1. Summary: Organic farming in the wonderful community with challenged people in beautiful nature. They
have got the best prize of mountain cheeze contest in the world!
2. Background: Organized together with Kyodo Gakusha since 1998, a cooperative community where people
with various backgrounds such as mentally disadvantaged, people who are tired of city life, who
wants to learn farming or just want to live in the nature. They have five communities in Tokyo,
Nagano and Hokkaido and grow animals and vegetables in ecological, organic way with utilizing
bacterium. Their cheese got the 1st prize in the global contest! We will encourage their practice
and share the spirit.
3. Work: We will do some work that is hardly done by the daily work of the community (last year, it was
creating a trail) with the supervision of the specialists. We will also join farm work (weeding
and harvest in vegetable, corn and Japanese noodle fields) and other community work including
house work.
4. Accommodation: The community (female and male are separated). Meals will be cooked by volunteers together
with the people by turns. Sleeing bag is necessary.
5. Study theme: Similar types of communities in each country and networking (Social farms). Bring some info.!
6. Other activities: School visit, joining a summer festival (tugs of war), exchange and birthday parties, etc.
7. Location: Agricultural country side, 120 km east of Sapporo. -20 degree in winter and 20 in summer.
8. Terminal: Sapporo (4 hours by express train. You need to arrive at Shin-Chitose airport by 09:00 on Aug. 31
and can leave there after 17:00 on Sep. 13) From Tokyo, 13 hours by bullet train or 32 hours by
ship.
9. Requirement: Interest and motivation to work and live in this type of community. Respect to their life.
10. Participation fee: No fee
11. Language: English (Japanese is also welcomed!)
12. Other They also recruit volunteers for LMTI (Long and Middle Term Individual voluntary projects).