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Help with everyday work at Buddhist temple lodging

4.5
(42 reviews)42

The experience

We are seeking live-in help for at least one month. BE SURE TO FULLY READ the descriptions and volunteer reviews before contacting us. Tasks include all aspects of the hospitality, including cleaning toilets and bathrooms, room-making, customer service, kitchen help, washing dishes, etc. English is a must, but no Japanese is required. As all live-in staff eat together, we cannot cater to vegetarians, vegans, etc. We do not accept couples.

What you offer

25 hours of help per week

Gardening: Help grow plants and cultivate gardens

Kitchen Hand: Help prepare, finish and serve meals.

Cleaning: Help clean the kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms and common areas.

Housekeeping: Help with changing the bed linens and general housekeeping.

What you get

2 days off per week

Shared Dorm: You will have a bed in a shared room, which means you will share the same room with other travelers.

Team Dorm: You will have a bed in a shared room, which means you will share the same room with other people.

Breakfast: You are entitled to a free breakfast, every day of your stay.

Lunch: You are entitled to a free lunch, every day of your stay.

Discounts on Restaurants: Get discounts at nearby restaurants.

Discounts on Drinks: Get discounts for drinks and beverages from our bar.

Free Laundry: You can use our laundry room freely.

Free Tours: We’ll take you on tours and rides around town. For free!

Free Events: Get free entrance for the best events in town.

Bikes at your disposal: You can use our bikes any time you want.

Use our equipped kitchen: Feel free to use our kitchen and make your own delicious food.

Basic Internet Access: Basic speed internet for you to work remotely

Requirements

Fluent Japanese or Intermediate English

Between 22 and 50 years old

Only hosts solo volunteers (doesn’t accept couples or partners)

What's not included

Flights, Travel Insurance, Internal Transportation and Visa

Program Details

We ask all volunteers to help fours hours per day in exchange for food and accommodation, as well as use of Wi-Fi, etc. During busy seasons, we may ask you to help out for longer. These extra hours will be exchanged for time off at a later date.

During peak seasons (first half of November, the first three days of the New Year, cherry blossom season and Golden Week), we can become extremely busy during the day as bus tour groups come for lunch. Please be aware that schedules and working hours may change during the busy seasons. Volunteers may work 6 day/week instead of 5 days/week.

Tasks include aspects of the hospitality, including cleaning toilets and bathrooms, room-making, customer service, kitchen help, washing dishes, etc. We also have a cafe where, when busy, we ask volunteers to help out.

We are located in a temple village at the base of a holy mountain. Therefore, there is no nightlife. There may be opportunities for volunteers to join tours and events depending on the time of the year.

Activities & Shift

Daily activities are removing bed linen and used towels, etc. from guestrooms, vacuum cleaning, cleaning toilets and bathrooms, preparing rooms for arriving guests, helping in the kitchen to prepare guests' dinners, washing dishes, etc. Please be aware that this is real work and can be tiring. Sometimes will also be asked to help prepare dinner for the staff in the evening.

If you have skills in social media, videography, photography, etc, we would appreciate your help. However, please keep in mind that your main tasks accommodation-related.

Volunteers shifts start at 9am to 2pm. Most days volunteers usually work 4 hours. Mornings and evenings are the busiest times.

Rules

We are both an accommodation and a Buddhist temple. Therefore, shoes should always be removed before entering the premises and stored in the shoe box outside. Be polite and respectful. No excessive drinking. NO SMOKING. We do not accept couples or people with special dietary needs such as vegans, vegetarians, etc. Volunteers get breakfast and lunch (volunteers are allowed dinner if they want but they must help an extra 30min-1.5hrs)