Volunteer in Japan

Volunteers will have the chance to step back in time and volunteer in Okazaki City, a town reminiscent of the Edo period, when Japan was in a time of peace and international openness. Japan is known for it’s traditional culture dating back thousands of years, while also having a vibrant society that continuously modernizes alongside the rest of the world in technology, fashion, cuisine, and daily life.

As a volunteer in Japan, you can choose between working with children in local educational settings, assisting a tea plantation throughout the entire tea-making process, or volunteering with a local artisan’s workshop to make drums, candies, and other handicrafts.

Our Japan Country Coordinator, Naoko Jin, shares how United Planet volunteers will experience the real lifestyle of Japanese people in historical and beautiful Okazaki City. She is excited to bring volunteers into the city they love.

My time in Japan has been really remarkable. The city where I do my volunteering, Okazaki has been incredibly welcoming, and I feel like I have been able to establish a community around myself here. I have met such interesting people with so many different backgrounds but with a shared interest of learning about different cultures which is something I am passionate about. I have enjoyed both the freedom and the depth of the volunteering. There have been a wide range of options available to me, and although I stuck mainly with bonsai, I’m glad to have tried out different things. My experience here has taught me a lot about myself, mainly that I actually love to help people and build communities, both locally and internationally. Which is an interest I now share with United Planet and makes me appreciate their mission. I know that no matter where I go after my time in Japan, I will pursue this interest. The highlight of my experience in Japan has been the people I have met.

I really enjoyed my time in Japan working with community members to add to their English speaking skills. People were very nice and interesting to work with each day. Naoko was very helpful and clear in letting me know what was going on and when I needed to be at the global language cafe. I appreciate the extra experiences that were lined up with time with the students where they were using their skills to share about the history of Okazaki, about plum and cherry blossoms and even about the anniversary of the tsunami. I value the experiences of learning more about Japanese culture through the music class, cooking class, tours, and staying with the family. The amount of time I stayed for was a good amount of time to meet with some of the students multiple times and keep meeting new students. I shared American treats and books and people there shared Japanese foods and activities. I have many good memories from being in Okazaki. This was my first time to Japan and I came early to spend time in and near Tokyo, went to Kyoto, and also went to my town’s sister city – Isumi City and met with a group there. I’ve never ridden so many trains in my life. I walked many miles everyday and enjoyed viewing everyday life, small shops, grocery store items, and seeing people on bikes and walking. I was often the only non-Japanese person around. In the community not that many people spoke Japanese but through using translation on the phone or through gestures we could still communicate. I liked seeing flowers every day and even early blooming cherry blossoms were out by the river and I went there 5 times. People laughed and were friendly. People shared their interests – like playing the piano, playing drums, learning about wrapping on gifts, history of temples and shrines, and sweets. The weather was cool but warmed up most days. Wind and rain were part of some days but with an umbrella and windcoat it was fine. I found some extra things to do in the evenings, like a square dance group. I always felt safe wherever I walked. I saw many people on my walks from students in their uniforms to people of all ages on bicycles. I took many photos and will treasure the memories for a long time. The global cafe had a friendly atmosphere and learning of different languages by a range of ages of people was going there. I feel people enrich their lives by learning and the cafe was a great place for it. I am thankful for this experience. Everyday was fantastic. I was eager to teach and build skills and eager to learn about Japan and people living there. I tried some new foods and brought back some foods and moments.

Volunteers in Japan will have the opportunity to work with children in a local kindergarten, junior high school, or after school program. Volunteer tasks include helping teach English and other subjects, organizing games and activities, as well as daily tasks like cooking and cleaning.

Available Dates: Quests start every Saturday, year-round
Minimum Stay: 1 week
Requirements: At least 18 years old, can be flexible

Volunteers learn about local handicrafts and techniques by assisting with a local artisan’s workshop. Examples include drum-making, fabric dying, bonsai, and woodworking.

Available Dates: Quests start every Saturday, year-round
Minimum Stay: 1 week
Requirements: At least 18 years old, can be flexible

Volunteers will have the chance to work with a local tea plantation, learning about the entire tea-making process, from farming and cultivating the tea leaves to processing and packaging.

Available Dates: Quests start every Saturday, year-round
Minimum Stay: 1 week
Requirements: At least 18 years old, can be flexible

Japan Country Coordinator: Naoko Jin. Naoko and her husband manage a cafe in Okazaki City that provides experience-based tour options for foreign tourists. They live in Okazaki City, located in the center of Japan about 2 hours from Tokyo.

As a United Planet volunteer in Japan, you will be based in Okazaki City. It is the birthplace of Shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa who established the peaceful Edo period, when Japan did not have wars for more than 250 years.

Volunteers will visit Okazaki Castle where the Shogun was born on December 26th, 1542. It is said that a golden dragon appeared from the castle’s well at the time of his birth, becoming well known as “the lucky dragon well”. The castle’s main prayer hall ceiling holds Japan’s largest wooden carved “Roaring Dragon”. Upon visiting the castle, volunteers can dress up in Samurai armor.

Volunteers will join a tea ceremony demonstration with seasonal confectionery at one of the oldest confectionery shops in Okazaki City. Woman dressed in kimono will demonstrate the tea ceremony and of course, volunteers can try on the authentic kimono. Volunteers can also enjoy calligraphy at the studio of Okazaki’s famous calligraphy artist.  You can select your favorite Kanji and write on a Washi paper (Japanese paper).

Rent a bike: Okazaki City has many public parks that you can explore during an afternoon or morning bike ride.

Visit an art museum: Witness the incredible architecture of the Okazaki City Art Museum!

Explore local temples: Okazaki City is home to variety of temples, such as the zen temple of Tenonji and the pleasant Ryukai-in Temple.

Indulge and learn about the local cuisine: Visit the local Hatcho Miso Factory to learn about the fermented soya bean paste used in miso soup, one of Japanese cuisine’s mainstays. Take a free tour and enjoy a miso sweet at the end!

Check out the experiences of previous United Planet volunteers in Japan.