Help at our farm on the island of Yakushima, Japan

The experience

We operate a farm and a correspondence-based high school on Yakushima Island, in Kagoshima Prefecture, south of Japan.
We also have a small cafe where we sometimes hold events for people that live on the island to connect with nature, and with each other.
Many students from across Japan come to our correspondence-based high school in Yakushima, to find themselves and reconnect with nature and each other.

What you offer

20 hours of help per week

Social Work: Help with volunteer work in local projects and communities.

Teaching Languages: Teaching a language to the host, guests, or local communities.

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.

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.

Dinner: You are entitled to a free dinner, every day of your stay.

Free Laundry: You can use our laundry room freely.

Language lessons: Take free language classes at our place.

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

Requirements

Beginner Japanese or Intermediate English

Between 18 and 80 years old

Welcomes solo volunteers, couples, and partners of volunteers

What's not included

Flights, Travel Insurance, Internal Transportation and Visa

Program Details

In our farm we grow fruits, herbs, vegetables, rice, tea and derived products. We also have a small cafe where we sometimes hold events for people that live on the island to connect with nature, and with each other. We hope that the people that visit our farm can experience nature with their five senses.

Our farm also serves as a school farm, so students regularly come to participate in agricultural activities and learn more about the importance of the food and the work behind it.

Our farm is quite extensive, so we need a lot of help with daily tasks for its maintenance and to keep it a safe place for the students and visitors to experience nature.

Yakushima was registered as a World Natural Heritage Site in 1993, and its forest is also famous for being the model for the setting in the anime “Princess Mononoke”.

Activities & Shift

The main help required is at the farm, but there might be some chances to visit the school, or talk with the students when they visit the farm.
We would like you to help with the daily work on the farm such as weeding, pruning, watering and cleaning. Depending on the season when you come, we may ask you to help us with planting and harvesting crops as well. Since it is usually easy tasks, you don’t need any previous experience.

If there are any events at the farm, we will also ask you to help us with the preparations, and to have fun spending time with the participants, and maybe practicing English together if they are interested.

If there is a chance to visit the school, you will probably participate in ice breaking games or outdoor classes. The students also visit our organic farm, so you might have chances to participate with them in farming activities.

Rules

◆Shifts
4-5 days a week, 4-5 hours a day. It may vary depending on the day, but will be adjusted to 20 hours per week. We will consider any days you want to take off.

◆Meals
Meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) are provided on the days you volunteer, but not on holidays. We can’t make different preparations in case of allergies or any other food restrictions, so in that case we would ask you to make your own preparations.

◆Accommodation
We provide accommodation with a shared bathroom, washing machine, refrigerator and a shared area to spend time with other volunteers.