1. Summary: Organic farming and nature life in the beautiful and traditional montain communities in Japan.
No road for cars, the only way to reach there is by walk for 1.5 hours!
2. Background: Organized together with Maki Farm of Kyodo Gakusha (KG) since 2000. KG is a NPO running 5
organic farming communities in Japan where people with various backgrounds such as mentally
disadvantaged, those who want to learn farming, etc. in order to change our society from
competitive to cooperative. Maki Farm has 5-10 members and is located in a very isolated area
(not accessible for cars and we have to walk 4 km in the mountains), so once it became an
abandon village in 1970s.
3. Work: We will help their organic farming (weeding in rice and vegetable fields, planting vegetables,
taking care of goats and chicken) and also carry the things from the town, renovate the trails,
help their house work, etc. Be ready to work for quite a long time (05:30-18:00 with some
brakes) and hard.
4. Accommodation: Building for volunteers in the farm. Very beautiful cultural heritage! Meals will be cooked by volunteers by turns.
Sleeing bag is necessary.
5. Study theme: Similar type of communities in each country and their networking. Bring some info.!
6. Other activities: Visit to the elementary school, foot ball and baseball (optional), exchange party, etc.
7. Location Very isolated, but beautiful place near “Japanese Northern Alps”. About 900 meters asl. There
are something remained here that most of Japanese areas have lost in modernization.
8. Terminal: Tokyo (4 hours by express train or 6-8 hours by bus and train. You need to arrive at Narita airport
by 04:00 a.m. on Jun. 15th and can leave there after 24:00 on Jun. 26th.)
9. Requirement: Good Japanese language is not necessary, but still welcomed. You need to be physically strong
and flexible to respect the way of the local host. Motivation letter is needed!
10. Participation fee: No fee
11. Language English (Japanese is also welcomed!)
12. Other: None