📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
Higashi Shirakawa Village Board of Education outsources this program to local NPO AOZORA KENBUN JYUKU in cooperation with Nagoya University of Commerce & Business Administration (NUCB).The aim of this project is to have village children build an international friendship and mutual understanding to the world, as well as giving an opportunity for NUCB students in the field of cross cultural communication. CIEE Japan has been involved with this STV project since 2000 and it will be 16th anniversary this year.
NPO AOZORA KENBUN JYUKU Official (JAPANESE) http://www.aozora-kenbun.com
NPO AOZORA KENBUN JYUKU Facebook (JAPANESE) https://www.facebook.com/aozorakenbun
Higashi Shirakawa Village http://www.vill.higashishirakawa.gifu.jp
💼 What the programme involves
Volunteers are expected to work together with local university students to solve the ongoing problems and activities of this village
- Teach English and take care of children in this village
- Visit junior high school, kindergarten and senior home and do some activities together
- Tree pruning, land cleaning and wood chopping
- Maintain the hiking trails and cleaning sidewalks
- Help some agricultural work
- Clean the accommodation
- BON (summer dance) festival preparation as well as wearing YUKATA
🏠 Accommodation on site
Accommodation:
Japanese RYOKAN (They no longer use it for business purpose, but keep the facility as a place for visitors)
Facilities:
a washer, a kitchen, a bathroom with a bathtub, a restroom (both Japanese and a western style), fans
Meals:
Volunteers take turns and cook breakfast and dinner by themselves. Food items will be provided. Local host prepares lunchbox (BENTO) during lunch time.
📍 About the location
Higashi Shirakawa-Village is located in the central part of Japan, near the Hida Mountains which are very famous for its beautiful scenery among mountain climbers and tourists. Elevation is high and the population is about 4,000. Most villagers take part in forestry and cultivate tea tree. Shirakawa tea is famous around the area. 95% of the villages are covered with mountains and rich forests. Visitors can enjoy its quiet wild nature. If volunteers like to visit landmarks such as Shirakawago (a newly registered World Heritage) or Gero Onsen (famous hot spring), please plan your trip after the workcamp (the transportation is very limited during the program). A volunteer needs at least 10,000 JPY in cash if she wants to go sightseeing on free-day (such as Takayama city) but you can stay at the camp location if you do not want to go out with a big group.
⚠️ Requirements
1. Big interest and motivation to teach English (or at least culture/language of your home country) to local Japanese children since this is core activity during this workcamp especially this summer.
2. Some interest of outdoor activities, together with local Japanese children in the forest
3. Some interest of Japanese culture, language and custom (especially the lifestyle of rural area).
Please be prepared for the outdoor work in terms of clothing and belongings (clothing suitable for activities, such as long sleeved items, pants, cotton gloves, and durable sneakers). Sometimes, volunteers have to work under the sun with extreme heat of the summer. A hat/cap, facial towel, water bottle and a bug repellent are also useful.
ℹ️ Additional information
Please put the volunteer work on your highest priority. Please keep in mind that the villagers are not very used to interact with people from overseas and they may look at you with curiosity, but no offence.