Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Last replied
23 Apr 2024
Reply rate
70.7 %
Usually responds within 7 days
Feedback
46
Facebook verified
Email verified
Badges (3)
Details
Description
My name is Shinku. I am a Buddhist monk living in a beautiful and peaceful temple in the countryside south of Nagoya. It is the perfect place to practice meditation and get away from busy everyday life. I live together with my wife, 8 year old son and my mother, Renjun, who is a nun in the temple. Although I am a monk, I also enjoy doing various other activities like DJ'ing and outdoor activities like camping. Our temple is at the centre of the community of our town and throughout the year we regularly host yoga classes and a variety of events and festivals like markets and concerts. It is a dynamic environment that has both quiet and lively moments. Because we get many requests and would like to give as many people as possible the opportunity to stay at our temple, we can allow you to stay for up to three weeks.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Babysitting and creative play
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
If you are interested in Japanese culture or language, or want to experience life at a Japanese Buddhist temple then this is the perfect place. My family is very open and we enjoy helping each other at all times. If my father visits you can listen to him play the Shakuhachi, a traditional Japanese bamboo flute.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
We require general house work, which includes cleaning the floors, vacuuming and dusting, cleaning windows, etc...
Outside we have a large garden and yard that require lots of upkeep. Outside work will include things like weeding, gardening, trimming the hedges, sweeping and raking, etc. We give you ample freedom to do the tasks your way, but expect you do your best and take the job seriously. It is important to us to preserve our temple, so if you cannot do the work properly, we can also ask you to find a new place.
You are only expected to work 5 hours a day 5 days a week and have 2 days a week off. You can choose which days you want to take off yourself.
Languages
Languages spoken
Japanese: Fluent
English: BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.
Accommodation
Our temple has a history of over 300 years, but it was renovated about 25 years ago so the building is modern. We have high speed internet and you will have your own private room. Every day Renjun cooks lunch and dinner and you will be able to enjoy these meals with her and whoever might join that day. On days she is not here, you can prepare food yourself. On Tuesdays we all eat together in Renjun’s room.
What else ...
We are about 20 minutes by car from the Nagoya international airport (Chubu Centrair International Airport). If you are flying in to Nagoya we can pick you up. If you are taking a train or a bus arriving at Nagoya station, then you must exit Nagoya station and walk to the Meitetsu station which is right next to it. Once there, take the Kowa train to Agui station, where we can pick you up. Please keep in mind that we can pick you up until 20:00 in the evening.
Agui station is about 15 minutes walking distance from the temple so you can easily access the train on your own during your time off. The centre of Nagoya is about 30 minutes away by train so you can enjoy sightseeing there on your days off. Our temple is in a quiet village with lots of nature and rice fields. There are also nice biking routes you can take to the beach, local parks, local shops etc. We have a bike you can borrow if you like.
It is difficult for us to accommodate people who are vegetarian, so if you would like to stay here as a vegetarian, please arrange meals yourself, you can use a fully equipped kitchen to cook.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.
Space for parking camper vans
We have a parking lot where you can park your van if necessary.
Can possibly accept pets
This host has said they are willing to accept those travelling with a pet.
How many Workawayers can stay?
One
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (42)
The work was mainly mowing the grass, weeding, trimming the bushes and sweeping. In my free time I enjoyed a few festivals and explored local area by bicycle.
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(4.9)
The work was mainly mowing the grass, weeding, trimming the bushes and sweeping. In my free time I enjoyed a few festivals and explored local area by bicycle.
definetely hoping to be back soon.
thanks for everything!
I stayed at the temple for 3 weeks in September. Ren-San and Shinku-San are… read more
And they treated us and the temple politely, so we had nothing to worry about.
If you have another chance, please help out at the temple!
The temple is a traditional construction located in a very quiet place, so I could relax in a beautiful place and find some peace meditating either in the main shrine or in the… read more
Just would recommend to everybody to experience this temple. At first might be very very quiet but the more days you stay the better it gets.
Thank you Ren-san, Shinku-san and everybody else there.
Mata ne.
Ren-San (Shiku's wife) is the sweetest person I know and an amazing cook! Now that I am back home, I can't stop dreaming of every meals we shared together and all the interesting and… read more
My work in the temple consisted mainly of garden maintenance:… read more
Even if the job can sometimes be a bit tiring, you will always be cheered up by all the family and it's what makes this experience enjoyable.
Thanks for always be so kind, I miss you already and can't wait to see you… read more
Most of… read more
Thank you so much, definitely I will come back one day !
Felix
We had a great time at shiku's and rensan place, the work was mostly gardening and help with cleaning the house, they were very reliable people and they thanked us always for our work, which was very Nice.
For us this was the best experience we had in our Two months in Japan! We… read more
Here's what you might be doing:
- (optional but unexpectedly great for me) Get up 6am for a 15min meditation with Ren-san
- Work in the morning and a little in the afternoon (it was summer and I mostly did grass-cutting and some indoor tidying)
- Go and see the nearby sights or… read more
The food was delicious and always so beautifully designed.
The silence and the singing of the birds, to be able to see the forest every day that was so great.
Thank you… read more
Ren-san, who I saw most of the time, always helped me and prepared delicious food (this really can't be emphasized enough haha)!! She could… read more
Thank you for every second in this marvelous home! Thank you for everything you did for me!
Waiting for Ren to… read more
Beautiful family, great and kind people.
I stayed there for two great weeks, they gave me my own room, clean and so comfortable, the work was easy, I had to clean, do gardening, ring the bell in the afternoons sometimes with the guests and Renjun always… read more
Every one has inspired me in some way, you are all so special! Thank you to each one of you for this unforgettable experience.
If you are willing to live a Japanese lifestyle, learn more about the culture and enjoy… read more
Jobs I did included raking leaves, general outdoor tidy up, cleaning wooden floors inside, cleaning indoor windows and tidying up other areas. I also rang the temple bell in the evenings.
This is a unique experience to live at a Buddhist… read more
