📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
This project is actively working for SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDGs 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), organized together with Nagakura Tanabata Festival (NTF) executive committee in Hitachiomiya city since 2017. Tanabata festivals (Star Fest) are traditionally held throughout Japan in July, a date based on the old Chinese calendar. However, these festivals have been abolished in many places due to shortage of successors. Nagakura area is also facing aging and depopulation problems nowadays, and NTF committee is trying to preserve traditional NFT, which has been started since 1953 to activate the area after World War II.
*Outcome of this workcamp: This workcamp made the local people motivated again for this festival. Then, the number of food stalls at the festival increased compare to the year before and the festival was excited! In 2017, a TV program reported a Russian vol. from the airport that got very popular for many people.
💼 What the programme involves
Helping a small but valuable traditional Tanabata Festival, such as setting up the festival site and festival stalls, preparing traditional bamboo decorations, cleaning up after the festival.
Also, there will be a kind of performance time by workcampers on main stage of the festival!
🏠 Accommodation on site
Volunteers will stay in homestay style at the local people. The host family will provide meals. Sleeping bag is needed.
📍 About the location
Nagakura area of Hitachiomiya city. Nagakura has once thrived as the post‐town along the old road. Hitachiomiya is northwest of Ibaraki prefecture.
Leisure: Cultural exchange party with local people and onsen (hot spring). Volunteers will also have opportunities to talk and work with local high school students.
Study theme: Volunteers will get knowledge about Japanese traditional festival and organic farming.
⚠️ Requirements
Interested in Japanese culture, adaptability to simple living condition, and positive attitude to work outside in hot weather.