CIEEJ 05
OBUSE, NAGANO
23.07. - 05.08.2006
CULT/RENO
5 TN

Project: Obuse is small town famous as the center of Japanese traditional culture such as Haiku, Bonsai, and especially for well-known "Ukiyoe" painter, Katsushika Hokusai (1760~1849 ). The 3rd International Hokusai conference was held in Obuse (1st and 2nd were held in University of Venice, Italy). There is also a hot spring in the town so volunteers will have a chance to use it. The Local sponsor, Nagano International Friendship Club (NIFC) has been promoting exchange activities to bring up the sense of cultural understanding among younger generation in order to cope with better international communication in Nagano. The NIFC is offering various programs such as home-stay, language course, or voluntary activities. The NIFC supported NAGANO Olympic game in 1998 by sending many volunteers.

Work: there will be various kinds of works. Volunteers will give local facilities their hands for weeding, clean up and put flower beds in a good condition etc. Volunteers will also have opportunities not only to visit local primary and secondary schools but also to have a party for exchanging their cultures. Be ready to introduce your country and your local cuisine. Volunteers are required to ride a bike for transportation and to bring work clothes. The host organization, NIFC Obuse, will welcome volunteers who are interested in cultural exchange between volunteers and locals.
Location: Obuse.

Accessibility: Obuse Station is located about 1/2 hour by train from Nagano where you can access by Shinkansen, bullet train from Tokyo in 1and 1/2hours.

Accommodation: in the local family house where the family is very interested in hosting experience and individual cultural exchange. There would be a chance to stay more than one family during the camp. Volunteers should expect there are some house rules at each family. Please note that volunteer may stay at a homestay for a week of 2 and a building for the other week in case that the number of volunteers will be more than 5.

Specials: Motivation letter required. Volunteers need to bring some money
(about \10,000) for a party and transportation.

NCE 09
Minamata (Kumamoto)
18.03. - 31.03.2006
ENVI/CULT
14 TN (7 int.)

Project: Organized together with Minamata International Exchange Supporters since 92. Though there was a big tragedy of public pollution 40 years ago, it’s completely safe now and Minamata is pioneeringto be ecological town by distinguishing garbage into 21 categories, etc. The workcamps have been creating a forest on the reclaimed land to bear new lives as a symbol of revival, with strong wish of the patients. This place is very important for the world to reflect on modern industrialization.W: We will maintain the workcamp forest by transplanting the seedlings and collecting fallen leaves to fertilize the soil for a few days. We will also help to prepare and run “Onion festival” as well as do some community works like farming and cleaning. Part of Greening Asia.

Location: South west in Kyushu island.

Accessibility: Fukuoka (3 hours by train). From Osaka, 6 hours by bullet train or 12 hours by midnight bus.

Accommodation: in a few community centers for several days each.

Specials: Interest to protect nature and to exchange with people.

NCE 15
Shirakami 1 (Aomori)
11.06. - 25.06.2006
ENVI
6 TN (3 int.)

Project: Newly organized together with Shirakami Mountains Preservation Society (SMPS) founded in 93. The Shirakami Mountains is a huge mountainous area and one of Japan's very few remaining natural forests consisting primarily of beech trees. It was registered as a World Natural Heritage in 1993. The SMPS wants to help preserve the natural beauty of the Shirakami Mountains, so we will try to revive it in the global voluntary power!

Work: as it is famous for beautiful nature as the registered world heritage, many tourists visit here, but on the other hand, the nature has been damaged by them though it is still very beautiful. SMPS works to grow a beechen sapling and we do the help for them. Part of Greening Asia.

Location: The Shirakami Mountains located in the northern part of Honshu Island, on the border between Aomori and Akita Prefecture.

Accessibility: From Tokyo, about 7 hours by bullet train or around 10 hours by bus.

Accommodation: The very simple house. CV. SB!

Specials: Motivation to actively work in the forests and with local people!

NCE 21
Shirakami 2 (Aomori)
27.07. - 10.08.2006
ENVI
6 TN (3 int.)

Project: Newly organized together with Shirakami Nature School (SNS). For the background of Mt. Shirakami, please see NICE/15! They have a summer vacation program with 25 kids aged 7-12 where they play, cook and live in the nature as they plan to grow their independence, sensitivity, group cooperation, and want to put global colors which grow understanding and passion toward different cultures. We need to be ready to spend 24 hours with them for this period except some free days. Work: we have an orientation to understand the aim and objective of its. In summer school we help and live together with kids all the time such as supporting activities, teaching songs, sleeping and showing your culture, performance. You need to respect their way!

Location: The Shirakami Mountains located in the northern part of Honshu Island, on the border between Aomori and Akita Prefecture.

Accessibility: From Tokyo, about 7 hours by bullet train or around 10 hours by bus.

Accommodation: The very simple house. CV. SB!

Specials: Those who love kids and try to speak/ understand Japanese language. Responsibilities, group cooperativeness and motivation are necessary! Specialist of games, songs, cooks & similar kind of experience is very welcome.
Motivation letter is needed!

NCE 25
Taishi-Tonda, Osaka
29.07. - 12.08.2006
ENVI
10 TN (5 int.)

Project: Organized together with a local NPO, “Association to protect nature in Tondabayashi” since 1999. Though 70% of Japanese lands are forests, huge forests are wasted since imported wood is much cheaper. Once we take care of forests, it’s better to take care of it for various ecology and keeping water than just to leave it. As most members of this NPO are middle-aged, they expect our participation in itself and also to involve more local youth. We will try to revive it in the global voluntary power!

Work: We will work at 2 different forests. In “NICE Forest” where we also often have weekend workcamps, we will cut and clear trees, make trails, cut grasses in an abandon rice field. We will also organize a weekend workcamp to involve local youth. Part of Greening Asia.

Location: Taishi-Tonda, 60 km south of Osaka, but full of nature near the workplace.

Accessibility: by train from Osaka.

Accommodation: A very simple log house which local people made by themselves in the first 5 days, then a very simple renovated house. SB! CV.

Specials: Interest to protect nature and to exchange with people. Adaptable to enjoy simple life!

NCE 36
Hoshino (Fukuoka)
16.08. - 29.08.2006
ENVI/FEST
15 TN (8 int.)

Project: Organized together with a local group formed by various groups such as a forestry cooperative, a local youth group etc. This village has got the 1st prize at the national contests for beautiful stars in the sky and for shelves of rice fields. In spite of such wonderful natural heritage, depopulation of especially youth are serious here as well as many other country sides in Japan. We aim to help nature conservation and to activate the area by workcamps.

Work: work in forests such as cutting bushes, and also help to prepare, run and clean the local summer festival. As we contribute to the nature conservation in Hoshino with the power of global volunteers, our movement will eventually lead to a greener and better world. Part of Greening Asia.

Location: Small village surrounded by mountains, about 50 km southeast of Fukuoka. There was a national Summit (conference) for protecting beautiful shelves of rice fields in 2000.

Accessibility: Fukuoka, 2 hours by train and car. From Osaka, 6 hours by bullet train or 12 hours by midnight bus.

Accommodation: A community center. SB! CV

Specials: Interest to protect nature and to exchange with people. Adaptable to enjoy simple life!

NCE 37
Ogi (Niigata)
16.08. - 01.09.2006
ENVI/FEST
6 TN (3 int.)

Project: Organized together with “Morito”, a local volunteer group in Sado Island since 01. This group takes care of the forest called “Furusato-no-mori Park” which is located in Ogi town, the south part of Sado Island. It gives local people many opportunities to enjoy themselves in the forest at each season. Now they are trying to focus on caring for the forest with local people. They expect youth and foreign volunteers to activate the area mentally and physically.

Work: participation in the art festival called “Earth Celebration” and sell Soba (Japanese noodle) with local people. Also we will work in school forests such as cutting bushes and create recreation program for local kids to experience in local forest.
Location: 300 km north-east of Tokyo. Sado Island is famous for gold and Japanese crested ibis. Ogi is in southern part beside from the beach, so you can enjoy fishing and hot spring there !

Accessibility: Tokyo 4 hours by bullet train and from Naoetsu port 2 hours by ferry.

Accommodation: Tents. SV! CV

Specials: Some Japanese language. Camp language will be JAPANESE! Those who joined nature program with kids is welcome.

NCE 43 Shiojiri (Nagano) 26.08. - 09.09.2006 EDU 12 TN (8 int.)

Project: Newly organized together with Educational Committee of Shiojiri city government. The staff of Committee has joined some workcamps and is an active member of NICE. The elementary schools in this city hold some classes for simple English conversation, but the children has rare opportunities to exchange with foreigners, especially non-native speakers of English. Also, we aim to introduce cultural diversity of the world as well as children’s life in each country.

Work: we will visit and organize the programs in 7-10 elementary schools (one day for one school) like introducing each culture, children’s life, games/ music/ dance/ craft/ cooking, social issues, etc. We may be spilt into 8 small groups while we may sometimes do together.

Location: Center in Nagano prefecture(north west of Tokyo)! High land surrounded by Japan Alps mountains and producing many kinds of fruits such as apple, grape, pear. Not so hot in summer.

Accessibility: Tokyo (3-4 hours by highway bus).

Accommodation: Youth center, not near from the city center. SB! CV

Specials: Strong motivation in education and those who likes kids very much.

NCE 45
Souryo (Hiroshima)
29.08. - 11.09.2006
ENVI/CULT
10 TN (5 int.)

Project: Organized together with a local group formed by various people.There was youth workcamp last year. And they made wood chairs. it is so popular. There were 80 houses but now just 20 houses in this area because of dam construction. The population of this area is 50, half of them are more than 65 years old. There is no elementary student. So they are making the Herb Park and café to let more people visit this town from urban area.

Work: We will help to cut glasses with cutting machine to protect the plant of the rare species in this area, make a big wood art work as a symbol of the herb park, make small art works of animals and sell them at free market. We aim to activate the area by workcamps.

Location: North part of Hiroshima, very beautiful view, There is no shops in this area.

Accssibility: Osaka. From Tokyo, around 6 hours by bullet train or around 12 hours by bus.

Accommodation: community center. SB! CV

Specials: You need to be creative and interesting art and woodwork.

NCE 53
Maki (Nagano)
13.10. - 27.10.2006
AGRI
8 TN (4 int.)

Project: Organized together with Maki Farm of Kyodo Gakusha since 00. For the background of Kyodo Gakusha, please see NICE/47! This isolated area used to have 100 inhabitants, but people left there since there is no access of transportation and we have to walk 4 km in the mountains. It once became an abandon village 30 years ago, but now, around 10 people of the farm including three kids live there. They sometimes host training program of future farmers and teachers.

Work: helping their farm work such as clearing glasses and harvesting beans and carry the woods and other things from the town. We may also try to involve the local people by organizing some programs! Be ready that work is for quite a long time (05:00-18:00 with some brakes) and hard.

Location: Very isolated, but beautiful village near “Japanese Northern Alps”. About 900 meters asl. There are something remained here that most of Japanese areas have lost in modernization.

Accssibility: From Tokyo, 4 hours by express train or 8-10 hours by bus and train.

Accommodation: Building of the farm. CV. SB! There are some gas, electricity and water!

Specials: Physically strength. Agricultural or architectural skills are welcome! Motivation letter is needed!