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BE SURE TO FULLY READ the descriptions and volunteer reviews before contacting us. Tasks include aspects of the hospitality including cleaning toilets and bathrooms, room-making, kitchen help, washing dishes, etc. English is a must, but Japanese is not required. As all live-in staff eat together, we cannot cater to vegetarians, vegans, etc.
25 hours of help per week
Gardening: Help grow plants and cultivate gardens
Kitchen Hand: Help prepare, finish and serve meals.
Cleaning: Help clean the kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms and common areas.
Housekeeping: Help with changing the bed linens and general housekeeping.
2 days off per week
Shared Dorm: You will have a bed in a shared room, which means you will share the same room with other travelers.
Team Dorm: You will have a bed in a shared room, which means you will share the same room with other people.
Breakfast: You are entitled to a free breakfast, every day of your stay.
Lunch: You are entitled to a free lunch, every day of your stay.
Dinner: You are entitled to a free dinner, every day of your stay.
Discounts on Restaurants: Get discounts at nearby restaurants.
Discounts on Drinks: Get discounts for drinks and beverages from our bar.
Free Laundry: You can use our laundry room freely.
Free Tours: We’ll take you on tours and rides around town. For free!
Free Hiking Tours: We’ll take you on excursions and hikes around town. For free!
Free Events: Get free entrance for the best events in town.
Bikes at your disposal: You can use our bikes any time you want.
Use our equipped kitchen: Feel free to use our kitchen and make your own delicious food.
Basic Internet Access: Basic speed internet for you to work remotely
Beginner Japanese or Intermediate English
Between 18 and 40 years old
Welcomes solo volunteers, couples, and partners of volunteers
Flights, Travel Insurance, Internal Transportation and Visa
Kakurinbo is a family run temple and hospitality business located in Minobu, Yamanashi, in a traditional Buddhist temple village at the base of the sacred Mt. Minobu. For hundreds of years, Minobu has been a historic destination for Buddhist pilgrims, and today it offers a unique opportunity to experience a quieter, more traditional side of Japan away from the bustling cities. At Kakurinbo, we welcome guests from Japan and around the world, giving volunteers the chance to experience the inner workings of a rural Japanese hospitality business and everyday life in a temple community. Minobu is a peaceful countryside town with beautiful natural surroundings and plenty of opportunities to explore the outdoors. On clear days, there are also views of Mt. Fuji. The area is particularly beautiful during the changing seasons, from cherry blossoms in spring to colorful foliage in autumn.
Working alongside our local staff, volunteers can also enjoy enjoy opportunities for language and cultural exchange, from everyday conversations and shared meals to learning more about Japanese customs through everyday life in a small town. We also organize tours and cultural experiences for our guests, from Buddhist experiences at the temple to local food, agriculture, crafts, and other activities with locals from the surrounding community. Depending on the activity and staff availability, volunteers may have the opportunity to join experiences or local events during their stay. If you are interested, please ask our staff.
Because we are in a rural temple village, access to restaurants, shops, and entertainment is limited and there is no nightlife. This is part of what makes Minobu special: it is a place to slow down, connect with nature, and experience local Japanese culture.
We ask volunteers to help 5 hours a day, 5 days per week in exchange for accommodation, breakfast and lunch, Wi-Fi, and other facilities. this is hands-on hospitality work and can be physically demanding at times. Although many of the tasks may seem simple, there are many small details that are important to our guests' experience. We are looking for people who are attentive, responsible, and take ownership in their work.
Typical tasks include:
Cleaning rooms (removing bed linens and used towels)
Preparing rooms for arriving guests
Cleaning toilets and baths
Washing dishes
Helping in the kitchen to prepare for guests' dinners
Helping at our cafe
Other general hospitality-related tasks
During our busy periods, helping with family dinners for our staff can also be of great help if you enjoy cooking or help with washing dishes from the guests' dinner. If you have skills in social media, videography/photography, etc., we may also appreciate your help with these activities. However, please understand that your main responsibilities will be hospitality related.
Working Hours and Busy Seasons
We require volunteers to stay at least one month.
Volunteers shifts normally run from 9:00am to 2:00pm.
During our busiest seasons, schedules and working hours may vary. For example, we may ask volunteers to help from 6 hours instead of 5 hours, or 6 days a week instead of 5.
Our busiest seasons include:
The first half of November
The first 3 days of the New Year
Cherry blossom season (Late March to Early April)
Golden Week (first week of May)
Accommodation and Meals
In exchange for you volunteer work, we provide:
Accommodation
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Wi-Fi and other basic facilities
Access to e-bikes
Kakurinbo is a Buddhist temple, accommodation, and family home. We ask all volunteers to treat the space, our guests, staff, and other volunteers with care and respect.
Shoes must always be removed before entering the premises and stored in the shoe box
Please dress appropriately and modestly, covering your shoulders, body, and legs down to knees
No excessive drinking
No smoking indoors
Please greet everyone with a "good morning" when you come to work
Keep your own living space and shared spaces clean and tidy
Please avoid inappropriate conversations or excessive talking while working, as guests are often nearby
Please be polite and respectful to staff, guests, and other volunteers
We want volunteers to enjoy their time in Minobu and have a good experience with us. At the same time, when you are working we ask that you approach your responsibilities with the same care and professionalism expected of our staff. The quality of your work directly affects our guests' experience, so being attentive and responsible is very important. Please also remember that Kakurinbo is a temple and a sacred place, so we ask everyone to be mindful and respectful of the environment.
If these rules are not followed, or if a volunteer does not fulfill their work responsibilities, they may be asked to leave immediately. We appreciate volunteers who take their responsibilities seriously and contribute positively to the Kakurinbo community.
Many worldpackers have been applying to this position recently. The host will probably not be able to respond to all of the applications, so we recommend that you also apply to other hosts in our community and not just this one :)
