# countryside
While cities like Tokyo and Kyoto offer undeniable charm, truly making your Working Holiday in Japan unforgettable means exploring beyond just the major tourist spots. This gives you the chance to see beautiful nature and historical buildings, meet locals, and really immerse yourself in Japanese culture. One place truly worth a visit is Sado Island, a hidden gem in Niigata Prefecture. Sado Island - Why It’s Worth a Visit Sado Island, Japan's sixth-largest island, is a microcosm of the country itself, boasting diverse landscapes from picturesque beaches and cascading rice paddies to rugged mountain roads. Known for its clear waters, rocky shores, and abundant marine life, Sado offers fantastic opportunities for outdoor activities like hiking and swimming. It also is home to five sake breweries, so why not try some sake while you are there? Beyond its natural beauty, Sado is a hub of traditional culture. It's home to the Kodo Taiko Ensemble, which hosts the annual Earth Celebration Festival. The music festival is a dynamic event of drumming and cultural exchange. Visitors can also try taiko drumming themselves at the Sado Island Taiko Center. Unique experiences like riding a "tarai bune" (a traditional tub-boat) or exploring historic villages like Shukunegi, with its preserved wooden houses, offer a glimpse into the island's rich heritage. Additionally, the Sado Gold Mine, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a significant historical attraction that offers a fascinating look into the island's past as a major mining center. The island is also a crucial site for the reintroduction of the Japanese Crested Ibis, a species that was once almost extinct in the wild but now thrives on Sado thanks to conservation efforts. A Short History of Sado Island Sado Island has a fascinating and at times tumultuous history, serving for centuries as a place of exile for political figures and intellectuals. The island experienced a significant boom with the discovery of gold and silver mines in the 17th century, which helped finance the Tokugawa shogunate. The Sado Gold Mine, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, attracted people from all over Japan, leading to a sudden rise in population and enriching its cultural diversity. However, nowadays Sado faces a shrinking and aging population, like many areas in Japan. Furthermore, while Sado used to be a popular tourist destination, due to the rise of cheap overseas flights, the tourist numbers have halved. As a result abandoned buildings and even entire villages now dot Sado’s landscape. Historical buildings, including vital temples, are deteriorating. Many of the island's monks, often elderly, struggle to find successors, leading to a profound loss of invaluable cultural heritage. A Unique and Innovative Cooperation Amidst these struggles, new innovative ideas emerged. One of them is the cooperation between World Unite! and Chokokuji Temple. The historic Chokokuji Temple is one of Sado's largest and most significant temples, founded by Kobo Daishi (Kukai) in 807. It is designed to resemble Nara's Hasedera Temple, is not only a spiritual site but also a custodian of cultural assets, including ancient Kannon statues and Heian Period guardian figures. These eleven-headed Kannon statues and only unveiled to the public once every 33 years, with the next viewing set for 2034. Beyond the buildings, the temple grounds are home to three ancient cedar trees, estimated to be over 1,000 years old, believed to hold spiritual power. Recognizing the challenges faced by historical structures like Chokokuji in an aging society, World Unite! is using the temple as a base for an Environment conservation camp. The volunteers support the 87-year-old monk and his wife with the temple's preservation and development. A portion of the program fees directly contributes to the temple’s upkeep, and proceeds from a souvenir shop within the temple, launched in 2024, also go directly to Chokokuji Temple. This unique model helps ensure the temple's future while providing volunteers with an authentic immersion into Japanese culture and temple life. The Mother Nature Environmental Conservation Camp This camp, called “Mother Nature Environmental Conservation Camp Sado Island”, provides a deeply enriching experience for travellers looking to contribute to local life and explore Japan beyond the mainstream path. Participants live in large, fully furnished tents on the grounds of Chokokuji Temple and engage in a variety of activities: Besides temple preservation, the participants also contribute to the conversation of the Japanese Crested Ibis. After World War II, the use of chemical pesticides became widespread. The poisons decimated the Ibi’s food sources to such an extent that in 2003, the bird was considered "extinct in the wild." A government breeding program saved the last captive specimens and successfully began reintroducing offspring into the wild. For the species to survive in the wild, traditional, pesticide-free rice fields and irrigated, fallow Satoyama areas are urgently needed today. Volunteers from World Unite! therefore work together with local rice farmers to promote precisely these traditional farming methods, irrigate unused fields, and thus permanently secure the toki's habitat. Furthermore, in this camp you can participate in beach cleanups and learn how to use bamboo to make sustainable and traditional crafts. You will learn about herbal medicine and engage with local school children by teaching them about environmental protection. Regularly, World Unite! also organizes the participation in workshops on traditional and local culture such as building a traditional reed boat. This program offers a unique blend of cultural immersion, environmental contribution, and personal growth, making it a truly distinctive Japanese adventure. Do You Want to Know More? Does this sound interesting, and would you like to know more? Then check out the projects page:https://www.world-unite.de/en/internships-volunteering/japan/environmental-conservation-cultural-heritage-templestay-sado If you would like to receive support with organizing your Working Holiday, visit the World Unite! webpage at:https://www.world-unite.de/en/working-holiday/japan/work-and-travel-tokyo-kyoto
Do you dream of carving fresh tracks in legendary powder snow while experiencing vibrant Japanese culture? People from all over the world come to experience the “Japow” - the famous, light powder snow of Japan. Australians and US Americans make up the biggest share of international visitors. Therefore, Japanese language skills are not necessarily required to work at a ski resort. However, it will make finding a job easier as Japanese nationals also love to ski in their home country. Working at a ski resort in Japan on a Working Holiday Visa offers a unique blend of adventure, cultural immersion, and practical work experience. This opportunity allows you to live and work in breathtaking winter landscapes and connect with people from around the globe. World Unite! can pre-arrange a job at a ski resort for you if you are planning to be in Japan during the winter season. Our partners are located in prime winter destinations across Hokkaido, Niigata, and Iwate prefectures. The winter season in Japan typically runs from late November or early December to the end of March, and you are expected to be available for the entire season. Do you need to speak Japanese? Not always! There are English-speaking positions, yet they are limited. Japanese language skills will definitely enhance your experience and chances of securing certain roles. If you want to learn Japanese from scratch or freshen up your skills, you can also book one of our language classes in Tokyo beforehand. So, what kind of work will you be doing? You'll find a variety of roles to suit your skills and interests: Ski & Snowboard Instruction: If you have solid snowboarding and skiing skills, you can work as a ski instructor assistant or children's ski instructor. Instructor experience itself is not necessary. Hotel Hospitality: Many resorts also seek staff for essential hospitality positions, including front desk/reception, housekeeping, room service, laundry, onsen cleaner/attendant, and luggage handling. Restaurant & Food Service: Roles such as kitchen assistant, dishwasher, and waiter/waitress are also common. These are full-time positions, where you should expect to work around 40 hours per week. While wages vary by role and prefecture, the hourly rate typically ranges between ¥800-¥1,200. Combined with subsidized living costs, this ensures you can comfortably cover your expenses and enjoy your time. How, and where will you live? While accommodation costs apply, they are subsidized by your employer, making your working holiday more affordable. The specifics vary by resort. For instance, one resort offers a shared twin room for as little as ¥5,000 per month, while others might provide a dormitory bed for free, with an upgrade option. Beyond just affordable housing, you'll often receive additional benefits. These could include subsidized meals and, perhaps the best perk of all, free ski passes! This means endless opportunities to hit the slopes during your time off, making the most of Japan's legendary powder.
I went on a trip to Hakone and bought the Free Pass which gave me unlimited access to a range of different modes of transport as well as a round trip back to Shinjuku. The first stop was the Open Air Museum which features all kinds of quirky art structures but the highlight was definitely the symphonic structure that is grey and plain on the inside but a wall of colour within. The Hakone ropeway is a popular form of transportation in Hakone. This mode of transport is entirely free with the Hakone free pass. However, this is more than just a means of getting from A to B (which it does a very good job in taking you to lake Ashi) as it is an experience in its own right. One moment you are sailing above the trees and the next you are over the top of the mountain ridge and looking at the face of a volcano. Also, if you go on a clear day like I did then Mount Fuji is visible enough to snatch a photo of. Immediately after getting off the ropeway you are deposited at the shores of lake Ashi where a pirate ship awaits and at times like this it genuinely felt like the halogen area was one big sightseeing assault course with tourists carried along by the different and contrasting modes of transport as if they were on a conveyor belt. In truth I didn’t think the boat ride was that impressive, in fact it was the opposite of the symphonic structure in the Hakone Open Air Museum in that it was grand on the outside but ordinary within. In fact, I was more interested in speaking with some Canadians I met than I was in the boat ride and we discussed our Japan travel experiences at length. At the end of the boat ride I had the choice to go to Hakone shrine to the north or Mishima skywalk to the south and I decided to go with the latter as it was the path less travelled. I arrived at sunset and there were views of a sunset, suspension bridge, Sakura and Mount Fuji all at once. It was raining on the second day in Hakone (and a second day is necessary if you want to see the majority of what is on offer in the area) so I went for an activity that didn’t require good weather, the Hakone Glass Museum. When I arrived it didn’t feel like much of a museum at all but rather a quaint, fancy garden with many of the trees and bushes replaced by glass. While the individual exhibits weren’t jaw dropping, but like many of the other things they came together to create a mystical and peaceful atmosphere where you could sit and relax without overwhelming hordes of tourists which made a nice change from bouncing from one tourist hotspot to another. The most underrated attraction in the Hakone area by far was Tamadare falls. So underrated that it doesn’t even feature on the area map you get with the Hakone free pass (you need Hakone Yumoto station, OH51). In fact the only reason I knew about it was because the other English person who arrived at the sharehouse the same time as me went there and I saw their pictures on Instagram. I am glad I decided to be a copycat as it was one of my favourite places. The statues of dragons spitting water, the koi fish, the crimson-leaved trees and of course the waterfall with a pond complete with stepping stones made for some really good scenery. Also, because this area is relatively off the grid you also could still feel the atmosphere of the place as it wasn’t drowned out by crowds of tourists. I was in no particular rush to head back to Tokyo and I had seen everything I wanted to see so I decided to stop by Odawara castle. I arrived at about a quarter to 5 so there was little point in me paying to go inside the castle if it was going to close in 15 minutes. However, that didn’t mean the trip was wasted at all, the castle grounds and walls on the outside were more than sufficient to get a feel of the place and get some good photos in the process. Report by our participant Jacob
Hokkaido My first day's trip at Shiretoko National Park was split into three parts: snow shoes walking to see nature in the forest, drift ice walking on the frozen sea of Othosk and animal and coastal views at sunset. Moved a little south down the eastern side of Hokkaido. Originally I had intended to go to lake Mashū but the road was blocked so I went to Mount Iō instead and then the town of Kawayuonsen which had a nature trail with deer running free (which was quite a surprise as the trail I got first wasn’t on any map). I visited the Akan Crane Center for day 3. Unfortunately I narrowly missed the bus in the morning and had to wait over 4 hours in Kushiro for the next bus, by which time the cranes were almost all gone, but I could still get the odd decent pic of them. Public transport in Hokkaido is far worse than that in Tokyo and you really need to have things planned out and get up really early at times. I left the east of the island behind and headed for the heart of Hokkaido. This involved a train across the island which passed through endless fields of snow. Since there was heavy sleet and snow that day, I decided to make it a day. I went to see the zoo in Asahikawa where a range of different species from the world’s coldest climates could be found. In the evening I returned to Furano where I was based and walked along Ningle Terrace which is an arts and craft shopping area made entirely of wooden cabins in a forest illuminated by fairy lights. The 5th day got off to a rather bad start as the main purpose of my trip to the Shirogane area, near the town of Biei (within an hour of Furano) was to see the blue pond. However, at this time of the year (March) the pond is frozen over and covered with snow, so barely to be seen. I then headed to Shirogane Falls but enroute I found a gap in the snow drift that went into the trees and I found the relatively well concealed Fudou falls, which has a very uncanny resemblance to a stone staircase. Continuing along the road through the whitewashed landscape I reached Shirogane Falls and was pleasantly surprised to find the blue colour of the water was alive and well here after all. The water was so clear you could see the stones of the river bed even from up high on the suspension bridge. On my 6th day, after a 3 hour bus ride from Furano to Sapporo I felt like the trip to Hokkaido had already ended as it felt like I had returned to Tokyo with a dusting of snow as I had left behind the mountains, ice floes and blue rivers and traded them in for them towers and shopping centres. However, in time I would come to learn that this was in many ways a different place to Tokyo as while it shared many of the conveniences, it did not suffer from the overcrowding the way Tokyo does. In fact I felt like I had a lot of room to roam free, and so I did. I came across many things including the tower, both day and night, an underground shopping centre with exotic birds, the Susukino entertainment district and a giant ferris wheel placed in the center of the main outdoor shopping arcade area. I didn’t have much energy left on the 7th and final day, in fact I didn’t leave the hotel room until exactly the last possible minute I could to check out. I spent the day going around looking at things within a striking distance of the city centre before getting the flight back to Tokyo from Sapporo late in the afternoon. I came across a fish market, a lacklustre clock tower, a pachinko slot arcade and the main outdoor shopping street/arcade. Japanese Alps For the first day on the trip to the Japanese alps I went to Nagano prefecture to see the snow monkeys. There was very little snow left in the middle of March but an abundance of monkeys could still be found. This area is famous for monkeys bathing in the onsen but it was too hot for that (although one did fall in) and they all seemed to gather around the onsen like holidaymakers in Spain gathering around the swimming pool on a sunny day. The thing about the monkey park is although it certainly feels very touristy you still get to have a ‘real’ experience of seeing the monkeys as they act as if nobody's watching, often passing by humans without stopping to look to go off and see other monkeys. In the morning of the 2nd day I went on an hour-long ride to the lowest level of the three tiered shrine complex of Togakushi. Togakushi is essentially a group of shrines that are scattered up the mountain at 3 points of different heights. The ascent to the top involves an increase in altitude of over 100 flights of stairs. I may have picked a bad time of year (March) to go as although it was spring at the bottom it was still very much winter at the top and the shrines were buried in snow to the point I nearly missed them entirely. There was also a tree corridor where half of it was missing as only the conifer trees had kept their leaves. The snow and cold climate caused further problems as the route to the mirror pond was blocked off so all things considered you should wait until at least at the end of spring to come. I returned to Nagano in the afternoon and spent sundown walking around Zenkō-ji. Practically having the temple to myself was a peaceful way to spend sundown on a spring evening. I also liked the atmosphere uphill road leading to the temple, especially at night where it is lit up by street lamps and the mountains cast a strong silhouette in the navy evening sky. At the halfway point of my trip in the Japanese alps I visited Matsumoto Castle, one of the most famous in Japan. In my opinion, the outside of the castle grounds actually looks better but the inside is still worth visiting at only 700JPY. On the inside you can go inside the castle (which feels more like a matchup between a multi-storey shrine and a museum than a typical castle). On the fourth day I went for a ride on the Shinhotaka Ropeway (which can be accessed by bus from both Matsumoto and Takayama). The ropeway barely gets a mention from the guidebooks and online travel blogs, making it the most criminally underrated attraction I have seen in Japan so far. The views at the top of the mountain range were amazing. However, when you come in the winter months there is another thing to see, a mini snow corridor as high as you are running through the trees. The only bad things about the trip are that it takes hours to reach by bus and it is one of the more expensive things to do. Nevertheless, it is still the most impressive sight I saw in the Japanese Alps region. The final part of my trip to the Japanese Alps region was visiting the UNESCO world heritage site of Shirakawa village. I have never been anywhere like it. Even to reach it you have to spend half an hour in darkness going through a mountain tunnel and when you emerge on the other side you arrive at a place composed entirely of thatched roof wooden buildings. When I was walking around the place in the drizzle I couldn’t help but think that it was very much like where I am from in the UK. Both are surrounded by green fields, both are in close proximity to the mountains and the biggest similarity of course being the incessant drizzle that was pouring that day. Report by our participant Jacob
Have you ever considered traveling to Japan to do farm work? If you are interested in learning, enjoying, experiencing and having fun, this can be a perfect opportunity for you. For many Japanese people, good food quality is of great importance, as well as knowing the origin of the food. With a job on a farm, you will be learning about these aspects. Furthermore, you can have the experience of living with a family at a farm and thereby also learn about the Japanese culture. A job at a farm can be pre-arranged by World Unite!, and it is possible for you to choose if you prefer working on a big farm, or a smaller farm. These jobs do not require previous farm-work knowledge, but it does require a conversational level of the Japanese language. If you do not know a word of Japanese, or if you don't have the confidence to speak Japanese, there is still no need to worry! You will have the chance to join a language course before you start working. During this language course, you will get to know as much Japanese as you wish and have time for, and you can expect to improve your newly acquired language skills even further once you start interacting with the farm workers at your new workplace. So, what kind of work will you be doing? There are different options you can choose from, and your tasks can include: Working with horses, cows, or chickens. Your tasks can be feeding, cleaning, milking, cleaning the stables etc. Growing cut flowers and ornamental plants Seeding, growing and harvesting crops. These could include millet, corn or wheat Planting fruits and vegetables, harvesting, and processing For your work, the average salary ranges between 690-1500 Yen per hour. The farm work jobs are full-time jobs, where you can expect to work 5-6 days per week, with an average working day of 7-9 hours. How, and where will you live? You will be accommodated at the farm where you work, and your meals are offered here too. The costs of accommodation and meals will be deducted from your salary, but since those costs are low you will still have enough salary left to save some money every month. The kinds of accommodation and meal opportunities that you will have differ according to the farm you will be living at, but we will suggest farms according to your preferences: With a farmer family or at a farm staff accommodation In a single room or in a dorm room Your meals may be cooked and ready to eat, or you may get raw food items that you can cook for yourself Do You Want to Know More? Does this sound interesting, and would you like to know more? Then visit our webpage at http://www.world-unite.de/en/working-holiday/japan/farm-work-jobs-in-japan.html