Hostels, home stays and guest houses in Japan where you can exchange work for room and board

How does Work Exchange work in Japan?

A work exchange trip is a type of trip where you’ll collaborate by performing some task in a hostel, guesthouse, or other type of lodging or institution. In exchange for your volunteer work, you’ll get accommodation and benefits. It can also happen in NGOs, farms, schools, communities, start-ups and more. Some hosts offer meals - from only one up to all meals in a day - and benefits like classes, free drinks, discounts or tours. It depends on each host and location. Work exchange is a cultural journey where mutual support, learning about new cultures and meeting people are the most valuable assets.

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Best places to visit during my work and travel in Japan

If you’re doing summer work in Japan as a volunteer, you should visit Tokyo for a metropolis experience, but there are so many other interesting places in the country like Osaka, Nara, Arashiyama and of course Mount Fuji. Kyoto is also another interesting Japanese city. For several centuries it was the capital and cultural center, so palaces and temples are an inheritance of its rich history and are everywhere. Thus it’s not surprising that Kyoto is known as the "city of a thousand temples." Like the cold? Hokkaido is one of Japan’s most visited winter destinations, with ski resorts and volcanic hot springs. Hokkaido's ancient Ainu culture is like no other in Japan, so volunteering there is a great learning opportunity.

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How to find volunteer work exchange in Japan?

To find opportunities for work exchange in Japan, have a quick look at our host list. You can help with reception, administration, tour organizing, painting and decorating and a lot of other functions. Don’t worry about having previous experience. Work exchange isn’t about doing a perfect job, but learning by helping your host in the same way that your host can learn from you. In exchange for helping, you get accommodation and meals. Your host will offer you a shared dorm (with travelers and other volunteers), team dorm (just for staff and volunteers) or private room. Among the things you can earn in exchange for volunteer help are free laundry, bikes, free events and parties, language lessons, discounts on drinks, free tours, holistic therapies, surf lessons and more.

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How can I help at a Work Exchange program in Japan?

Fill in a japanese exchange teaching program application by talking to some of our hosts, especially schools, NGOs and other institutions that help people who don’t have the chance to pay for expensive english schools. Some hosts will ask you for a bit more information, some will be just happy to have you no matter what. Just know that you don’t need previous experience to teach English in Japan with Worldpackers! You can also help with other skills like cleaning, cooking, teaching art or sports, planting trees, talking about the environment, helping an animal shelter and much more. The sky's the limit, as long as you have energy and compassion to make the best of your work exchange in Japan!

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Opportunities in Worldpackers to be a volunteer in Japan

With Worldpackers you can do volunteer work in Japan for a year, a month or a few weeks. You can travel as much as you want to any place you like, paying for membership just once a year. Worldpackers allows you to have an affordable trip, even to a country that is usually expensive for tourists, like Japan. Check our host list and talk to our experts for more info and to get all the information you need. Become a member and we’ll help you make your trip happen ;) 

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