Volunteer work is a great way to create connections with the Tokyo community. Many of these opportunities do not require you to have fluent Japanese. JETs also sometimes organize their own volunteer activities such as cleanups and blood drives so keep an eye out on the Tokyo JET Facebook group.
If you have any volunteer organizations that you would like to add to this page, please email tjetinfo@gmail.com.
TELL Tokyo English Life Line[]
- "TELL is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing world-class, effective support and counseling services to Japan’s international community as well as helping to address the country’s growing mental health care needs."
Second Harvest[]
- "We are working to create a food safety-net in Japan so that people have enough food. We access surplus food and provide directly to those in need and the many different welfare institutions, NPOs, faith-based groups, and organizations that support them."
https://www.facebook.com/2ndharvestjapan
Kizuna Baby[]
- "Kizuna Baby is a program in which trained volunteers regularly visit and massage babies living in institutions in their own communities to foster the children’s health, well-being and development. The program was launched in Japan in 2010. More than thirty baby massage volunteers and six institutions currently participate in the program. The six institutions are in Kobe, Morioka and Tokyo. Kizuna Baby also provides free baby massage classes to the staff of institutions and to biological, foster and adoptive parents of institutionalized children."
http://www.kizunababy.com/home_English.html
Hands on Tokyo[]
- "Hands on Tokyo is a dedicated portal for bilingual volunteering devoted to connecting individuals and groups with meaningful volunteer service opportunities in and around Tokyo. Once you register on their site, you can sign up for a variety of service projects coordinated by Hands on Tokyo through the website. This includes various disaster relief projects, serving in children's and senior homes, teaching English classes, running sports camps for people with disabilities, making rice balls, making balloon art to decorate children's homes, and various other opportunities. All projects are run by volunteer leaders who recruit volunteers, provide orientation, and coordinate all projects so you never have to worry about a project falling apart due to lack of leadership."
Tokyo Volunteer Action Center (TVAC)[]
- "We, the Tokyo Voluntary Action Center (TVAC), are here to promote and to support volunteer activities and Not-for-profit-organizations (NPOs)’ activities by citizens. We welcome your participation and we are ready to assist you to obtain necessary information regarding volunteering and the various activities of citizens mainly in Tokyo and its vicinity."
https://www.tvac.or.jp/english/
Children's Cafeteria[]
The NPO 全国こども食堂支援センター(Japan Children's Cafeterias Support Center) has location around the country. You can find a cafeteria near you by visiting their website. (Some Japanese proficiency required) https://musubie.org/search/
AJET Peer Support Group[]
See here.