Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Last replied
13 Apr 2024
Reply rate
51.0 %
Usually responds within 8 days
Feedback
34
Email verified
Badges (2)
Details
Description
Hi, we have a community space with lots of interesting people and need someone to help out with language and cultural exchange. It's about 2 hours a day, or 10 hours a week. In exchange, we can offer accommodation in a private room, or share a room if there are two of you. Meals are your responsibility (there is a kitchen, fridge etc for your use). The house is on the water at Hinase, Okayama. It is a three-story building, 5 minutes walk from Hinase Station. We're very flexible and casual.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
You can see life in a smallish city in Japan and learn some Japanese from the locals. Hinase is a different side of Japan than the big cities, so the cultural experience is much more authentic.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
Culture exchange session with locals in a volunteer capacity. You will be talking with locals (kids old to adult) in a casual setting, sharing and exchanging culture, etc.
You can practice Japanese if you wish.
Learn a lot about Japan from locals.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Intermediate
Japanese: 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
You will have a private room in a three-storey house on the water at Hinase.
What else ...
There are ferries to the islands from the harbor in front of the house. Bikes are available for rent to get around. The station is close and Osaka is two hours by local train.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
I work remotely myself. We have good internet. Hours are fairly flexible
How many Workawayers can stay?
One
Hours expected
Maximum 2hours a day, 5 days a week
Host ref number: 875839792362
Feedback (29)
30 Jun 2021
Left by Workawayer (Tadaaki) for host
this is the best place for anyone looking for cozy and heartwarming place! :)
I’ve had only small tasks like teaching English and cleaning things. these took within a few hours, so you’ll have a plenty of time for hanging out to fish markets or staying at own private room!
I’m glad to have chosen to stay there! Highly recommend!!
I’ve had only small tasks like teaching English and cleaning things. these took within a few hours, so you’ll have a plenty of time for hanging out to fish markets or staying at own private room!
I’m glad to have chosen to stay there! Highly recommend!!
3 May 2021
Left by Workawayer (Luan) for host
Spending in time in Hinase with Lily, David, the kids and all the other volunteers has been the one of highlights of my time in Japan so far. I couldn't have asked for better hosts! Lily is great with managing... well basically everything! I came here in October 2020 expecting to stay for 1 month, little did I know that I would spend 7 months… read more
20 Apr 2021
Left by Workawayer (Sophie) for host
Super friendly peoe and family, you will feel like part of the family in no time!
We had some awesome weekly cooking competitions and everyone is super easy going.
You get a nice room, in walking distance to everything you need and then people you are teaching are all kind and open minded.
Some of them even took me out on a day trip.
Hinase is… read more
We had some awesome weekly cooking competitions and everyone is super easy going.
You get a nice room, in walking distance to everything you need and then people you are teaching are all kind and open minded.
Some of them even took me out on a day trip.
Hinase is… read more
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:
(5.0)
30 Jun 2021
Left by Workawayer (Tadaaki) for host
this is the best place for anyone looking for cozy and heartwarming place! :)
I’ve had only small tasks like teaching English and cleaning things. these took within a few hours, so you’ll have a plenty of time for hanging out to fish markets or staying at own private room!
I’m glad to have chosen to stay there! Highly recommend!!
I’ve had only small tasks like teaching English and cleaning things. these took within a few hours, so you’ll have a plenty of time for hanging out to fish markets or staying at own private room!
I’m glad to have chosen to stay there! Highly recommend!!
3 May 2021
Left by Workawayer (Luan) for host
Spending in time in Hinase with Lily, David, the kids and all the other volunteers has been the one of highlights of my time in Japan so far. I couldn't have asked for better hosts! Lily is great with managing... well basically everything! I came here in October 2020 expecting to stay for 1 month, little did I know that I would spend 7 months… read more
20 Apr 2021
Left by Workawayer (Sophie) for host
Super friendly peoe and family, you will feel like part of the family in no time!
We had some awesome weekly cooking competitions and everyone is super easy going.
You get a nice room, in walking distance to everything you need and then people you are teaching are all kind and open minded.
Some of them even took me out on a day trip.
Hinase is… read more
We had some awesome weekly cooking competitions and everyone is super easy going.
You get a nice room, in walking distance to everything you need and then people you are teaching are all kind and open minded.
Some of them even took me out on a day trip.
Hinase is… read more
20 Apr 2021
Left by Workawayer (Massimo) for host
The best memories of my Japanese year are from this little wonderful melting pot in Hinase!
I spent one month there and each day was as full of great people and happy moments as possible!
The tasks are interesting and various but you as a volunteer you'll have plenty of time to explore the area, relax and work on your own projects!
If your goals… read more
I spent one month there and each day was as full of great people and happy moments as possible!
The tasks are interesting and various but you as a volunteer you'll have plenty of time to explore the area, relax and work on your own projects!
If your goals… read more
20 Apr 2021
Left by Workawayer (Vinnie) for host
I came to Hinase in December, 2020 and was planning to stay for only one month, but I ended up staying there for 4 months.
David and Lily are super kind and flexible regarding your needs, so you'll have plenty of time to explore the surroundings. Even though it's a small town, the people there are very welcoming, always bringing traditional food… read more
David and Lily are super kind and flexible regarding your needs, so you'll have plenty of time to explore the surroundings. Even though it's a small town, the people there are very welcoming, always bringing traditional food… read more
2 Apr 2021
Left by host for Workawayer (Krithika)
Krithika was awesome. We do conversational english classes but it was immediately clear she is a professional teacher. The students loved her. And they loved her cooking. As did we. It was a pleasure to have krithika stay and we highly recommend her.
(Excellent
)
25 Feb 2021
Left by Workawayer (Krithika) for host
My first and the best Workaway experience! I couldn't have asked for a better vacation. One amazing month at Hinase!
I enjoyed the English sessions with the local people at Hinase. The people of this lil town are very warm and friendly. They brought us fresh veggies, bread and fruits. They like meeting new people from different countries and… read more
I enjoyed the English sessions with the local people at Hinase. The people of this lil town are very warm and friendly. They brought us fresh veggies, bread and fruits. They like meeting new people from different countries and… read more
2 Jun 2020
Left by Workawayer (Danielle & Jonathan) for host
This was our first WorkAway, and we had an amazing time staying here for almost 2 months! Lily and David couldn't have been more friendly and welcoming, and the 3 kids always kept us entertained with their playfulness and high energy. The house is very comfortable and has everything you need (kitchen, private room, supplies for laundry and… read more
2 Mar 2020
Left by Workawayer (Johannes) for host
The stay at Lilys and Davids house and family was a lot of fun.
I had a lot of interesting conversations with the family and with the people from Hinase. Because of that I am now much more motivated to learn Japanese and to improve it much more. It was very nice to see how interested people are in different cultures ^^.
The kids are very… read more
I had a lot of interesting conversations with the family and with the people from Hinase. Because of that I am now much more motivated to learn Japanese and to improve it much more. It was very nice to see how interested people are in different cultures ^^.
The kids are very… read more
15 Jan 2020
Left by Workawayer (Alexandre) for host
Staying here was spectacular. Lily and David and very friendly and welcoming. Their kids are playful and energetic. The house is quite comfortable with 2 big kitchens (a big plus!) The work is not only simple and easy but really fun too. You'll get to meet really nice people from Hinase and nearby towns. This is the perfect place if you want to… read more
19 Nov 2019
Left by Workawayer (Sam & Henry ) for host
We recommend staying with Lily and David in Hinase! This was our first stop in Japan and we found it to be the perfect introduction to Japanese culture, food and scenery. We learned so much from our conversations with the students at the English salon. The recommendations, home cooked food and learning about their lives in Japan were our favorite… read more
16 Nov 2019
Left by Workawayer (Workaway member) for host
Wow. I have to share with you about my experience over the last 2 weeks. On this beautiful Workaway you are staying with a lovely family in Hinase- private room with ocean view, shower, and basically everything you need except food, in exchange for teaching English at their English club/school.
I met a family who is so open, lovely, and… read more
I met a family who is so open, lovely, and… read more
2 Nov 2019
Left by Workawayer (Oliver) for host
Our stay with Lily and David has been great. The work has been very varied and extremely interesting - never would we have had the opportunity to engage with so many different people and learn so much about Japanese culture. Weve spent a morning in a kindergarten singing and dancing with children, a weekend in Hattoji with exchange students from… read more
30 Oct 2019
Left by Workawayer (Mathias) for host
I had an amazing, but way to short, 2-week stay in Hinase. Lily and David (and their kids), are very welcoming and friendly. They did all they could to make my stay as enjoyable as possible! The work at the English saloon was fun and easy! You got to have conversations with locals about differences in your cultures, which was very interesting. You… read more
31 Aug 2019
Left by Workawayer (Lachlan & Katherine) for host
We stayed with Lily and David's beautiful family for about 5 weeks, for our first ever Workaway. We ended up extending the original time we were meant to stay because Lily and David wanted more help and we were having so much fun! Hinase is a special little place, with very warm, outgoing, and generous people, and this includes Lily and David's… read more
14 Jul 2019
Left by Workawayer (Alexandra) for host
I really enjoyed my stay with Lily and David in Hinase! They are both very kind people, though I spent more time with Lily, helping her with her English Salon. They were both fun to chat to and hang out with in the evenings, though! David is Australian, so no language barrier there, and Lily's English is excellent, so there were no issues with… read more
25 Jun 2019
Left by host for Workawayer (Louise)
Louise was a pleasure to have stay with us. She handled the english classes professionally and was delightful with the students. She cooked us a beautiful meal and was always happy to pitch in and help with anything asked of her.
Highly recommend
Highly recommend
(Excellent
)
13 Mar 2019
Left by Workawayer (Louise) for host
I stayed four weeks with Lily, David and the kids in Hinase, helping out in English lessons, doing some cleaning, a little cooking and wallpapered a ceiling and a room. It was such a great experience.
The lessons are a pleasure to help out with as you meet so many interesting, sweet and funny people. The cleaning asked of you is very reasonable,… read more
The lessons are a pleasure to help out with as you meet so many interesting, sweet and funny people. The cleaning asked of you is very reasonable,… read more
23 May 2019
Left by Workawayer (Workaway member) for host
Lily and David are both lovely for starters!
I stayed in Hinase for around 3 weeks, they were vey very flexible with my work and what i was to be doing so that was nice. The work is as described although some days can be more intense than others with lots of English salon falling on a couple of days.
Lily’s food is gorgeous, the room was lovely… read more
I stayed in Hinase for around 3 weeks, they were vey very flexible with my work and what i was to be doing so that was nice. The work is as described although some days can be more intense than others with lots of English salon falling on a couple of days.
Lily’s food is gorgeous, the room was lovely… read more
16 May 2019
Left by Workawayer (Anna) for host
I had a wonderful experience in this volunteer work, going to work was interesting and I met a lot of incredible people while staying there. I'm happy to met Lily, David and kids, they are friendly and welcoming people. It was my first experience as a workawayer, and I'm incredibly happy I chose this place. Sharing every day with people from… read more
8 May 2019
Left by Workawayer (Pia) for host
Lily san and David san are both super easy going, welcoming and open minded hosts!!!I really enjoyed staying with them and there lively kids, Lawrence (other workawayer) and Myriam (longterm guest) ..these two weeks flew by sooo fast... It was always a lot of fun and super interesting helping Lily with the English lessons..I met so many nice kids… read more
10 Apr 2019
Left by Workawayer (Kieran) for host
Where do I start! First of all, David’s communication skills were great up until our arrival. We got to Hinase station where he agreed to pick us up and take us home (although only a 6 minute walk!) and we arrived at their lovely big home in Hinase.
Lilysan greeted us at the door, showed us to our room which was very spacious, and let us unwind… read more
Lilysan greeted us at the door, showed us to our room which was very spacious, and let us unwind… read more
5 Apr 2019
Left by Workawayer (Champion10) for host
Almost everything have been said about this amazing family, i can just confirm all the good and positive reviews!
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
26 Mar 2019
Left by Workawayer (Daniela) for host
What a friendly and open family I met with this workaway experience. Even though I only spent 6 nights in Hinase and got the workaway really last minute it felt so much longer than it was! I felt welcomed from the first minute and it didnˋt took long until I felt part of the family.
- Work
From day one I helped Lilly with her english classes or… read more
- Work
From day one I helped Lilly with her english classes or… read more
25 Mar 2019
Left by Workawayer (Lois) for host
Thank you Lily and David for welcoming me into your home! I only stayed for a short week with the family, but within the first hour of meeting everyone I have 2 out of 3 children climbing on me! Everyone is so easy-going, you soon feel like part of the furniture (metaphorically and physically!) The kids are really good fun. All of Lilies students… read more
11 Feb 2019
Left by host for Workawayer (Eva)
Eva was a pleasure to have stay with us. She was always cheerful, optimistic and willing to help out with anything. She was great with the kids, and her advice on children's education was particularly enlightening. Eva is very serious about education - a true professional. Her ideas were of great value in our English-language school. I highly… read more
(Excellent
)
14 Jan 2019
Left by Workawayer (Eva) for host
What a great idea to workaway with this family!
I feel myself very grateful. They are generous and very easy going. They have made their best to make me feel home, happy, appreciated...
My main work was assisting Lily in her English lessons. She has a practical and communicative approach to the language, avoiding boring textbook or grammar… read more
I feel myself very grateful. They are generous and very easy going. They have made their best to make me feel home, happy, appreciated...
My main work was assisting Lily in her English lessons. She has a practical and communicative approach to the language, avoiding boring textbook or grammar… read more
3 Feb 2019
Left by Workawayer (Kenneth) for host
Length of Stay: 2-weeks
When: Jan 2019
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Very welcoming and want to make sure you enjoy your stay in Japan. There were also very thoughtful and helpful. I am appreciative for my time with… read more
When: Jan 2019
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:asterisk_symbol::asterisk_symbol:OVERALL:asterisk_symbol::asterisk_symbol:
Very welcoming and want to make sure you enjoy your stay in Japan. There were also very thoughtful and helpful. I am appreciative for my time with… read more
24 Jan 2019
Left by Workawayer (Simone) for host
I was looking for a workaday extremely last minute and even now I feel so abundantly lucky and grateful that David and Lily’s family graciously took me in with such short notice. David and Lily definitely really do go above and beyond to include you in their family activities, so even though my stay here was only for less than a week, I… read more
7 Jan 2019
Left by Workawayer (Chiara) for host
Over the years, I almost forgot what the real Christmas spirit feels like. But Lily, David and the children brought back the wonder of Christmas, made me realize the true beauty of it and how it moves peoples hearts.
For me, as a person who always plans everything beforehand, it was a great new adventure to follow Lilys spontaneous lifestyle ("I… read more
For me, as a person who always plans everything beforehand, it was a great new adventure to follow Lilys spontaneous lifestyle ("I… read more
2 Dec 2018
Left by host for Workawayer (Franziska)
Franzi was great fun. My son still talks about the wonderful stories she would tell him. She was a great help in the English lessons and showed great patience in dealing with out children. Come back any time please Franzi.
(Excellent
)
1 Dec 2018
Left by Workawayer (Franziska) for host
If you are looking for an authentic home stay in a cute little japanese fishing town and like being around kids this is your place to go!
I stayed with Lily and her family for two weeks this October. Lily makes you feel welcome immediately and is great to work with. She always finds something to do so it never gets boring, And she is very flexible… read more
I stayed with Lily and her family for two weeks this October. Lily makes you feel welcome immediately and is great to work with. She always finds something to do so it never gets boring, And she is very flexible… read more
13 Nov 2018
Left by host for Workawayer (Aaron)
Aaron was great fun. He was willing to pitch in with general renovation work around the house. He has a unique way of looking at problems and comes up with some innovative solutions. He was great with the kids too. I recommend him very highly.
(Excellent
)
26 Oct 2018
Left by Workawayer (Aaron) for host
I stayed for a month at Davids place and I enjoyed it. My main task was to wash dishes, but that slowly changed to renovating, because I'm a rather handy person. Renovating is also almost finished, so you probably won't do that, but instead washing dishes, cleaning the house and helping Lily with her English class or other projects. Lily always… read more
