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Description
We run a small eco-hotel and organic farm in the north of Ishigaki Island, in a very quiet village between the sea and the jungle. Our project is a mix of hospitality, environmental work and community involvement. We reopened the place recently and are improving it step by step: renovating the buildings, expanding the farm, developing new activities for guests, and creating local environmental projects with schools and NGOs.
We grow vegetables in greenhouses and open fields, we take care of a large orchard, and we organise regular beach cleanings because this area receives a lot of plastic after storms.
It is a small team, so everyone helps with a bit of everything: hotel tasks, cooking simple breakfasts, gardening, light farm work, cleaning the beach, small repairs, and helping with creative projects like photography or videos if you are interested.
Life here is simple. The area is beautiful, quiet, and a bit remote, so it suits people who enjoy nature, the sea, and a slower rhythm. We work seriously but without stress, and we try to keep things honest, practical and friendly. If you like learning new skills, helping local projects and living close to the ocean, it should be a good match.
Minimum stay: 3 months
Types of help and learning opportunities
Charity Work
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Farmstay help
General Maintenance
Interests
Events & social
Politics / Social justice
Culture
Videography
Sustainability
Farming
Charity work
Plant care
Photography
Languages
Gardening
Carpentry
Cooking & food
Astronomy
Nature
Water sports
Sailing / Boating
Hiking
Mountain
Beach
Adventure sports
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We are a small team living in a remote part of Ishigaki, so daily life here naturally creates a lot of cultural exchange. Workawayers join us for beach cleanings with the local community, small village events, and sometimes environmental activities with local guides or school projects.
People in the area are friendly but quiet, so it’s a good place to experience a more rural side of Japan, far from the big cities.
We can share what we know about life on a small island, organic farming in subtropical conditions, coral and seagrass conservation, and the way an independent eco-hotel is run behind the scenes. Some of us practise Japanese Budo, some know about local ecology, and everyone here cooks a bit, so there are always things to learn or try together.
Hosting people from different backgrounds is always useful for us. We learn new ways of working, new ideas for the hotel, and we enjoy hearing different perspectives. If you are curious and open, you will fit in easily and you will get a good sense of how a small Japanese island community works.Host offers payment in line with the minimum wage
This host offers accommodation and payment.
Help
The help we need covers both the eco-hotel and the organic farm. Tasks change with the season, but in general Workawayers help with daily hotel operations, cleaning, setting up breakfast, basic gardening, and simple farm work. We also have a pool, a small restaurant space, and regular beach cleanings, so the work can be quite varied. Sometimes we also need help with small repairs, painting, organising storage, or preparing the farm for the next season. If you enjoy nature and don’t mind getting your hands dirty, you’ll be fine.
We usually work around 35 hours per week in average. The schedule is flexible depending on arrivals, weather and farm needs, and we try to balance days so that you have enough time to explore the island. We offer a private bedroom in a recently renovated shared house, located 2 min walk from the hotel (3 bedrooms, max occupancy 6 people)
Food is not included, but our restaurant offers 50% discount to team members.
And a shared car is available for all members from 26 years old.
We pay the local minimum hourly wage, and all overtime is paid. Base hourly compensation is 1023 YEN.
It’s important for us to keep things fair and transparent, so we track hours properly. If you like working in a small team and helping a project with a strong environmental focus, you should enjoy it here.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Japanese: FluentThis 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
We provide a private room in a recently renovated 200m² villa.
Located a short walk from the hotel and the beach. The room is clean, comfortable and fully equipped with air-conditioning, a bed, storage space and high-speed Wi-Fi.
The house has a shared kitchen, bathroom, laundry machine, and large garden. It’s a quiet place, surrounded by nature, with no traffic or noise at night.
Food is not included, but the kitchen is available at any time, and fully equipped with high end equipment. There are a few local restaurants nearby, and you have access to a small car so you can go to the city for groceries.
Accommodation is fully free and not deducted from the wage.
This house has been renovated to become a paid vacation rental in 2027, so we ask everyone to keep the house in pristine condition.
What else ...
We are located in a remote part of Ishigaki, so it’s helpful to know that buses are limited. Workawayers have access to a shared car for shopping and exploring the island on their days off, and bicycles are available for short trips around the village. The area is perfect for hiking, swimming, kayaking, photography and discovering quiet beaches.
Life here is calm. People in the village enjoy the silence and the starry sky at night, so we try to keep noise low in the evenings. We also sort trash carefully, as Ishigaki has strict recycling rules. Nothing complicated, but it’s good to be aware of it before coming.
Weather can change quickly in this region, and typhoons are possible, so flexibility is part of daily life. If you enjoy slow living, being outdoors and helping with meaningful environmental projects, this place should suit you well.
If you’re interested in contributing outside of your work hours, we can also direct you to local non-profit initiatives, such as environmental groups, school projects or community activities. It’s a good way to meet people and learn more about the island.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
My animals / pets
Photos
