Shiiba

CODE: NICE-26S-0303A

Work:

1. Cutting bamboo forest, weeding work trails for the village etc.
2. Remove a collapsed shed and make the site ready for future use.
3. Remove items from the shed, sort them and cleaning the shed.
Work content may change depending on the weather, so a flexible attitude is important!

Accomodation and food

Volunteers will sleep in the traditional renovated shared house. Meals will be cooked by volunteers by turns. Sleeping bag is not necessary.

Location and leisure

Shiiba village is located in the central Kyushu mountains, northwest of Miyazaki Prefecture. The population is 2,300, and about 96% of the land area is covered with forests. Other activities - Exchange party with villagers

Project hosted by

This project is actively working for SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities) and SDGs 15 (Life on land), organized together with a local organization ''Takumashii Mirai". They live in Shiiba village, is faces serious aging society and depopulation, but it has very beautiful scenery, traditional agriculture, and traditional culture and is one of the Japan's Three Hidden Villages. They are trying restoring a campsite and renovating an old house into a share house to promote the “Self-Sufficiency 2.0” lifestyle project it is people create their own lives. They also try to create an free space in the shared house where villagers, new residents and visitors can interact with each other. They need volunteer power and ideas!
*Outcome of this project: First held in March 2025. 8 volunteers participated, helping to restore forest trails damaged by a typhoon at the campsite, chopping firewood, and interacting with villagers.

Directions to meeting point

Additional comments

Study theme - Volunteers will get knowledge of history and traditional culture of Shiiba village. Finding ways for sustainability of a depopulated village. Participation fee - 18,000 JPY (100 EUR by the rate on 2025 Nov. 3rd) 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 - Follow (@share_kawanokuchi) on Instagram to see the activities of the local host.