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Maki 18-4

1. Summary Let's preserve way of traditional Japanese life in mountain area!

2. Background

Organized together with Maki Farm of Kyodo Gakusha (KG). 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 (no accessible for cars and we have to walk 4 km in the mountains!), so once it became an abandon village in 1970s. Tateya is one branch of KG.

3. Work

We will help their organic farming (weeding in rice and vegetable fields, planting vegetables, taking care of goats and hens, etc.) 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 tough.

4. Accommodation Building a straw roof (traditional house in Japan!) in farm ,cooking as a group by turn (Vegetarian is possible!)

5. Study theme Volunteer have opportunities learning organic farming, taking care of goats, chickens. You can learn traditional way of Japanese life.

6. Other activities Sightseeing, short trip (hot springs, famous places here). Trekking.

7. Location In the deep mountain. Very isolated, but beautiful village near “Japanese Northern Alps”. About 900 meters asl. Something remained here that most of Japanese areas have lost in modernization.

8. Terminal From Tokyo, 4 hours by express train or 6-8 hours by bus and train. You need to arrive at Narita or Haneda airport by 08:00 the 1st day, and can leave Japan after 22:00 on last day).

9. Requirement

Speaking some Japanese (common language will be Japanese) and strong motivation to work and enjoy simple life in the isolated area and respect to the local culture and way of the local organization! Skills of agriculture or construction can be useful!

10. Participation fee

12,000 yen per one month (6,000 yen from the 4th month) to be paid on their arrivals. There is no fee for vols. from the NGOs charging no fee in their LMTV projects to NICE vols.

11. Language Japanese and a little English.

12. Other

If you want to end on another day, please choose among the following dates and clearly write on your application form; 07/01, 08/05, 09/22, 10/28, 12/14. It was made into a documentary movie about their living life, Kyodo Gakusha Maki Farm on 2015 in Japan. http://arayashiki-movie.jp/