Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
21 Jun 2023
Feedback
20
Email verified
Badges (4)
Details
Description
Please NOTE
I will not accept any volunteers in 2023, so could you please stop sending me a message until my calender said Available, Thank you.
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Hello, everyone!
My name is Naoko, I am a professional chef.
We live in Kochi / Shikoku Island, Japan. We are approximately 5-6 hours from Osaka by train or bus, or 3 hours from Okayama.
We are currently living in a 100 years old traditional Japanese style house, which had been renovated very well.
The house is surrounded by mountains, full of stars in the night, rice field and full size of the Japanese garden.
I love traveling all over the world. Also, I love cooking and meeting new people.
We have five chickens as our pet, they are free to roam around, so if you do not like chickens, sorry but this is not the place for you.
We will be grateful for any help if you are skilled and experienced in DIY/building, plumbing, or gardening.
A car is not necessary but would be helpful. A bus stop is just a front of the house, however, the bus comes only several times a day.
Although we have two bicycles that you can use to roam around the village.
You will have your own Tatami Japanese style room and use a shared bathroom. I am very happy to cook your dinner and breakfast when you do work for us, but you will have to provide your own lunch and your free day's meals.
We have no TV in the house, but there is free unlimited WIFI.
We speak Japanese and English.
Kochi city "capital of Kochi prefecture" only 40mints by car.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Have an experience of Japanese local culture, such as Japanese cooking or baking if you want to.
I graduated from the Tokyo Sushi Academy 2 years ago, so I can teach you how to make Sushi.
(I am sorry but I am not a professional Sushi chef, I just know how to make sushi )
We do not have many tourist activities spots, but you can enjoy real Japanese life, culture, nature, and meet locals.
We have a few nice cafe or onsen, a hiking trail, and a few waterfalls in this area.
My next door is Karaoke-shop, which is open for the local farmers who are living in the area. They love to sing a song! You can go to sing an English song, and enjoy your time with locals.
Cycling along the Monobe river as the gentle blow of wind can make feel relaxed and optimistic all day long.
Please enjoy Kochi/ Shikoku island with friendly people, good and fresh foods, and lots of nature.
Help
We have a big project going on in the garden, so we will be grateful for any help if you are skilled and experienced in DIY/building, plumbing, painting, or gardening.
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Gardening - We need help setting up the vegetable garden, weeding, and other parts of the garden.
Clearing- tidy up the storage or shed, inside and outside the house commercial kitchen as well
Building- outdoor table, fix new chickens coop, ponds, plumbing job, stonework, etc we are waiting for your suggestion.
If you could please mention your skills in your message that would be helpful.
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We have so many things to do, please come and join us. Let's have fun and share our precious time together.
Languages
Languages spoken
Japanese: Fluent
English: IntermediateThis 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
You will have your own Tatami room/Japanese style with futon mattress. Between room to room is Fusuma paper doors.
Shared bathroom and shower room separate from the house.
I will cook your Lunch and Dinner for your workday. Not include your breakfast and your day off's meal, please provide your own foods and ingredient by yourself.
I am happy to cook vegetarian, gluten/dairy-free meals if needed. We would like to ask you to give a hand to tidy up after meals and basic cleaning and tidy up at the common area without your work-time.
Drinks, especially alcohol is not included and this is a smoking free facility.
We have no TV in the house, sorry.
There is free unlimited WIFI.
What else ...
The closest train station is Tosayamada.
I possibly could pick you up at the Tosayamada station. or you can catch the bus bound to our place.
Access to the Kochi- city center takes about 40mints by car. small store about 3mints by car.
big supermarket about 20mints by car, river 10mints on foot.
We have four hot springs ( onsen) around my house.
To a famous hiking trail (Mt Sanrei or Mt Miune ) is about an hour drive to the starting point of a trail. In the mountain, there is a mountain hut which is free to stay overnight for a hiker.
Our area call Kahoku-cho, has a beautiful nature and we still have Japanese old lifestyle and culture here. so you can feel the life of the locals.
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
This host can provide space for campervans.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
My animals / pets
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (11)
The work was always varied and interesting. Pruning the hedge, cutting bamboo, gardening, building a wall for the new porch, picking fruit, and helping out with videos to name a few!
Naoko’s cooking was unbelievable, I’ve never eaten so well in my life! Every day was a different, amazing dish. Every… read more
Naoko lives in a beautiful rural area, her house is gorgeous and the food is delicious!
I stayed here for 3 weeks, 2 with Naoko and one while she was away. For the first 2 weeks the work schedule was getting up at 5.30/6am and working until 11.30/12, with an hours break for breakfast.… read more
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
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:
(4.9)
Communication:
(5.0)
The work was always varied and interesting. Pruning the hedge, cutting bamboo, gardening, building a wall for the new porch, picking fruit, and helping out with videos to name a few!
Naoko’s cooking was unbelievable, I’ve never eaten so well in my life! Every day was a different, amazing dish. Every… read more
Naoko lives in a beautiful rural area, her house is gorgeous and the food is delicious!
I stayed here for 3 weeks, 2 with Naoko and one while she was away. For the first 2 weeks the work schedule was getting up at 5.30/6am and working until 11.30/12, with an hours break for breakfast.… read more
When I asked them something to do, they always did it in a really good way, paying careful attention to the little details. They are really mature people, super clean… read more
She was helpful the whole way through our trip and continues to offer us advice or translation help if we need it.
During our stay we have learnt lots about gardening, cooking, and chickens. The work can be tiring, but it is satisfying and is never unreasonable.
Assisting with preparation for the monthly food… read more
They are a very friendly, positive, always smiling and happy couple.
Both of them are very good cooks as well. Yaara made Israeli food and Louis made Argentinian BBQ - both were very delicious!
They were able to work independently and tackle any task I asked them to do. They have a lot of… read more
In this 2 weeks we got to know Naoko and her little family of cool chickens.. they are cute and have a lot of character!
We helped Naoko with some house organizing and cleaning, painting, weeding and planting and some DIY projects... everything was very chill and we had great time helping… read more
He is always smiling and enjoyed the experience of staying with us.
After Jamie left for his home country, Canada, we realized why we like to accept Workawayers: they bring us more than work or help. He made our ordinary life more happy and bright.
When my
When our work was super busy, I asked… read more
The work itself was incredibly varied and very… read more
I really enjoyed my time helping; the work is varied & interesting. You have enough time to relax & enjoy yoyrself too. I got to learn how to make sushi ginger, help a little in the kitchen, work on the garden in the sun & get ready for some exciting events. Naoko-san is well… read more
They spent 16 days in Kochi including when we were away to NZ for 12days.
After we got a volunteer request from them, we talked a few times, which made me feel that they are reliable people to leave alone in our house without any concern.
When we were away, I had asked them to do several… read more
Also the other side, she has a pure 19year old heart, honest, brave, quiet and beautiful smile.
She went to my friend's house with my old scooter that is 50 km away from my house. She brought to my… read more
Naoko has such a wonderful personality and is very easy and fun to talk with - and her food is amazing!
The area around her house is stunningly beautiful and she was so kind as to lend me her scooter, that I could use to explore the surrounding area -- which… read more
She is a super lady, she helped me a lot for almost everything which I needed someone's hands.
I learned so many things from her.
When she had time, she studies Japanese so hard. she has a good level of speaking and writing skills.
She loves all Japanese foods… read more
The communication with her went very easy, we even spoke on skype once before we came.
Staying at the 90 years old house of her grandparents was amazing - it is a really authentic japanes house and you have your own spacious room with futons.
Naoko treated us… read more
