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Volunteer in Japan

Volunteer in Japan with Abroad Escape! Embark on an extraordinary journey with Abroad Escape and discover wonderful Japan through the remarkable path of volunteering. Unleash your inner explorer and embrace the chance to make a lasting difference in this stunning destination.

Create Your Own Unique Schedule In Japan!

Location: Otaki, Nagano Prefecture of Japan
Duration: 1 week – 8 weeks

With the freedom to choose your own unique schedule as you want week by week. With us, you have the power to create your own tailor-made volunteer program that aligns with your passions and interests. You have the flexibility to start any Monday and stay for anywhere between one to twelve weeks.

If you are a passionate volunteer with a heart for nurturing young minds and an eagerness to transform lives in Cape Verde, then these programs are tailor-made for you. With a focus on early childhood education, these opportunities provide an ideal platform for you to channel your enthusiasm and create a positive impact on the lives of the little ones in this beautiful country.

Why Join With Abroad Escape

Abroad Escape is committed to providing you with the highest-quality and most meaningful travel experiences possible. With our international volunteer abroad projects and immersion internships, you’ll have the chance to make a real impact in the lives of local communities. With our immersive volunteer programs, you’ll have the chance to engage with local communities and make a real impact in the lives of those around you. But that’s not all – you’ll also be creating lifelong friendships with fellow international travelers who share your passion for travel and making a positive impact.

Projects

Countries

Years Experience

We are Loved ♥️ by our Trusted Customers

Michael

Netherlands

I volunteered in with Abroad Escape, which was definitely the best trip and the best experience of my life!

Kate

Australia

The program was a great experience for me. The kids I taught were very smart and happy. They were very willing to learn which was amazing.

Jennifer

UK

I had an amazing time in volunteering. I was happy with the whole experience and would love to go back in the future!

volunteer luang prabang laos

Welcome to Japan

Your time in the Nagano Prefecture of Japan will be spent in a small village, amid spectacular mountains, with just about 800 residents. Otaki is a wonderland of nature that hosts many guests, especially during the winter months when there is a nice coat of snow on Mt. Ontake. Japan’s second highest volcano not only is home to a ski resort, but also attracts many spiritual groups and forms of Buddhism. Mt. Ontake is surrounded by an array of different shrines and sacred places and a popular destination for pilgrims.

 

Your Arrival

Get ready for a warm welcome to Cape Verde! Your adventure begins the moment you arrive, with our pick-up on Sunday at the Shinjuku Bus Terminal on Sunday at 16:00, where one of our transfer coordinators will meet you at the Shinjuku Bus terminal. To ensure a smooth transition, we’ll provide you with all the necessary arrival and contact details when you book your program. The local team will be waiting for you, ready to transfer you to your accommodation where you’ll meet fellow volunteers from around the world.

Your Orientation

On the Monday of your first week at this location, you will join our orientation day, to familiarize you with the surroundings as well as local culture. Your program will continue as usual from Tuesday onward throughout the rest of the week.

Schedule

Introduction meeting, House rules, Setting Expectations, Health and Safety Advice and handling of documents.
Japanese Do’s and Don’ts, Japanese Culture Lessons and Japanese Language Lessons.
Tour around the compound and local area; where to find local shops, and arrange a sim-card if necessary.
Lunch
Introduction to the Project, Project site and start participating on the project

Your Accommodation

Your accommodation is included in your package from Sunday night until Saturday morning of your last week, so you can rest assured that you’ll have a comfortable place to call home throughout your journey.

While in Otaki Town, Nagano Prefecture, you will be staying in local accommodation. You’ll be staying in shared rooms with other volunteers, giving you the perfect opportunity to make lifelong friends from around the globe. And don’t worry about gender issues, we’ve got that covered too! You’ll be accommodated in single-gender dorm-style rooms, ensuring maximum comfort and privacy.

Private rooms are available at an extra cost, please contact us for details and availability.

But that’s not all – we’ve got your meals covered too! You’ll enjoy three delicious meals per day from Monday to Friday, and two meals per day on weekends. Plus, if you’re a vegetarian, no problem! We can vegetarian meals for you.

Japan Programs

You can choose which project you join week by week and create your own unique schedule in Japan!

Community English Exchange in Japan

Help locals gaining more confidence and practice in speaking English to foreigners.

While Japanese study English in primary school and become profound in reading and writing, little focus is put on conversation and pronunciation. Knowledge is not the issue, practice is. Host conversation afternoons where locals can join on their own terms. More than just using the language, it helps them to get used to interacting with foreigners. And for you it’s a chance to learn about their life and culture.

In a recently published English version of the Otaki tourist map, some shops and hotels are marked with a star, to indicate that the owners speak some English. Still, it is a challenge to get around without speaking Japanese.

Pride plays a role in this as well. A hotel would rather refuse a booking of a foreigner than lose face by not providing perfect service due to the language barrier. Which is not helping the village’s initiatives to attract more foreign travelers to its picturesque surroundings.

To help the village develop, two measures need to happen at the same time:

Villagers and local business owners need to get used to interacting with foreigners
Locals need to gain more confidence and practice in speaking English
Japanese students study English in primary school but the current education method rather focuses on reading and writing than on conversation. So don’t mistake them not talking to you for them not knowing English or even a lack of education. What is lacking the most is the practice in speaking. Without that practice, Japanese people usually don’t feel comfortable speaking.

This program aims to offer locals a platform to practice their English on their own terms. Participants are available at the community house in the afternoons and early evenings. Local students often stop by to study or work there for a few hours or to just hang out. That’s your chance to ask them everything you’d like to know about life in Japan and answer their questions about your home country as well. Be patient and understanding if it takes them a while to make up a complete sentence. The longer you talk, the better they will understand you. And the more locals enjoy talking to you, the more people feel excited to join.

Otaki village is a small village which is visited by local and foreign tourists. Locals who are serving the tourists require more practice and conversational skills. You will meet and exchange with them where they can improve their language skills.

Keep in mind that for people who hardly ever meet foreigners, you are more than just a chance to practice their English. You are an ambassador of your home country and culture. The impression you leave will shape their view of people of your country or foreigners in general.

Depending on the season and weather, expect to spend about 2 to 3 hours of conversation per day. The lesson planning can take upto 1 or 2 hours per day. This could be at the community house or other places in/around Otaki. Occasionally the local primary school may invite you to practice some English pronunciation by e.g. singing songs together, playing games.

Besides practicing English, you will join other participants in Otaki to learn about local culture and explore the surroundings.

If you have a background in teaching and education, it will be helpful in teaching local children and adults.

Schedule

Monday
Monday to Friday
Breakfast
You may occasionally be asked to join the local ‘primary school’
Lunch
Cultural or outdoor activities together wilt all participants in Otaki
Be available for locals to come by for conversation
Dinner
Be available for locals to come by for a conversation
Cultural or outdoor activities together will all participants in Otaki

* This schedule can be changed and/or amended depending on weather conditions, local conditions and unforeseen circumstances.

Community Agriculture in Japan

Work alongside local farmers and learn from them how to plant and harvest crops, protect them from animals and preserve them for wintertime.

The population in and around the village of Otaki is aging while young Japanese are leaving, pursuing a life and working in one of the big cities. The older population, staying in Otaki, appreciates a helping hand in their daily tasks. But even more so, they enjoy the company and the chance to share their knowledge and experience.

Farming in Japan is different from farming in North America or the US. The mountainous Japanese landscape doesn’t allow for big, stretched-out fields. Instead many people run their own little farms, tugged into the hills.

The village of Otaki is no different. Many of its inhabitants are growing vegetables and crops, some have animals. They sell their harvest in local markets or in regional supermarkets. But while the younger generation leaves the countryside, the work is getting harder for the ones who stay.

Most people in and around Otaki follow a rather traditional Japanese lifestyle. Their houses merge Western elements with traditional Japanese architecture. But with the young generation leaving the countryside, many of the elders are increasingly afraid of their customs dying with them. More than helping them in their daily work, they appreciate the chance to teach you about their work and their culture.

For Japanese farmers, the day typically starts with sunrise. You may be asked to get up early to do some first chores before breakfast. Throughout the rest of the day, more work awaits. Depending on the season and weather, expect about 2-5 hours of work per day. During spring, summer and autumn, the work will be mostly outdoors. Tasks e.g. could be:

Fertilizing fields
Plowing fields
Planting/harvesting
Maintaining fences to keep out the monkeys and wild boars
Maintaining the water supply system
During late autumn and winter, most work would be done inside. This is when Japanese farmers process their harvest to conserve it throughout the winter or dedicate themselves to local handicrafts. Tasks could e.g. be:

Processing the harvest to conserve it
Preparing conserved meals
Local handicraft
Preparations for the upcoming spring
Scraping/Shovelling snow
Wood chopping
Besides your work on the farm, you will join other participants to learn about local culture and explore the surroundings.

Schedule

Monday to Friday
You may be asked to help out on the farm in the early morning
Breakfast
Perform a variety of outdoor or indoor tasks
Lunch
Cultural or outdoor activities together will all participants in Otaki
Complete additional tasks on the farm
Dinner
Cultural or outdoor activities together will all participants in Otaki

* This schedule can be changed and/or amended depending on weather conditions, local conditions and unforeseen circumstances.

Program Prices

845 Euro per week

With us there are NO registration or administration fees!
Plus you can easily combine the different projects.

What’s included:
Volunteer program
Accommodation
Meals
24/7 in-country support
In-country program orientation
Pre-departure support
Airport pick-up

Not included:
visa, flight, travel insurance, vaccinations, criminal background check, return trip to the airport, 5% international banking fee

Requirements to join:
– Participants need to be minimum 18 years old
– Participants under 16 need to join with a parent/guardian
– Participants aged 16 to 18 need to have parental consent
– Participants are required to provide a criminal background check (if unable to obtain a criminal background check, you can provide two character reference letters instead)
– Participants are required to have their own travel insurance
– You need to be able to speak and understand at least basic English

Testimonial Sarah Snook

A testimonial from Sarah Snook the famous Hollywood actress who joined our volunteer program.