Be a Ryunohara Volunteer
Want to experience life in rural Japan? Ryunohara is located deep in the mountains of Wakayama, home to the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage paths. We plant rice with no pesticides and no fertilisers and provide a good life to goats and chickens.

Volunteers will weed, feed, plant, harvest, move things, scrub, build, and repair. It is very physically demanding work.

In return volunteers get free accommodation (electricity, water, internet provided), and free rice. We share the cost of lunchtime groceries (¥250), and take turns to make dinner. Breakfast is not communal. A 4-seater kei car is available to get you between Ryunohara and the volunteer house (cycling is not easy here because of the steep slopes). We also make occasional trips to nearby waterfalls, swim in the river in front of Ryunohara, and soak in the onsen when we get the time.

You will learn about community relations, traditions, and customs of rural Japan, what farming without chemical fertilisers, pesticides, and herbicides entails, live in and work on traditional Japanese architecture, and enjoy the company of curious goats and chickens.

Volunteers must be able to stay for the entire duration (4-5 weeks) to be considered. All volunteers must show proof that they have purchased travel insurance (in case of accidents). 

We prioritise applicants who:
  1. Can drive and have a valid International Driving Permit
  2. Can care for dogs, chickens, and goats (especially the stubborn, strong goats)
  3. Can understand basic conversational Japanese (to communicate with the locals)
In the event there are too many applicants, a panel of Volunteer Alumni shall decide on who gets to come. Information provided in this form will be shared with Volunteer Alumni.
Email *
What is your name? *
Which country issued your passport? *
We need to know if you will be able to get a visa to enter Japan.
Which season are you able to be here for? *
Note that the activity listed is the main activity for the month, but other tasks will crop up. You will also be responsible for the happiness of 3 needy goats, many chickens, and quite a few ducks (which means taking them in and out of their houses, taking them to where they need to be, and cleaning up after them daily, rain or shine).
Required
What is your date of birth? *
You must be over 18 years old (the age of adulthood in Japan) to be considered.
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Do you have any severe allergies, chronic illnesses, or physical limitations? *
The volunteer house is communally shared, and you may not be selected if you have severe allergies that may be triggered by other volunteers' food choices.

We work on uneven terrain and volunteers are expected to take the goats out daily. You may not be selected if you have physical limitations that prevent you from carrying out many tasks.
What is your Japanese language ability? 
If you have attended language classes, studied or worked in Japan or with Japanese organisations, or taken Japanese language examinations, please provide details.
 *
I do not speak or understand any Japanese.
I have passed JLPT N2, or am confident of conversing in Japanese with total strangers.
We work hard at Ryunohara. How confident are you of being able to work hard? *
I am a keyboard warrior.
I like to think of myself as an ox, who can help out with all sorts of tasks in the fields. I love washing up after myself, others, goats, chickens, ducks, and I do not mind poop. I am very determined to make sure that everyone around me has a clean and comfortable environment to thrive in.
How well do you get along with others? *
I work best alone.
I believe that I am a patient person who is always kind to others even if they sometimes say dumb things. I always have a kind word for everyone and I do not roll my eyes at silly people, for example if they need applause when they drink water.
What is your tolerance towards bugs? 
(We get insects in the summer).
 *
Please answer truthfully. You will be tested.
People who answer "0" to this question need not apply - we sometimes have camel crickets and spiders even in the winter, plus insects make up a very important part of the ecosystem. We plant without herbicides or pesticides in order to help out our resident insects and non-legged squigglies.
I hate bugs. Spiders give me the eeks and earthworms are disgusting.
I love bugs. I pet dung beetles because they shimmer blue, I stare adoringly at horseflies, and will give centipedes names. I will consider keeping a pet spider. I will also help to pick ticks off Deko's face after she bashes through the thickets. I will help the chickens de-louse their backsides if needed.
How are you with the heat and humidity?
Summer temperatures range 21ºC-38ºC, with humidity reaching 100% on some days (and on those days we still weed in the rice fields).
 *
Being bad with the heat and humidity will disqualify you from volunteering in June, July, August, and September (we do lots of weeding, cutting grass, but also swimming in the river and waterfalls in those months). Scoring less than 4 means you cannot come in those months.
I will faint. I need air-conditioning.
I love the heat. I love being in a sauna 12 hours a day and do not mind weeding even in the hot sun even if there are horseflies around.
Do you have experience handling dogs? *
Dog lovers who can be patient with previously-wild dogs (ie. Ume and Mori) will be prioritised. A score of 3 means that you are comfortable with walking dogs. People scoring 0 or 1 will be disqualified.
I have cynophobia (extreme dog phobia).
I share my bed with dogs even if they have not been bathed in months (this is a hypothetical question; volunteers don't usually sleep with the dogs, unless they are crazy enough). I am patient with dogs who bark at me and I will eventually win them over.
How much of a cook are you? *
Applicants who can cook well will be prioritised because we love to eat. 
Also local friends here love delicious food.
I over-boil my eggs and eat my beef well-done. Vegetables wilt when I touch them. My friends beg me not to cook.
I love trying new recipes and my friends eat everything up even if I'm cooking something for the first time. I can turn anything in a fridge into a feast. My friends beg me to cook.
Can you drive? *
Applicants who can drive will be prioritised because we need animals, tools, or other volunteers to be driven around. The volunteer house is a 3 minute drive away (on a hill), but 45 minutes away by foot.

The nearest supermarket is 1 hour away by car, and we usually go to the city to get groceries every 8-10 days. There is a 24-hour Lawson's convenience store a 12-minute drive away but it is not a good place to get groceries. Vegetables are aplenty in the village. The rice fields are a 30-minute walk, 10-minute cycle, or 5-minute drive away. Please note that it rains a lot in the summer (20 days a month).
How did you learn about Ryunohara's volunteer programme? *
How would you describe your personality? What's good about you and what's terrible about you? This question is more important than all the other questions above. *
Help us understand who you are as a person, what makes you tick, and what irks you. What do you love about life and what do you not like about living? Please do not tell us that your weak point is "working too hard" or "being a perfectionist".
Why do you want to volunteer at Ryunohara? Please provide details. This question is more important than all the other questions, including the question above. *
Are you considering moving to rural Japan? Or are you interested in natural farming? Do you love goats a lot? Are you looking for a break from city life? Why? Be as detailed and precise as possible. Short answers will disqualify you.
If you are selected do you agree to keep the volunteer house spotlessly clean? *
Required
Thank you!
Thank you for filling up this form. Lee or a member of the Volunteer Selection Panel (someone from the Volunteer Alumni) will get back to you in as little as an hour, or as long as 3 months depending on the schedule at Ryunohara. 
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