Saori

Travel information

I am currently

Description

Hello, I’m a 39-year-old freelance UI/UX designer from Japan.
I’m about to start an 8-month journey around the world while working remotely for my Japanese clients.
Although I live in a big city, I’ve always felt most alive in nature. I believe in a balanced world where people and the Earth can coexist, and I’m drawn to communities that explore this through eco-living, natural building, and sustainable farming.

I joined Workaway to connect, share time, and learn from people who live close to nature. I’m excited to experience different ways of life and contribute where I can.

On weekdays, I usually work about 8 hours for my Japanese clients, but I manage my schedule flexibly to support the host’s rhythm and activities.

In addition, I travel with a DJI Mini 4 Pro drone, so I would be happy to help by capturing photos or videos of your beautiful place if that could be useful.

English: Intermediate (I traveled for six months last year, so I can handle daily conversations, but I still have a lot to learn.)

Interests

Culture

Technology

Sustainability

Movies & TV

Charity work

Gardening

Cooking & food

Languages

Photography

Music

History

DIY & crafts

Astronomy

Water sports

Hiking

Mountain

Yoga / Wellness

Nature

Fitness

Beach

Adventure sports

Languages

Languages spoken
Japanese: Fluent
English: Intermediate

More details about my language interests
I’m interested in learning English and Spanish. I’d also be happy to help others with Japanese. I really enjoy language exchange — it’s such a meaningful way to connect with people.

Find a language buddy

Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

I'm interested in:  

DIY and building projects

Charity Work

Gardening

General Maintenance

Eco Projects

Art Projects

Animal Care

Life at a Farmstay

Babysitting and creative play

Helping around the house

Hospitality/Tourism

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Some knowledge of:  

Creating/ Cooking family meals

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Able to teach about:  

Languages

Helping with Computers/ Internet

More details about your skills

I’ve been a professional UI/UX designer for over 10 years.
My skills include:
- Web and app design
- Logo and branding
- Information architecture
- Design systems
- Prototyping and research

Other skills:
- Cooking (especially Japanese )
- Photography (learning!)
- Cleaning and organizing
- Creative problem-solving
- Language exchange (I can teach Japanese!)
- Hosting a simple Japanese tea ceremony with my own matcha set 🍵
-Drone photography (DJI Mini 4 Pro)

Age

39

What else ...

I love visiting historical places and learning about local stories.
I believe some things can only be understood by actually being there — walking the land, feeling the air, listening quietly.
We learn not just with our minds, but with our whole bodies — often more deeply than we realize.

I recently became more interested in traditional Japanese culture.
In Japan, we have many practices ending in “do” (道), which means “the way” or “the path” — such as Shinto (神道), Sado (茶道 / tea ceremony), Kado (花道 / flower arrangement), Kyudo (弓道 / archery), Kendo (剣道 / swordsmanship), Bushido (武士道 / the way of the warrior), and Shodo (書道 / calligraphy).

I’m still just beginning to explore them, but I’m really interested in learning and experiencing “the way” — both through Japanese culture and in everyday life with others.

I’m a big fan of manga (I’ve read over 100 titles!) and sci-fi movies.

I also love the ocean. I have an open water scuba diving license, but I can’t dive at the moment because of ear trouble. Instead, I recently started surfing and really enjoy it.

I also enjoy trekking. On my very first trek, I went to Yakushima — the island that inspired Hayao Miyazaki’s film Princess Mononoke. I took the advanced 10-hour route through Shiratani Unsuikyo Gorge to Jomon Sugi, the ancient cedar tree. It was very tough at the beginning, but after about 4 hours my legs felt lighter and I even started running around the mountains with joy.

Some more information

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  Smoker

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  Driver's licence

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  Allergies

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  Special dietary requirements