Volunteer & holiday in Japan

COUNTRY:
Japan
DEPARTURES:
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements
PRICE:
From £1470 (14 days) excluding flights
MORE INFO:
Standard: Twin: £1470 Single: £1810 Please note that during certain Japanese holiday periods, the prices are NOT valid for packages if any of the nights' accommodation fall within the following dates: 29th December to 4th January New Year 29th April to 5th May Golden Week 9th August to 17th August Obon Festival
VOUCHERS:
Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday
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Volunteer & holiday in Japan
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Volunteer & holiday in Japan

How Volunteer & holiday in Japan makes a difference

Environment

The volunteering section of this itinerary is run by the non-profit charity, It’s Just Not Mud (INJM). Set up by a young Brit, Jamie El-Banna, shortly after the tsunami, what was first an informal group of volunteers is now an enthusiastic and professional operation working alongside local people in Ishinomaki. INJM enables English-speaking volunteers to get stuck in even for just a short time. Work includes removing debris from damaged buildings in the town, cleaning houses, clearing parks and drains and also supporting community events and local businesses.

You will be staying with other volunteers in INJM’s basic guesthouse, sleeping on futons in a shared (same sex) room. Meals are cooked communally and you will be expected to work from 8am-4pm. The work is not easy (!) but is sure to be a rewarding experience. Please note that no profit is made on the volunteering section of the itinerary. The cost of this package also includes a donation of 3,000 yen per person to INJM.

Community

Since the tsunami, visitor numbers to Japan have dropped dramatically, sadly at a time when tourist money is needed more than ever. As well as volunteering in Ishinomaki, this trip will take you to Nikko, Aizu Wakamatsu, Sendai and Hiraizumi. By visiting these places you’ll be offering psychological support to the Tohoku people who feel they have been forgotten by the world since the tsunami dropped off the news agenda.

You’ll also be offering financial support by venturing away from the classic tourist hotspots. Tohoku is suffering from depopulation as young people head to the big cities to find work. The ryokans on this itinerary are all independent inns run by local people. You’ll also be given a detailed Info-Pack with information regarding each destination including local restaurant recommendations and sightseeing ideas; all ways to make sure your money stays in this region, making it easier for the people to carry on living here.

Volunteer & holiday in Japan

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The story of the provider of Volunteer & holiday in Japan

The concept was born thousands of miles from Japan, in the heart of the Siberian wilderness in Autumn 2000, as university friends Alastair Donnelly and Simon King were journeying across Russia on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Six days on a train is a lot of time to think and having both spent the previous three years teaching English in Japan they wanted to give others the chance to experience and discover a country they had both fallen in love with. Thus the company was born. Today, we hope that our holidays have an impact on our customers but not on Japan; a a country like no other; with a unique culture and diverse landscape that must be preserved for future generations.

Holiday provider no: 3938

Senso-ji Temple, Asakusa, Tokyo
Nikko bridge
Hiraizumi
Tempura

Volunteer & holiday in Japan

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Senso-ji Temple, Asakusa, Tokyo
Nikko bridge
Hiraizumi
Tempura
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