This project is organised by a group of local people formed specially for the project. Ogata is a small village, surrounded by beautiful nature including a beautiful waterfall dubbed the "Oriental Niagara Falls". Despite this natural heritage, Ogata suffers from depopulation especially of young people. The aim of the project is to activate the area through international exchange. Volunteers will carry out a variety of tasks including helping organic farmers with cutting bushes, harvesting vegetables etc. Volunteers will help prepare, run and clean up the local Kodai bamboo lantern festival as well as joining a children's summer camp for a few days. Exchange parties and an excursion to a hot spring are also planned.

In a public hall. Sleeping bag required.

Ogata is a small village in the south of Oita Prefecture, near the border with Kumamoto Prefecture.

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

An interest in nature, agriculture and working with kids. The group will be made up of 5 Japanese and 5 international volunteers.

This project is organised together with the Wakazu Japanese Organic Tea Society, a group of farmers dedicated to producing organic teas. Organic farming is difficult and not well known in Japan so the aim of the project is to understand organic tea and raise awareness with local people. Volunteers will help organise a one day event to involve local people, help the farmers with their work and also care for some abandoned tea gardens. A homestay is also planned.

In a public house. Sleeping bag required.

Wazuka is located in the south of Kyoto Prefecture, close to Kyoto and Nara. There are many beautiful tea gardens here!

Osaka (2 hours by train) or Tokyo (3 hours by bullet train, 9 hours by overnight bus)

The group will be made up of 6 Japanese and 6 international volunteers.

Organized together with Chuo National Youth House (CNYH) since 2005. CNYH is a social education facility, which aims to educate youth through a variety of group activities, experiences and study. It is located in the foot in Mt. Fuji that has been a popular tourism spot for a long time ago. However, a beautiful virgin forest that exists widely in Mt. Fuji has been lost by garbage that the tourist leaves and the illegal disposal. We will activate this project as a fresh wind.

We will do cleaning activity of Mt. Fuji with a local group that consists of 60 Japanese university students and local motivate people and construct volunteer House to promote voluntary activities. We will also help local farmers near the workcamp site.

The future plan of beautiful mountains in the world and their networking.

Volunteer House. Self-catering.

Mt. Fuji is 3,776 m high and is the highest mountain in Japan situated at the border of south-eastern Yamanashi and Shizuoka. It is the world famous symbol of Japan.

Tokyo (90 min by bullet train or 3 hours by slow train).

Mt. Fuji climbing, cultural exchange parties, sports, etc.

Motivation to actively work with local people!

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 Kyodo Gakusha, a cooperative community where people from various backgrounds who want to live and farm in natural surroundings. They have 5 communities across Japan and aim to farm in a ecological, organic way. Volunteers will join this community, share their spirit and assist them with tasks they find difficult to make time for. Volunteers will maintain a forest trail, pasturage and cow trail, help paint outside buildings and also work in the fields weeding, planting, harvesting etc. Sports and a school visit are also planned.

In the community. Male and female are segregated. Sleeping bag required.

In the agricultural countryside of Hokkaido, 120km east of Sapporo. -20C in winter, +20C in summer!

Sapporo (2 hours by express train) or Tokyo (13 hours by bullet train or 32 hours by ship)

An interest and motivation to work and live in this type of community. Volunteers should respect their way of life. The group will be made up of 4 Japanese and 4 international volunteers. Medium and long term volunteers are also recruited.

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.