Kumano

CODE: NICE-26S-0731A

Work:

1) Maintenance at Akagi Castle, 2) Visiting a local nursery school and cultural exchange and 3) Ditch cleaning and road mirror cleanup

Accomodation and food

Community center. Sleeping bag is necessary. Meals will be cooked by volunteers by turns.

Location and leisure

Nishiyama area, Kumano city, Mie prefecture. It is more than 200 km far both from Osaka and Nagoya. Other activities - Sightseeing along the Kumano Kodo, hot springs, going to beaches

Project hosted by

This project is actively working for SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), organized together with Association for Promotion of Regional Development in Nishiyama area, Kumano, located in Mie Prefecture. The city is rich in cultural heritage, including the UNESCO World Heritage pilgrimage route Kumano Kodo. The volunteer activities take place in the mountainous Nishiyama area, where the aging population is rapidly increasing. The goal is to encourage exchange between local residents and international volunteers, bringing new energy to the town. As many residents are now too elderly to maintain the historic Akagi Castle, volunteers support the preservation of the castle, clean nearby roads, and engage in cultural exchange activities with local children. Through these activities, international volunteers can experience Kumano’s beautiful nature and the warm hospitality of its people while contributing to the community.

Directions to meeting point

Additional comments

Study theme - Volunteers will experience the countryside of Japan Participation fee - 18,000 JPY (99 EUR by the rate on 2026 Feb. 14) 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 - Nothing