Ikata

CODE: NICE-25L-IK16

Work:

Volunteers will help mandarin farming (It is the main work!! Harvesting, taking care of trees, cutting grass etc., it depend on season! Especially, Nov. to April. is hard!!), support local youth club (If you have chance) and create new activities to animate the town.

Accomodation and food

Shared room (male and female are separated) at the volunteer’s house. It is traditional Japanese style house. Volunteers will cook by themselves.

Location and leisure

In the edge of Sata Peninsula, surrounded by the sea, so fishing is also famous. There are only 30 houses in this community. The climate is relatively warm though it can be cold in winter. Other activities - Join the local events, many opportunities to learn the local wisdom, etc. Sightseeing, short trip (hot springs, famous places here).

Project hosted by

This project is actively working for SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), organized together with Kikuya Community Group (KCG) since 2008, formed by the local young people to think of the future of their small village. Ikata is famous for its main industry of mandarins farming, but has been facing depopulation, lack of workers and aging society since most of young people leave the town. So, the number of abandoned mandarin farms is increasing and the town is losing its tradition, life, custom and scenery. KCG strongly hopes to host vols. to work together to animate the town and revive the farms.

Directions to meeting point

Additional comments

Study theme - Volunteers will have opportunities learning organic mandarin farming. Participation fee - 18,000 JPY (108 EUR by the rate on 2024 Nov. 3rd) per month till the 3rd month and 9,000 JPY per month from the 4th month of "NICE Volunteers" fee need to be paid in advance either by Card or PayPal. This is used for the project preparation and coordination such as the transportation of the camp leaders while the meals and the accommodation are provided by the local host by free. Odd days are counted as one month (e.g., 170 days are counted as 6 months). Other - The first and last 2 days are On Arrival and Evaluation Seminars in Osaka.