Akame 1

CODE: NICE-27S-0308A

Work:

・Thinning trees in the forest and carrying them out for firewood, allowing more sunlight to reach the SATOYAMA forest and helping maintain a healthy ecosystem that supports biodiversity.
・Cleaning up Road to Satoyama forest
・Street Fundraising for Earthquake Relief
・Other activities requested by locals (e.g., feeding chickens, mushroom picking, etc.)

Accomodation and food

Volunteers will stay in a regular Japanese house. Meals will be cooked by volunteers by turns. Sleeping bag is NO need. The bath is a traditional style where we heat the water ourselves using firewood.

Location and leisure

Workcamp is held in Kami-mitani area, Nabari city, Mie prefecture, about 60 km from Osaka. There are famous falls nearby that many hikers visit. Other activities - Hiking, Visiting Nara prefecture on free day etc.

Project hosted by

This project is actively working for SDGs 15 (Life on Land), organized together with Akame no SATOYAMA wo Sodateru kai, a local environmental organization for conservation of SATOYAMA forest working in Nabari city, since 1999. Because this area is relatively close to the big cities between Osaka and Nagoya, there were plans to build a golf field and a disposal center. However, the local people stopped those plans by collecting donations and buying the land to keep beatutiful nature. SATOYAMA needs to be maintained by humans for its biodiversity and water adjustment function. Our ancestors had protected and utilized the forest in an ecological and sustainable way, which has been neglected by modernization at many places in Japan.
*Outcome of this project: Over the last 20 years, 30 ha of SATOYAMA forest has been maintained by the previous volunteers. Please see the presentation of the camp leader for the IVS contest in Japan; https://www.slideshare.net/nice-workcamp/w55 (only Japanese for the moment, but you can at least enjoy the pictures!).

Nearest bus/train station
The nearest airport is Osaka (KIX) or Nagoya (NGO). To the meeting point, it takes 2-3 hours by train from the both airports. Vols. need to arrive at KIX or NGO by Mar. 8 around noon and can leave there after 13:00 on last day.

Additional comments
Study theme - Volunteers will acquire the knowledge of conservation work in SATOYAMA forest. Participation fee - 18,000 JPY (101 EUR by the rate on 2026 Oct. 17th) of NICE Volunteers fee need to be paid in advance either by Card or PayPal. This is used for the project preparation/ coordination such as the transportation of the staff/ camp leaders, visa invitation cost, publications, etc. while the meals and the accommodation are provided by the local host by free (so, your fee is not used for those things!). Other - None

Requirements

Strong motivation and physical strength are highly needed.