Shirakami
Code: 20251107-75af-4815-a261-a8979b78066a Copied
About the project
Shirakami
📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
This project is actively working for SDG13 (Climate Action) and SDGs 15 (Life on Land), organized
together with Shirakami Mountains Preservation Society (SMPS), since 2006. The Shirakami Mountains
is one of Japanese valuable preserved natural forests consisting primarily of beech trees, registered as
a World Natural Heritage in 1993. SMPS aims to preserve the natural beauty of the Shirakami
Mountains by nurturing seedlings of beech trees, planting them, training mountain guide, etc. SMPS
hosts tree-planting ceremony every June for preserving beech forests and promoting the value. They
also preserve the forests near the Mutsu-bay, famous as production of scallops. Due to climate
change, the sea water temperature increased abnormally in 2010, the most of scallops were dead, so
SMPS started to preserve the forest there to let nutrient water flow to the ocean.
💼 What the programme involves
Work will be carried out in two locations, Ajigasawa and Hiranai. In Ajigasawa, volunteers will remove
the snow fence of Shirakami Nature School, putting up a plastic greenhouse, chopping firewood, and
digging and transport new saplings at the nursery. In Hiranai, work is carried out to remove dead
saplings and replant new ones. The contents of work might be changed due to weather condition, so
volunteers need to be flexible!
🏠 Accommodation on site
Shared room in school dormitory. Sleeping bag is needed!
🍲 Food
Meals will be cooked by volunteers by turns.
📍 About the location
Volunteers will work in Ajigasawa town and Hiranai town in Aomori prefecture. Aomori is located on
the northernmost tip of Honshu Island. Shirakami Mountains located in southwest and the Mutsu-bay
nestles between the eastern Shimokita and western Tsugaru Peninsulas. This is the good season for
cherry blossom-viewing there. In this workcamp, volunteers doesn't have chance to go to Shirakami-
sanchi world heritage place.
⚠️ Requirements
🤝 Meeting point
The nearest international airport is Tokyo (NRT or HND) from which it takes 7 hours by bullet train and
local train or 10 hours by night bus and local train to the meeting point in Aomori pref. Vols. need to
arrive at NRT or HND by 18:00 on 1day before of first day and can leave there after 22:00 on last day.
It is better to book flight on or after May 06.
ℹ️ Additional information
18,000 JPY (100 EUR by the rate on 2025 Nov. 3rd) of "NICE Volunteers" fee need to be paid in
advance either by Card or PayPal. This is used for the project preparation/ coordination such as the
transportation of the staff/ camp leaders, visa invitation cost, publications, etc. while the meals and
the accommodation are provided by the local host by free (so, your fee is not used for those things!).
Interested in this project? Create your account and apply online.
Sign in to apply📷 Project photos
📅 Available sessions
NICE-20-0429A
29/04/2020 → 05/05/2020
NICE-20-0618A
18/06/2020 → 29/06/2020
NICE-20-0731A
31/07/2020 → 09/08/2020
NICE-24S-0427A
27/04/2024 → 03/05/2024
NICE-Shirakami 2
17/06/2022 → 27/06/2022
NICE-26S-0428A
28/04/2026 at 00:00 → 05/05/2026 at 00:00
NICE-19-04281
28/04/2019 → 04/05/2019
NICE-26S-0612A
12/06/2026 at 00:00 → 22/06/2026 at 00:00
NICE-24S-0614A
14/06/2024 → 24/06/2024
NICE-19-0730A
30/07/2019 → 11/08/2019
NICE-26S-0730A
30/07/2026 at 00:00 → 07/08/2026 at 00:00
NICE-19-0621A
21/06/2019 → 01/07/2019
NICE-Shirakami 1
29/04/2022 → 05/05/2022
ℹ️ Key information
Age required
18–99 years old
Solidarity donation
18000.00 JPY ≈ 102 EUR
French tax residents may be eligible for a tax reduction of up to 66% of their costs (membership, plane tickets, solidarity donation).
📍 Location
Aomori, Japan
Japan
🌍 Location info
Local currency
Japan Yen (JPY / ¥)
Exchange rate
1 JPY = 0.005641 EUR
Rate as of 31/05/2026
Timezone
Japan Standard Time
Local time: 21:12 (12/11/2026)
🛡️ Before you leave
✅ Features
🏠 Accommodation
🗣️ Languages spoken