Welcome to Earth Camp
where people and nature flourish
Create change.
Bridging borders
for a future together.
Welcome to Earth Camp
where people and nature flourish
Create change.
Bridging borders
for a future together.
Iwaki, Fukushima. Although the town was heavily affected by the earthquake in 2011, you will find here the beauty of the ocean, mountains and lives side by side with nature.
Camp out under the stars in the middle of a local farm and touch the earth. Together with the local farmer striving towards the recovery of Fukushima’s agriculture, we will immerse in a world of nature, scent of soil and endless blue and green. Today’s Fukushima. Tommorow’s agriculture. The circle of nature. Here, you will experience and learn with all five senses. At night, we will gather around the campfire under the stars, and wake up to the sunlight.
The tour is facilitated in both English and Japanese, opening doors for you to truly engage in and interact with the warm local community and get the local experience first hand. In the end, language is just a tool. If we all cross borders and combine efforts, we can create change.
Join us on this borderless journey to connect with communities and with nature toward a harmonious future, on the grounds of Tohoku.
＊Farm Shiraishi is a farm in Iwaki initiating transparency of the products to consumers as well as innovating new ways to revitalize the agriculture in Fukushima. Throughout this camp, we will learn what kind of standards and measures are being put into practice to maintain safety of the local vegetables, through interaction with local farmers and staff of Iwaki city’s Transparency Divison.
■ Date：July 19th (Sat) – July 20th (Sun), 2014 (1 night, 2 days)
■ Place：Iwaki, Fukushima
■ Where to meet：JR Iwaki Station (South exit) (11:15am)
Day One 7/19（Sat）
11:15 Meet（Iwaki Station）
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Opening Lunch on the farm (Obento)
〜 Introduction ＆ Ice-break
13:00 Become a Farmer! (farming experience)
〜 Experience and learn about Fukushima’s agriculture
Camping on the Farm
Evening BBQ & Campfire under the stars
〜 Activities in English
Day Two 7/20（Sun）
Morning Farm Breakfast
⇩
Farming Activities
〜 Learn more about Fukushima’s agriculture
Lunch Lunch & Hot spring (free time / lunch separate fee)
14:00 Final Session (reflection)
⇩
16:00 Finish (Iwaki Station)
※ Itinerary may change without notice due to weather or other reasons.
Join us if you want to…
・farm in Fukushima (experience natural farming)
・camp out in the middle of a farm
・learn about agriculture and food in Fukushima and the recovery efforts
・step out into the wilderness
・brush up multicultural communication skills
・create new friends in Tohoku, travel with friends without borders
■ Register by：July 11th (Fri), 2014
■ How to register：Please submit the Registration Form.
※Registration will be closed when we have reached the maximum number of participants (approx. 12 people).
※Tour may be canceled/postponed if we do not reach minimum number of participants.
※Parental consent is required for participants under age 20.
■ Fee：24,000 yen（tax included）
⇒ Visit Japan Campaign 20% discount (Foreigners only, restrictions apply. Please inquire for details.)
⇒ Also, volunteer positions 50% discount (Screening required, foreigners/English speakers only, restrictions apply. Limited seats. Please inquire for details: info@ceco.jp.)
【Included in fee】Accommodation, meals (Lunch 1 / Dinner 1 / Breakfast 1), all activities, hot spring, transportation in town
【Not included in fee】Transportation fees to the event, food/drinks that are not included in fee, insurance
■ What to bring：Warm clothing, rain gear, walking shoes, rain boots, sleeping bag, bath towel, toiletries, insurance card
■ Accommodation：Farm Shiraishi (16 Misono, Shimo-ozawa, Ogawamachi, Iwaki, Fukushima)
※Participants will be sharing tents together in groups of gender.
I made my first trip to Tohoku, days after the Great East Japan Earthquake, to assist foreign aid groups in their efforts across the devastated coastal region. As time went on, my belief in the importance to build a sustainable effort in the area grew stronger, and as I graduated business school, was created in the form of Earth Camp in 2012.
The first program was held in the fields of Minamisanriku, along the coast in Northern Tohoku. Our hope is to invite people into the area together with new ideas and to strengthen the town’s international presence to build an even stronger community than it was before. My experiences taught me that although we face diverse issues across the world today, if we cross borders and combine ideas, we can create change. How do we live together in a world of diversity? How do we live side by side with nature? Earth Camp continues to explore these questions, towards a future where we live in coherence with ourselves and with nature, with ultimately no borders to set us apart – for ourselves and for those to come.
Join us in creating this movement – we look forward to meeting you!
◯ Example route
From Tokyo：Highway bus（JR・東武・常交）
（7/19）Tokyo Station STD 8:00 ⇒ Iwaki Station STA 11:00（approx. 3hrs）
（7/20）Iwaki Station STD 16:30 ⇒ Asakusa Station STA 19:39（approx. 3hrs）
From Sendai：Highway bus（JR・新常交）
（7/19）Sendai Station STD 8:00 ⇒ Iwaki Station STA 11:10（approx. 3hrs）
（7/20）Iwaki Station STD 16:40 ⇒ Sendai Station STA 19:45（approx. 3hrs）
◯ Example route
From Tokyo：Tokyo（JR Yamanote Line） ⇒ Ueno（shinkansen）⇒ Iwaki（approx. 2.5hrs）
From Sendai：Sendai（shinkansen）⇒ Kooriyama（JR）⇒ Iwaki（approx. 2.5hrs）