programm - japan

Unsere Partnerorganisationen in Japan heißen NICE, eine Abkürzung für Never-ending International Volunteer Exchange, und CIEEJ. NICE hat in den vergangenen Jahren eine sehr wichtige Rolle beim Aufbau anderer asiatischer Organisationen übernommen, indem sie ihr Know-how gezielt weitergeben. Das Feedback zu den Workcamps in Japan war im vergangenen Jahr sehr gut. Workcamps eignen sich hervorragend, um einen Einblick in die fremde japanische Kultur zu erhalten.

Hier gibt's eine Erklärung der Abkürzungen.

Infos zu Teilnahmebedingungen und das Anmeldeformular gibt es hier.

Camp-Code  -  Name -  Ort/Region  -  Zeitraum  -  Projektart  -  Teilnehmerzahl
(Das weltweite Programm für Herbst/Winter zum runterladen.)
(Mehr Informationen über NICE im pdf-Format zum runterladen.)
(Mehr Informationen über CIEE im pdf-Format zum runterladen.)


         

NICE/0901 Shirakami 7 (Aomori) 02/01-13/01/2009 KIDS 5 vols. (3 int.)
Organized together with Shirakami Nature School (SNS). They have a summer vacation program with 25 kids aged 7-12 where they play, cook and live in the nature as they plan to grow their independence, sensitivity, group cooperation, and want to put global colors to the program by inviting international volunteers to grow understanding and passion toward different cultures. We need to be ready to spend 24 hours with them during this period except some free days. Work: We will first have an orientation to understand the aims and the objectives. Then, we will help and live together with kids all the time in the summer program, such as supporting activities, teaching songs, sleeping and showing your culture, performance. You need to respect their ways! Accommodation: A very simple house. Leisure Activities: Excursion of Mt. Shirakami, exchange parties, etc. Location: The Shirakami Mountains, located in the northern part of Honshu Island, is a huge mountainous area. About 130,000 hectares on the border between Aomori and Akita Prefectures). It is one of Japanese valuable preserved natural forests consisting primarily of beech trees. It was registered as a World Natural Heritage in 1993. Terminal: Tokyo (7 hours by bullet train or 10 hours by bus). Special Requirements: Volunteers should love kids and have responsibilities, group cooperativeness and motivation! Specialist of games, songs, cooks & similar types of experience is very welcome.

NICE/01 Shirakami (Aomori) 02/01-13/01/09 KIDS/ENVI 5 vols. (3 int.)
Organized together with Shirakami Nature School (SNS).  Mt.Shirakami was registered as a World Natural Heritage in 1993. They have a winter vacation program with 5-10 kids aged 7-12 where they play, cook and live in the nature as they plan to grow their independence, sensitivity, group cooperation, and want to put global colors which grow understanding and passion toward different cultures.  We need to be ready to spend 24 hours with them during this period except some free days. Work: We will first have an orientation to understand the aims and the objectives.  Then, we will help and live together with kids all the time in the summer program, such as supporting activities, teaching songs, sleeping and showing your culture, performance.  You need to respect their ways! Accommodation: A very simple house. Location: The Shirakami Mountains, located in the northern part of Honshu Island, is a huge mountainous area (130,000 hectares on the border between Aomori and Akita Prefectures). Terminal: Tokyo (7 hours by bullet train or 10 hours by bus) Leisure Activities: Excursion of Mt. Shirakami, exchange parties, etc. Special Requirements: Volunteers should love kid and have responsibilities, group cooperativeness and motivation!  Specialist of games, songs, cooks & similar types of experience is very welcome.

NICE/02 Kurikoma (Miyagi) 01/02-28/02/09 CONS/ENVI 4 vols. (0-1 int.)
Organized together with Kurikoma Plateau Nature School (KPNS) since 2006.  KPNS provide various nature-oriented courses, eco-tour, kids programs and independence support of the students who have difficult backgrounds. The huge earthquake happened in the Kurikoma area in June, 2008, this area was damaged by this earthquake. They need reconstruction work and a new base-making. Work: We will do the various works needed in the KPNS and area such as lowering the snow, making the firewood using scrap wood.  It will be physically hard.  We will do various activities with the youth in KPNS, who have problem such as withdrawals. Accommodation: Log cabin. Location: Center of Tohoku area, north part of Japan. It is specified for the quasi-national park and you can enjoy the beech wood and the alpine plant in all seasons. Very cold in Feb & Mar. Terminal: Tokyo (3 hours by bullet train or 9 hours by bus) Leisure Activities: Exchange parties, excursion, etc. Special Requirements:: Motivation to actively work in the cold area and with youth!  There’ll be no workcamp leader while we will have a local coordinator. No vegetarian and cigarette smokers. BE CAREFUL!!  Special program requiring Japanese language!!

NICE/03 Takane (Gifu) 10/02-23/02/09 CONS/ELDE 9 vols. (0-1 int.)
Organized together with a local government (especially its social welfare association, this time), since 2000.  As well as many other mountain villages, depopulation is serious here.  The population has been decreased to only 650, so they started to organize “the biggest bonfire festival in Japan“ in late 90s but lack people to help preparation and running, so the workcamp has been appreciated as inevitable voluntary power for it.  It is the first time to do a project in winter. Work: We will remove snow of the elder’s houses in the mountain area. Those elders still maintain the fields and forests in summer even though their children/ grand-children have gone to the cities, but move to the village center in winter. We will work get training and work with the local volunteers. Accommodation: Dormitory (3 rooms) where the elders from the mountain area also live in winter. Location: About 450 km west of Tokyo. The nearest town is Takayama, a popular tourist town with traditional streets and architectures. World heritage of Shirakawa-go is also not too far. Very cold in winter!!! Terminal: Nagoya (3 hours by express train).  From Tokyo, 5 hours by bullet train or 8 hours by bus. Leisure Activities: Exchange parties with the local youth group, excursion to Takayama, etc. Special Requirements: Very good Japanese language (there will be phone interview).  Camp language will be JAPANESE! Physical strength.

NICE/06 Ikata (Ehime) 01/03-15/03/09 AGRI 10 vols. (5 int.)
Organized since 2008 with a local group, Kikuya Community Group, which local young people formed to think of the future of their small village. Ikata town is famous for oranges that is the main industry there. But the town has been facing the depopulation, lack of workers since most of young people leave the town. Number of abandoned orange farms is increasing and the town is losing traditions and customs. They want to work with volunteer to animate the town and revive orange farms. Work: We will be divided 2-3 persons and work with farmers in each orange farm, mainly harvesting and take care of orange trees that is not rely on agrichemical and chemical manure. So, it is good for health and nature. We will also clean up the town and find good site points of this town. Accommodation: Volunteers house in the town. Location: About 350 km northwest of Osaka. Satamisaki Peninsula in Ehime prefecture. Terminal: Osaka (8hours by bus and train). From Tokyo, 8 hours by bullet train or 14 hours by midnight bus. Special Requirements: If you can speak some Japanese, it will be good!

BE CAREFUL!!  Farm-stay program requiring Japanese language!!
NICE/09 Erabu (Kagoshima) 03/03-23/03/09 AGRI 10 vols. (0-2 int.)
Organized together with some farmers and the local government since 1995.  Feb.-Mar. is the busiest period for flower farming, the main industry of the island.  So, they face the shortage of even temporary paid workers and we volunteers will support them!  This is NOT a typical workcamp, BUT rather a farm-stay program except last 4-5 days on which the volunteers stay and do some activities such as cleaning the beach and visiting elders home together. Work: We will be divided into 2-3 persons and work with farmers in each farms, mainly harvest and shipment of chrysanthemum.  It will be not so hard but for long hours with same type of simple works, so your motivation to share the life & work with them is very important!! Accommodation: Each farm. Location: 536 km south of Kagoshima. Nice nature, culture and people, not polluted by tourism. Quite warm (average in a day is 20 degree in winter). Terminal: Naha (6 hours by ship). From Tokyo, it takes 3 days by the slow train and ship for the cheapest way. Leisure Activities: Sports with local youth, excursion, exchange parties, etc. Special Requirements: Very good Japanese language (there will be phone interview). Camp language will be JAPANESE! Vols. can get some pocket money, but don’t expect so much!

NICE/10 Fuji-san (Shizuoka) 09/03-18/03/09 FEST/ENVI 6 vols. (3 int.)
Organized together with Whole Earth Nature School (WENS) founded in 1982. WENS is the old and historical nature school in Japan. They provide various nature-oriented courses, eco-tour and kids programs. WENS is in the foot in Mt. Fuji, in spite of such wonderful natural heritages, that town has one of the smallest population in Japan. WENS would like to activate this area by youth and voluntary power. Work: We will do the various works needed in the town. 1) We will prepare/ run/ clean the local festival. 2) We will also do forest work such as cutting trees, cutting branches. 3) We will do cleaning activity of Mt. Fuji, the illegal disposal is one of the big problems in the foot in Mt. Fuji. Accommodation: Nature school. Location: Mt. Fuji is 3,776m high and is the highest mountain in Japan situated at the border of southeastern Yamanashi and Shizuoka. It is the world famous symbol of Japan. Terminal: Tokyo (90 min by bullet train or 3 hours by slow train) Leisure Activities: Exchange parties, excursion, etc. Special Requirements: Motivation to actively work and with local people!

NICE/19 Bonotsu (Kagoshima) 09/03-23/03/09 CONS/ENVI 8 vols. (4 int.)
Newly organized together with Earth Harbor (EH) founded in 2008. EH wants to do Kids nature experience program, eco-tourism and start nature school in Bonotsu for the sustainable society.  Today the child has various problems in Japan. EH thinks that not a conventional education method to solve them but such a nature experience is necessary. So they would like to start a nature school and give the informal education for kids. Work: We will do the various works needed in the EH. 1)We establish a natural school that becomes a base with our hands, such as land-clearing activities and cutting grass. 2) We will also do forest work such as cutting trees, cutting branches. Accommodation: Nature school. Location: South part of Kyushu island with rich nature. People are cheerful and many man like to drink sake!! Terminal: Fukuoka (3 hours by train). From Osaka, 6 hours by bullet train or 12 hours by midnight bus. Leisure Activities: Excursion, exchange parties, etc. Special Requirements: Motivation to actively work and with local people! 

NICE/11 Iwami Ginzan (Shimane) 13/03-23/03/09 ENVI 8vols. (4 int.)
Organized since 2007 together with Organization of Green and Water (OGW) that was founded in 92 to appeal about the importance of a prairie and forest. Their working field is Iwami Ginzann that has been designated as a World Heritage since 2007. It will attract a number of people. Before spring sightseeing season, they want to take care of the forests. Once we use the forests, it is better to keep taking care of them. Otherwise, the heritage will be destroyed by increment of bamboo forests. Work: We will do various work to take care of the forests such as cutting bamboos and grasses, maintaining the footpath, etc. Local people burn off the field for landscape conservation of prairie once a year, so we will also help to fire protection. Physically hard. Part of Greening Asia. S: To protect nature and Greening Asia. Bring some info.Accommodation: National Mikame youth's house and Local house. Location: About 250 km northwest of Osaka. Near Japan sea. Terminal: Osaka (9 hours by train). From Tokyo, 6 hours by bullet train or 12 hours by midnight bus. Leisure Activities: Exchange parties, home stay, etc. Special Requirements: Interested in nature conservation and to exchange with people.

 NICE/12 Minamata (Kumamoto) 14/03-29/03/09 ENVI 14 vols. (8 int.)
Organized together with Minamata International Friendship Association (MIFA) since 1992. Though there was a big tragedy of public pollution 40 years ago, it’s completely safe now and Minamata is pioneering to be ecological town by distinguishing garbage into 21 categories, etc.  The workcamps have been creating a forest on the reclaimed land to bear new lives as a symbol of revival, with strong wish of the patients as well as doing various community works to activate local communities. Work: We will mainly work for “marine project” such as cleaning the beaches, helping to purify the water with using EM bacteria, etc. We may also maintain the workcamp forest by transplanting the seedlings, etc. and probably also do some farm work.  Part of Greening Asia. Accommodation: Public hall (we will barrow the bathrooms of neighbors that creates nice exchange. Location: South west in Kyushu island.  People are cheerful and many of man like to drink sake!! If lucky, you could enjoy parties under cherry flowers! Terminal: Fukuoka (3 hours by train) From Osaka, 6 hours by bullet train or 12 hours by midnight bus. Leisure Activities: Home stay, exchange parties, elementary school visit, etc. Special Requirements: Interest to protect nature and to exchange with people.

NICE/13 Nabari (Mie) 17/03-31/01/09 ENVI 8 vols. (4 int.)
Organized together with "Akame no Mori wo Mamoru kai", a local environmental NPO since 99. Being located near from both big cities of Osaka and Nagoya, there were some plans of a golf link and disposing industrial garbage and local people have stopped them by "Woods Trust" movement. They formed this group in 96 to collect donations to buy and protect lands, to own a pension to enjoy nature, to maintain forests, to create a pond for dragonflies, to host national copse meeting, etc. Work: We will do various works to take care of the forest such as cutting trees, cutting branches, maintain the footpath, etc. Main work of this year is fixing a hiking way near the pond for dragonflies. Physically hard. We will support the Youth event in there. Part of Greening Asia. Accommodation: The pension named "Eco Resort Akame". Location: About 60 km east of Osaka. There are famous falls nearby many hikers visit. The climate in this season is quite cold, so don't forget to bring warm clothes.Terminal: Osaka or Nagoya (1 hour by train from both). Leisure Activities: Excursion, exchange parties, Visiting schools, communication with elderly people of eco-resort, etc. Special Requirements: Motivation letter is needed! Volunteers should have strong motivation for conservation forest work. Physically strength.

NICE/14 Haki (Fukuoka) 18/03-31/03 FEST/ARTS/KIDS 10 vols. (5 int.)
Organized together with “Kodomo-Art” (Society of Children's Theater Works and Community Development) established in 1972 since 2004. They have held the international child art festival for several years.  They want to activate this area through art and cultural promotion in the future for kids and build the fruitful network of a child and a cultural art organization.  We aim to involve local people to promote global understanding, friendship and solidarity through this festival. Work: We will help to prepare the festival, such as site management and decoration.  We will promote this festival to local kids through the visiting the kindergarten and the nursery school.  We do the activity for children to spend the festival with a lot of fun. A: Local house. Location: Small town in the mountains, 60 km south of Fukuoka. Good access by highway bus from Fukuoka. Terminal: Fukuoka (1.5 hours by bus). From Osaka, 5 hours by bullet train or 12 hours by midnight bus. Leisure Activities: Exchange parties, excursion, etc. Special Requirements: Interest in art and Kids!!

NICE/20 Shirakawa-Go (Gifu) 25/05-08/06/09 ENVI 10 vols. (5 int.)
Organized together with Toyota Shirakawa-Go Eco Institute (TSEI) since 2006 a NPO run by some environmental NPOs, the local government and TOYOTA since 2005.  It has 172 ha of land and organize various types of nature protection, cultural activities and nature discovery programs. They expect voluntary power and fresh wind to the workcamp, for example, to improve the sanctuary for endangered Gifu butterflies by enabling flowers grown more easily. Work: We’ll do various types of nature conservation works such as 1) Cutting glasses to improve ecological richness of the forest, planting trees 2) Improving the sanctuary for the butterflies and 3)maintenance of the old path for life's diversity. P: excursions, exchange parties, international games, etc. Accommodation: A house with a steep rafter roof (World heritage!!) NO vegetarian Food. Location: A small, mountain village famous for its beautiful and traditional buildings registered as the World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 1995. 96% of the land is forest here! 2 hours from Takayama. Terminal: Nagoya (3 hours by express train & bus). From Tokyo, 7 hours by bullet train or 10 hours by bus. Qualifications: Motivation to nature protection.

NICE/18 Maki 1 (Nagano) 24/06-07/07/09 AGRI 8 vols. (4 int.)
Organized together with Maki Farm of Kyodo Gakusha (KG) since 00.  KG is a NPO running 5 organic farming communities in Japan where people with various backgrounds such as mentally disadvantaged, those who want to learn farming, etc. in order to change our society from competitive to cooperative.  Maki Farm has 5-10 members and is located in a very isolated area (not accessible for cars and we have to walk 4 km in the mountains), so once it became an abandon village in 1970s. Work: We will help their organic farming (weeding in rice and vegetable fields, planting vegetables, taking care of goats and chicken) and also carry the things from the town, renovate the trails, help their house work, etc.  Be ready to work for quite a long time (05:30-18:00 with some brakes) and hard. Accommodation: Building for volunteers in the farm. There are some gas, electricity and water! Location: Very isolated, but beautiful place near “Japanese Northern Alps”. About 900 meters asl. There are something remained here that most of Japanese areas have lost in modernization. Terminal: From Tokyo, 4 hours by express train or 8-10 hours by bus and train. Leisure Activities: Visit to the elementary school, foot ball and baseball (optional), exchange party, etc. Special Requirements: Physically strength. Agricultural or architectural skills are welcome!  Motivation letter is needed!