunteers (over 3000 vols. x days) including international ones since April 2011 that did great work! But we still need a lot of volunteers and plan to continue for 10 years!
Work:
We will be divided into some groups, help local fisherman and farmers, people damaged by the tsunami such as reclaim, cutting grass and harvesting as well as organize some activities for the kids at Iwate and Fukushima Kids center.
Study part:
Best practice to revive disaster areas in each country. Bring some information from your country.
Accommodation:
Shared room of the old house. Sleeping bag needed. Self-catering.
Location:
South-east edge of Iwate prefecture (very near Miyagi). Forestry, agriculture and fishing are used to be the main industry, but were severely damaged and may take several years to be rehabilitated.
Terminal:
Tokyo (7 hours by bullet train or 10 hours by bus, You need to arrive at Narita airport by 19:00 on one day before the first day and can leave there after 09:00 on one day after the last day).
Leisure:
Excursion and trekking, etc.
Requirements:
High motivation to work for disaster area and respect to the local culture and way of the local organization!
Organized together with some local groups. A giant earthquake occurred in the Tohoku area on the 11th March that caused unprecedented damage, and so many people still have to be living in the temporary houses. We have the special workcamps in Tohoku area for reconstruction work with over 350 volunteers (over 3000 volunteers x days) including international ones since 2011 April that did great work! But we still need a lot of volunteers and plan to continue for 10 years!
Work:
We will be divided into some groups, help local fisherman and farmers, people damaged by the tsunami such as reclaim, cutting grass and harvesting as well as organize some activities for the kids at Iwate and Fukushima Kids center.
Study part:
Best practice to revive disaster areas in each country. Bring some information.
Accommodation:
Share room of the old house.
Location:
South east edge of Iwate prefecture (very near from Miyagi). Forestry, agriculture and fishing are used to be the main industry, but were severely damaged and may take several years to be rehabilitated.
Terminal:
Tokyo (7 hours by bullet train or 10 hours by bus, You need to arrive at Narita airport by 19:00 on one day before the first day and can leave there after 09:00 on one day after the last day).
Leisure:
Excursion and trekking, etc.
Special Requirements:
High motivation to work for disaster area and respect to the local culture and way of the local organization!
Organized together with some local groups. A giant earthquake occurred in the Tohoku area on the 11th March that caused unprecedented damage, and so many people still have to be living in the temporary houses. We have the special workcamps in Tohoku area for reconstruction work with over 350 volunteers (over 3000 volunteers x days) including international ones since 2011 April that did great work! But we still need a lot of volunteers and plan to continue for 10 years!
Work:
We will be divided into some groups, help local fisherman and farmers, people damaged by the tsunami such as reclaim, cutting grass and harvesting as well as organize some activities for the kids at Iwate and Fukushima Kids center.
Study part:
Best practice to revive disaster areas in each country. Bring some information.
Accommodation:
Share room of the old house.
Location:
South east edge of Iwate prefecture (very near from Miyagi). Forestry, agriculture and fishing are used to be the main industry, but were severely damaged and may take several years to be rehabilitated.
Terminal:
Tokyo (7 hours by bullet train or 10 hours by bus, You need to arrive at Narita airport by 19:00 on one day before the first day and can leave there after 09:00 on one day after the last day).
Leisure:
Excursion and trekking, etc.
Special Requirements:
High motivation to work for disaster area and respect to the local culture and way of the local organization!
« 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! »
