cog-lab Japanese Persimmon Internship
cog-lab Farm is a company based on agriculture and education activities. We want to contribute to society through the educational value that agriculture creates and spread the potential of Japanese agriculture to the world. We are looking for passionate people who love persimmons, a uniquely Japanese agricultural product, and want to deepen their knowledge and understanding of Japanese agriculture, education, and Japanese culture. Our programs promise to provide a unique opportunity to interact with people from all over the world and build lifelong meaningful relationships through cross-cultural experiences.
Internships at cog-lab allow you to learn how to grow persimmons (grafting, pruning, fruit thinning, fertilizing, peeling, black sesame processing, harvesting, processing), and participate in tourist farming and educational activities. Internships at cog-lab offer a unique experience where you can actually experience the seedling planting process. You will also have the opportunity to interact with Japanese employees, farmers, and local residents. You will experience Japanese culture firsthand through events, educational activities, and daily life. We offer internships with various ideas. Daily schedules vary depending on the season. A typical day consists of farm work, office work, educational activities for local children, and other related activities. You can also utilize your skills through individual or group assignments and projects. The schedule will include regular contact with cog-lab staff to provide guidance and access to related resources.
cog-lab interns will be involved in the following tasks:
・General farm work in the persimmon fields
・Persimmon field e-bike tour
・Local events
・Social media and public relations
・Working with local media
・Website content creation
・Program management
・Hospitality for customers and guests
・Home maintenance
Past interns have contributed in the following areas:
・General farm work in the persimmon fields
・Blog writing
・Photography
・Graphic design
・Filming and video editing
・Web design and management
・Translation
・Local contribution activities
・Event management
We are looking for people who are willing to immerse themselves in different cultures and have an understanding and open mind towards different cultures. Fluency in English is a must, and conversational Japanese is preferred for the internship. You are expected to be patient in the face of language barriers and be accustomed to peaceful rural life.
Seasonal characteristics
Spring: Around March, the number of tourists increases, e-bike tours are held more frequently, and the number of customers also increases. Farm work becomes more active from early April, and becomes even more active when persimmon bud picking begins in late April. There are also many tea ceremony tours and observations of farm work. Spring is a time when there are not many tourists.
Summer: There are fewer tourists at this time. After the spring bud picking is over, farm work moves to fruit picking and peeling. In July, summer watering and weeding are frequently done. Since Japan is very hot and humid, harvesting and processing work at this time can be very physically demanding. Be careful of heat stroke. When you have time, you can reclaim abandoned farmland. In August, it is hot during the day, so you can devote time to creative projects indoors.
Autumn: From September onwards, the number of tourists increases again. During this period, farm tours for large groups are held. From the second half of September, persimmon harvesting begins in earnest. Harvesting continues through mid-October, and in the latter half of October we sell our produce at the Tokyo Farmers Market. It’s a very busy time.
Winter: Persimmon work involves pruning and orchard maintenance. Tourism continues as normal. Winter is a time for land clearing, personal projects, and creativity. We also do light construction and maintenance work in the fields around the cog-lab farm.
Internship period and application deadline
The internship period is 83-88 days (approximately 3 months). In most countries, foreigners can stay in Japan for up to 90 days on a “short-term visitor visa” without additional application or paperwork. For more information, please contact your local Japanese consulate. Also, please only apply if you can arrive in Japan by the start date, have no special plans between 9:00 and 18:00 on weekdays, and can stay until the end of the internship. Please check in to your accommodation in Kinokawa city by 5:00 PM the day before the program start date. The first day of the internship will start with an orientation at 9:00 AM.
Application Process
Applicants that pass the written application review will be invited for a Zoom interview after the application deadline. Before the interview, they will be asked to record a short introductory video, answering pre-interview questions. After the interview, selected applicants will receive a confirmation email with documents to fill out and an invoice to pay the participation fee (80,000 JPY) for the internship period. You can expect to know the result within a month after the application deadline.
Travel Insurance
It is a requirement to have travel insurance upon arrival. We advise you to look into options independently, to find the level of insurance that suits you. You must be covered for the duration of your stay.
What you need to bring
PC (required to work on a project) * Please note that you will be required to bring a PC to work on a project and make sure that it has enough capacity since we use several cloud services (Google Calendar, Google Drive, etc.) for schedule management and project management.
Farming clothes, raingear and waterproof boots, towels, Personal belongings
If you hold a valid driving license in your country you will need to apply for an international driving license before your arrival at cog-lab. For some countries there will be additional paperwork to be done before you are allowed to drive in Japan.
Accommodation
cog-lab’s accommodations have common spaces, a shared kitchen, and bedrooms. Tatami mats with futon, mattresses, bedding and linen are provided in each bedroom. Each intern has their own private bedroom within the house. The house has toilet and a bathroom to be shared with all residents.
Cost
The participation fee, which also covers facility fees and rent, will be 30,000JPY per month.
The participation fee for 3 months (90,000 JPY) must be paid into the cog-lab account via WISE as a program cost before arrival.
The participation fee will also include rice and basic condiments.
There are small grocery stores in the town, a short drive away. Food can range from 3000 JPY – 7000 JPY per week depending on your diet.
Travel to and from Nara, Osaka, and Kyoto (the Kansai Region) will range from about 2000 JPY – 4000 JPY.
Application Form
DISCLAIMER: Living and working in the small town of Kinokawa may be very different than what you are used to. If you do not speak Japanese, there will be language barriers that require patience and understanding. If you wish to work in the fields, you must be physically capable and understand that the conditions can be less than comfortable (hot and humid weather in the summer, heavy machinery, wildlife etc.) By completing this application you are acknowledging these factors in the experience and confirming that you are fit and able for the job.