福岡県八女市黒木町笠原地区を拠点に、棚田や森林といった農山村の豊かな自然環境を守ることをめざし、環境にやさしい米づくりやいろいろな生き物がすむ森づくりに、都市と農山村の住民とが一緒になって取り組んでいます。
Organic farmers Tsubahara and Miyazono family established Sanson-juku, The Rural Life Community Group, in 1994, the Group aims to promote a widespread understanding of organic agriculture and the sustainable forest management. Sansonjuku has various kinds of events throughout the year in nature
to experience making rice and maintain forest with local farmers. Volunteers are mainly from the city, and to participate with family is ideal to share the experience to think about the nature and conservation with local people in Kurogi. Sansonjuku had International Conservation Working Holiday (ICWH) cooperated with British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) between 1997 and 2005 in Kurogi town, Fukuoka Prefecture. The ICWH was participated under the corporation of BTCV and Kyusyu University, and the program was about 10 days and the volunteers were around 15 people from Japan and overseas. Since 2008, Sansonjuku has newly partnered with NICE to hold an International Workcamp for 80 days and 20 days based in Egaonomori. Main work for the 80 days is making footpath for the Forest Therapy Road which project is commissioned by Yame City, and maintenance of the mountain. So far, the International volunteers out of Japan were from 15 countries to join ICWH and Int’l Workcamp to share the activities in Kurogi.
