Kumano | NICE-25S-0801A | 2025-08-01 - 2025-08-10 | ENVI,CULT,MANU | Age: 18 - 99

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 city where is depopulated in Mie prefecture since 2017. There are about 220 residents whose 73% is over 65 years old in Nishiyama area where volunteers will mainly stay. One youth who had joined an international workcamp in the past, has started organizing weekend workcamps since 2011 in Nishiyama area.Five years later, the local community has become more open-minded toward youth from outside the area. Since many local residents are getting too old to maintain public spaces such as parks or the ruins of a castle, they now need help from international volunteers! *Outcome of this workcamp: Please refer to the long-term goal of this project, Local SDGs, at https://www.slideshare.net/nice-workcamp/2019-wp5 (currently only available in Japanese, but you can still enjoy the pictures!).

Work: Maintenance at the National historic site (Akagi Castle ruins), including cleaning the ditches and maintaining the road mirrors in the area. Re-repairing public toilets that were previously maintained in past workcamps.

Accomodation and food: Community center. Sleeping bag is necessary. Meals will be cooked by volunteers by turns.

Location: Mie

Location and Leisure: LocationNishiyama area, Kumano city, Mie prefecture. It is more than 200 km far both from Osaka and Nagoya. Other activitiesExperiencing Japanese culture, etc.

Airport: KIX

Train/Bus station: The nearest airport is Nagoya (Chubu Centrair) or Osaka (Kansai). To the meeting point, it will take about 4.5 hours by train from Chubu and 6 hours from Kansai. Volunteers are recommended to arrive at the airport one day before workcamp starts.

Requirements: Positive attitude to enjoy rural, remoted area. Open mind to respect and communicate with local people

Language: eng

Extra Fee: 9000 JPY

Study them: Volunteers will experience the countryside of Japan and see how locals are tackling social issues to develop their community. Participation fee: 9,000 JPY (56 EUR by the rate on 2025 Apr 1st) 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 camp leaders while the meals and the accommodation are provided by the local host by free (so, your fee is not used for your meals and accommodation!).