SHINDOA path toward
a new kind of abundance

About People Projects Partnership Recruit

RECRUIT ── We are looking for members

Live in the village. Commute to the village.

Move to the village and build the field with us, or come regularly and join the work while you are here. There are two ways to take part.

01 Resident members ── 2–3 new members

Build together in this village — a whole way of life.

We are looking for two or three founding companions to build a way of life and a community together over five to ten years.

We plan to use Japan's Community Revitalization Cooperator (chiiki okoshi kyoryokutai) program for this position. Applicants who meet the residency requirements may be contracted under that program.

Working arrangement

Service contract. You will need to register as a sole proprietor or contract through a company.

Duties (planned)

Helping with pesticide-free rice and vegetable farming, caring for large animals, running several projects, village upkeep, helping on partner farms, hosting visitors to the village, and more.

Eligibility

The contract is with the individual only. Ages from the late teens to the mid-40s. No experience of farming or rural life is required. Families are welcome to relocate together.

Fee

¥220,000 per month (tax included). The contract can start from October 2026 at the earliest and can be extended on these terms for up to three years. Rice, vegetables, miso, and oil from the farm are provided. Support is available for housing repairs, rent, and activity costs. Contract renewal is decided by the end of January each year.

Social insurance

As this is not an employment relationship, labor and social insurance do not apply. Please enroll in National Health Insurance and the National Pension yourself.

Medical care

There is a clinic in the village. The nearest general hospital (in Aizuwakamatsu) is about 40 minutes by car, or around an hour in winter.

Schools

There is a nursery school and an elementary and junior high school.

Housing

An apartment in the village, or the new base under development in Onogawa (work on the second floor and exterior walls is planned through autumn 2027). *Shared living in some cases.

Winter in practice

Snow shoveling is needed from around December to March (snowfall of 2–3 meters). You will mostly need to clear the snow around your own house.

Getting around

You will need your own car. If you do not have one, we can introduce a used-car dealer. We lend a light truck for farm work.

Life in the village ── Relocating with family

Families are welcome to relocate together

Who we are looking for

01People who want to work with their hands on food, clothing, and shelter.

02People interested in creating places where generations mix.

03People who enjoy being good neighbors to the village community.

04People who get excited about caring for large animals.

05People interested in cooking on a wood stove and sharing meals with a crowd.

About life in the village

Because the work depends on nature, you will need to adapt as situations arise.

Given the region, snow shoveling is needed from around December to March; snow can exceed two meters. In summer, about five days a month go to cutting grass.

There are no convenience stores or places to eat out at night, so cooking for yourself is the norm.

Living here to support the farm ── Kazuto, who took a leave from university and was a huge help living on site through Munokai's busy spring season

ENTRY ── 01 Resident members

Go to the application form

Apply →

02 Commuting members ── 5 more places

Commute to Aizu and work alongside us.

For people who want to be part of this project on the ground while keeping their current job and life.
Four parties, including companies, are currently involved in this way.

What it involves

Come to Aizu every month or every other month to work in the field and build projects together. Stays can fall on weekdays, weekends, or holidays.

What you will do

Field work, maintaining old houses, running the bases, communications and record-keeping. During your stay you live communally, cooking with fresh produce from the farm. Depending on the season, you can also join walks and mountain hikes in Oku-Aizu, foraging for wild vegetables and mushrooms, river fishing, local shrine rituals, workshops, and other seasonal and community activities.

Accommodation

Stay in our lodging in Aizumisato or Showa Village — no need to book accommodation. Both have coworking space where you can work remotely during your stay.

Access

Travel costs are at your own expense. Showa Village is about four hours by car from central Tokyo. In winter, roads can close and plans may have to change.

If you are interested, start by visiting the field to volunteer or look around.
Please apply through the form below.

Our partners from Nomadics dredging an irrigation channel

Planting rice at Munokai with the team from Atria, who come once a month

At a market in Showa Village with our partner Yurie (right)

ENTRY ── 02 Commuting members

Go to the application form

Apply →

Reference film — a sense of the air in Showa Village

CONTACT ── Get in touch

First, tell us about yourself.

You can use this form to ask about either resident or commuting membership. It is fine if you have not decided everything yet. We will review your message and get back to you.

SHINDO

Building the foundations of life in Aizu and Oku-Aizu.
A path toward a new kind of abundance.

Follow ── YouTube ／ Instagram

Published by ZEN-BU Inc.

Home About ／ What is SHINDO ZEN-BU ／ The company behind SHINDO People ／ Who we are Projects ／ What we do Partnership ／ Support with funding Recruit ／ Join us Contact ／ Get in touch Privacy ／ Privacy policy