Help our family create a sustainable homestead in Isumi-shi, Japan

Infos

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  Description

  6 years ago we started our project with a dream of creating a sustainable homestead-school overflowing with fun, learning and abundance. 

  
  We live in a quiet rural neighborhood with lots of trees and greenery, about 3 kilometers from the Pacific Ocean. Our property sits on 1000 square meters and we also have a large field nearby for farming. 

We started with a typical Japanese country garden of ornamentals, Japanese plum, persimmon, and summer orange. We’ve since added blueberries, strawberries, Juneberries, pear, pomegranate, paw-paw, hazelnut, figs and more.
  
  Our design is loosely based on the principles of permaculture and forest gardening, and we don’t use any synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. At present, we also keep 9 chickens, some European bees, and a rabbit. We do some annuals such as peas, parsnips, potatoes, carrots, beetroots, onions, eggplants and tomatoes.

With 2 elementary-school boys, play is especially important to us. In the garden we do tree-climbing, and cooking on the fire, and we make frequent trips to the beach for surfing and skateboarding. 

  
  The house was built by master craftsmen 40 years ago in the traditional Japanese style, and we have since renovated the main living area to create a spacious kitchen-dining room with a wood burning stove. We also have a traditional 2-floor storehouse on the grounds which we use as a classroom and extra accommodation.


  
  On Wednesdays we hold a small market selling vegetables, eggs, home-roasted coffee, sweets and whatever else our members bring to sell. As you can tell, food is important to us. As much as possible we use homegrown/local, organic, and fairtrade ingredients. And my wife loves to cook up feasts using these ingredients, which occasionally feature locally-sourced game including deer and wild boar. Meanwhile I roast organic fairtrade coffee beans.
  
  There’s always a good meal, a strong cup of coffee, and something going on at our house. It’s lively but relaxed, peaceful but comfortably shambolic! 


  
  We have hosted Workawayers steadily since September 2022 and it has been an amazing and transformative experience. We love Workaway, and have only had one real problem with it - getting too many requests from too many amazing people! At one point I was totally overwhelmed just handling the inbox. So we have had to ask only people with the particular skills we require to apply. If you don’t acknowledge this in your initial message to us, I’m sorry but I may not reply.

As of January 2024, we are looking for Workawayers with the following experience and skills:


  
  > Permaculture design and implementation
  > Natural farming
  > Arborism and fruit-tree pruning
  > Mycology and mushroom cultivation
  
  > Building woodstacks, sheds, treehouses
  > Building compost toilets and systems 


  
  > Natural gas system design and construction
  > Rainwater collection system design and construction
  > Water drainage system design and construction
  
  > Interior decorating, lighting work, indoor plant specialists
  
  > Nature education programme design and implementation
  > Getting quality teaching materials manufactured in China
  > Producing and publishing picture books
  
  > Teaching of Alexander Technique, surfing, arborism, guitar, clarinet, music production, EFL



  
  If you have the experience and skills, are good at working with minimal supervision, like kids, respect our dream and the concept of fair trade, and like to get stuck in to all kinds of projects, we’d love to have you!


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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Projets artistiques

  Aide avec des éco-projets

  Enseignement

  Jardinage

  Bricolage et construction

  S’occuper des animaux

  Aide dans une ferme

  Baby-sitting et jeux créatifs

  Cuisine/repas pour la famille

  Aide à la maison

  Entretien général

  Aide informatique/internet
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  Objectifs de développement durable de l’ONU que cet hôte essaie d'atteindre

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  Qu'est-ce que c'est ?
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  Want English guidance about Japan? We are a multicultural family, with me being from the UK and my wife from Japan. I have lived in Japan for 23 years, speak Japanese fluently, and run a successful small business. We can help you understand Japan. Also, my adult students would love to meet you and talk with you in English.


  
  Want to learn Japanese? Our family switches between English and Japanese from moment to moment. You’ll pick up many Japanese expressions from the context.
  
  Want knowledge of homesteading, permaculture and sustainability? You can learn from our successes and mistakes. And we have many local friends working for a more sustainable community, many of whom gather at our Wednesday market.
  
  Want to learn to surf or tree-climbing with ropes? We’re set up for beginners.
  
  Want to learn organic beekeeping or raising chickens in your backyard? We can show you how.
  
  Want to learn English? Just join in my classes! 

  
  Want to learn cooking or coffee-roasting? That’s possible too!

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  Projets impliquant des enfants

  Ce projet peut impliquer des enfants. Pour en savoir plus, consultez nos directives et conseils ici.

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  Aide

  We are interested in workawayers with the following skills:

  Garden maintenance: caring for annuals and perennials, making beds and paths, making compost, pruning.
  Farming: We have the space to do more!

  Animal care: Basic care of chickens and bees 

  Home maintenance: cleaning, cooking, light DIY, interior decorating
  Childcare: play with our kids and teach them cool stuff

  Construction: We need a shed, an outdoor shower and bath area, a treehouse, and more woodstacks! We’re also working on a natural gas system. And we need to dig more drains to prevent waterlogging on our property.

  Art: Yes, please! 

  Seasonal Help: Planting, weeding and harvesting the rice field, harvesting plums and pickling them, harvesting persimmons and preparing them for vinegar and chutney.


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  Langues parlées

  Anglais: Courant
  Japonais: Courant
  Allemand: Débutant
  Français: Débutant

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  Hébergement

  We have 2 traditional tatami rooms with futons where we can accommodate up to 3 workawayers. Bathroom facilities are shared.
  
  We eat breakfast at about 7:00AM and dinner at about 7:30PM. Lunch is around noon.
  A typical breakfast: yoghurt with fresh fruit, toast or pancakes, coffee
  A typical lunch: vegetable stir-fry on rice topped with a fried egg
  A typical dinner: fish, rice, soup, a fresh vegetable dish or two

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  Autres infos...

  Time off: Surfing, skateboarding, cycling, fishing, hiking, local trips by train, cafes and restaurants, day trips to Tokyo.
  
  Local sights: Historic wood carvings, one of which inspired Hokusai's Great Wave woodblock design. Kiyomizu Temple, a largely unknown gem of a temple. Brown’s Field, the home of macrobiotic food in Japan. Various beaches for all levels of surfer. Firefly-viewing in June. Yoro River waterfalls and river swimming. Utopia clifftop walk with stunning ocean views. Lots of great value-for-money golf courses if you’re into that. Nakadaki Art Village with regular live events. Taito Lighthouse, with panoramic ocean views.
  
  Transport: Standard bicycle available soon. 15 minutes walk from the nearest train station. Tokyo Station reachable within an hour and a half. 2 hours to Narita Airport. 2.5 hours to Haneda Airport.

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  Informations complémentaires

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    Accès Internet

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    Accès Internet limité

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    Nous avons des animaux

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    Nous sommes fumeurs

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    Familles bienvenues

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Plus de 2

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  Nombre d'heures attendues

  Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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