📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
NICE - Never-ending International workCamps Exchange - is an NGO to organize workcamps and other voluntary service projects mainly in Japan. Project is organized together with Ohara Eco Project (OEP) and Katsuyama city government since
2009. There were 600 inhabitants in Ohara village with 90 houses, but now only 1 elder.
OEP was founded by the Foresters cooperative and local people in 2006 and have
rehabilitated 3 houses of cultural heritage. Depopulation problem is serious in most of
mountain parts in Japan and many fields and forests are abandoned, so we will try to
improve the situation by voluntary power.
💼 What the programme involves
We will 1) help to renovate the old house by carrying the stuff, changing the floor, etc., 2)
do other work for the community (reviving the abandon fields, chopping the fire
woods, maintaining forest pathes ) No need to work so hard, don't worry, but we still need
you to have high motivation to work. Some of adult vols. may also help the children enjoy
very rich and deep nature of mountains, river, etc. -- Volunteers get knowledge about actions for developing local village. Also the knowledge of
the Japanese culture. We will also have time for discussion about 'Family life in each country".
🏠 Accommodation on site
Renovated house (traditional house). Meals will be cooked by volunteers by turns.
Sleeping bag is NOT necessary.
📍 About the location
About 200 km north east of Osaka. Katsuyama is an agricultural city and famous for
dinosaurs discovery and Ohara is located at 500 a.s.l. and famous for deep snow (4-5
meters) in winter. -- LEISURES : Exchange parties, visit to the Dinosaurs Museum, excursion and trekking, etc.
ℹ️ Additional information
This is the only International Family Workcamp in Japan, in a beautiful mountain village. A lot of families have had a happy time since 2013.