Japanese Culture Experience and Homestay in Mimasaka/OKAYAMA
Japan
Culture
Environment
Culture
Environment
Fixed dates
About the project
Japanese Culture Experience and Homestay in Mimasaka/OKAYAMA
📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
MIEA (Mimasaka International Exchange Association) was founded in 1998 with Mimasaka citizens who are eager to be a liaison between Mimasaka area and outside of the country. The founder started off with a small group who practice English conversation with a few native speakers. Then, they start looking for an opportunity to do a bigger international exchange. By having a slogan of “Open your eyes, mind and soul to the world”, MIEA is hoping the locals to be more proud/confident of their hometown by introducing their cultural values and tradition to international members. By learning other cultures, local children have more positive images of going abroad and making friends in other countries. CIEE Japan has started recruiting international volunteers since 1998 and we have been hosting their summer workcamp for more than 20 years.
MIEA (Japanese) http://www.miea.or.jp/
MIEA (English) http://www10.plala.or.jp/COOLMOON/miea/index.htm
MIEA (Facebook) https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mimasaka-International-Exchange-Association-MIEA/206215862756330
💼 What the programme involves
-Cultural exchange with local residents
-Cleaning a shrine, river, walking trails, public facilities and a school
-Doing an environmental work on the riverside and a shrine
-Joining English day camp at local high school
-Cycling in Mimasaka area for tourism promotion
-Introducing cuisine of your country
-Participating a local MATSURI festival/welcome party/farewell event
-Experiencing Japanese traditional culture
🏠 Accommodation on site
Each volunteer will stay separately in a local host family’s house.
Volunteers should follow house rules such as “Curfew” at 6:00 PM every day.
Three meals a day will be provided (Volunteers might need to prepare for lunch on several days). A volunteer who has an allergy (or preference) in wheat, meat or fish can not be accepted because those are often served in a Japanese meal and a family does not prepare meals by individual request. A volunteer is also expected to eat rice, miso soup, fish (sometimes raw) as well as meat (chicken, pork and beef) on a daily basis without any problem.
📍 About the location
Mimasaka-city (http://kanko.city.mimasaka.lg.jp/ ) is famous for beautiful landscapes and hot springs. The most notable sightseeing spot is the birthplace of Musashi Miyamoto (1584~1645), the strongest swords man handling two swords at the same time.
Hayashino Station is located about one and half hours by train (JR Kishin line) from Himeji city in Hyogo prefecture. Their landmark Himeji Castle was designated as a national treasure in 1931 and the World Cultural Heritage in 1993.
Regarding the schedule on Sundays, please ask your host family if they have any plan made for the day before you make your own schedules. Keep in mind that you are strongly expected to spend time with your host family on weekends. Please do not make any plan with your friends on weekends without agreeing with your host family in advance. A volunteer is recommended to bring 5,000-20,000yen for sightseeing, souvenirs, and other personal expenses.
⚠️ Requirements
Every volunteer must be able to ride on a bicycle for 5 km (sometimes up to 20 km) a day
A volunteer is expected to be physically strong and tough under the strong summer sunlight
No volunteer is accepted if he/she has a strong allergy in cats, dogs or house dust
It is required that volunteers should prepare and bring things you can perform/display at an international exchange event. Pictures, CD, books, magazines, toys, games or snacks of your country are suggested. You can have your own booth, display them and give presentation about your country at this event. Also, please bring home countries’ recipes and ingredients. 10-20 people will come to enjoy this event with International volunteer
A hat, sunglasses, long-sleeves shirt, full-length pants(at least 2) are essential to bring for cleaning and environmental work outside.
Rain boots are needed only those whose foot size is over 11 inches (28cm).
You are required to sign up a travel Insurance in your country. Without insurance contract, you can not participate in any activities.
A couple is not allowed at all. We accept one volunteer from each organization
ℹ️ Additional information
included 3 MTV volunteers
Interested in this project? Create your account and apply online.
Sign in to apply📅 Available sessions
CIEEJ1803
16/07/2018 → 31/07/2018
Volunteers registered
0 / 10
♂ 0/5
♀ 0/5
ℹ️ Key information
Age required
18–25 years old
Solidarity donation
0.00
French tax residents may be eligible for a tax reduction of up to 66% of their costs (membership, plane tickets, solidarity donation).
📍 Location
Mimasaka, Okayama, Japan
Japan
🌍 Location info
Local currency
Japan Yen (JPY / ¥)
Exchange rate
1 JPY = 0.005641 EUR
Rate as of 31/05/2026
🛡️ Before you leave
✅ Features
🗣️ Languages spoken
English
Japanese