Let's preserve way of traditional Japanese life in mountain area!
This project is actively working for SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDGs 10 (Reduced Inequalities), organized together with Kyodo Gakusha since 2000, a cooperative community where people with various backgrounds such as mentally disadvantaged, people who are tired of city life, who want to learn farming, who want to live in the nature, etc. They have 5 communities in Japan incl. Maki and Tateya and grow animals and vegetables in ecological, organic way.
Maki is located in a very isolated area (not accessible for cars and we have to walk 4 km in the
mountains!), so it once became an abandon village in 1970s and then, was revived by Kyodo Gakusha. Over 10 people incl. 2 families were living till several years ago, but less and less in these years (almost nobody in the winter), so vols. are needed even more!
Tateya is located on the hilly (less than Maki, but still a bit isolated) area where 30-40 members live and mainly do rice farming as well as growing cows and chicken.
*Outcome of this project: In each of 2020 and 2021, one volunteer stayed for 6 months and greatly
contributed to their farming and caring animals that was difficult to finish by the time they needed
without volunteers! See the long-term goal of this project as Local SDGs made by the previous project leader at https://www.slideshare.net/nice-workcamp/2019-ep3-188767935 (only in Japanese, sorry, but you can still enjoy the pictures ! )
Nagano, Nagano pref.
Some Japanese speaking skill (manage to have basic daily conversation) as well as high motivation to learn and speak Japanese language is needed. High motivation to work hard and to simple mountain life in the isolated area. Respect for the local cultures and way of the local organization. Agriculture skills or construction can be useful! A motivation letter is needed.
Participation fee :
24,000 yen (171 USD by the rate on 2022 Sep. 2nd) of 2 months "NICE Volunteers" fee need to be paid in advance either by Card or PayPal. This is used for the project preparation/ coordination such as the transportation of the camp leaders while the meals and the accommodation are provided by the local host by free.
Other :
Volunteers will join On Arrival Seminar in Tokyo in Oct. 22-23, then go to the project in the 23rd
afternoon. For this project, participation in the Evaluation Seminar is exempted.
Volunteers will stay and work in Maki for some days and Tateya in other days. The work will be mainly helping organic agriculture (cutting thatch, harvesting/ threshing rice, selecting beans, taking care of goats, cows and chicken) and also carrying the things from the town to Maki, renovating the trails on the way, helping the house works especially cooking, etc. Be ready to work for quite a long time (05:30-18:00 with some brakes) and hard !
Maki: Building for volunteers. Very beautiful cultural heritage! Meals will be cooked by volunteers
together with the community people by turns. Sleeping bag is not necessary.
Tateya: Building for volunteers and a few members, 5 min. walk from the farm. Meals will be usually cooked by volunteers by turns. Sleeping bag is not necessary.
Exchange program, Excursion on a free day (possibly to Hakuba, a famous tourism spot), etc.
