TESTIMONIALS

Hear What Our Previous Interns Had To Say About The Experience

"みなさんお元気ですか。沢山の方々に大変お世話になりました！私の最近はというと毎日本を読んでいます。（輝実さん、３週間続けます！）では、上勝での体験を振り返ります。

　ゼロ・ウェイストに興味を持って上勝を訪れた私は、カフェ・ポールスターで働き、輝実さんのお家で滞在しながら実践的にゼロ・ウェイストな生活について学びました。

ただ、上勝の魅力は他にもたくさんあります。その一部、ゆこうを使ってバームを作らせて頂きました。これを機に化粧品自体のケースや成分にも注目しようと思っています。また、ターメリックのアイシャドウを試してみて、身近にすでにあるものを使って工夫すればメイクアップは楽しい！ということに気づきました。

その時々をこんな風に楽しく充実して過ごせていたなと思います。雨でも寒くても音楽無しで散歩（普段はイヤホンで音楽を聞きながら自転車か走るかのどっちかですが、上勝では耳もフリーにして歩きたくなってしまう！あんなに寒いのに！面白いです）、本を読む、アートの時間、あとは何でしょう、これらは自分の地元でもできるのにいつもしてこなかったことです。滞在期間中、こういったことを楽しむ時間を頂けたことにありがたく思っています。また、美味しい冬野菜と輝実さんの料理で冬の素敵な面も見つけられました。

何でも見方や考え方次第で面白くなるなと思いました。ついつい東京と比べてしまいがちでしたが、最近は自分の地元や日常の中でも面白いことを見つけている最中です。

他にも感じたことはたくさんありますが、長くなってしまったのでカットで・・・

上勝に来れてよかったと思うのは、上勝の人たちと出会えたこと、話しを聞けたこと、それが私にとって一番の思い出です。話しをしていてショックだったり驚いたり嬉しかったり色々感じて考えました。これからも考えます。

　上勝に移住してきた人に沢山出会いましたが、私は今の所上勝に移住する予定はありません。何度も聞く度ショックでしたが上勝はなくならないで欲しい！（上勝のファンとして！）必ず上勝にまた、一度ではなく何度も帰ってきたい！皆会いたい！話したい！と思っています。そんな風に思える場所や人に出会えたことはとっても嬉しいです。上勝での暮らしはこのように沢山体験して感じて色々な発見があり一言で楽しかったです。もっと多くの人に上勝を知ってもらえますように！輝実さん：いつも美味しいごはんをありがとうございました。ベジタリアン対応も本当に嬉しかったです。衣服の上勝ブランドのお話聞けるのを楽しみにしています。ナッツも試してみてください。たくやさん：考えたら悩みは尽きません。また相談にのって頂きたいです。お願いします。ひろきさん：私もそんな仕事を見つけポジティブな考え方でいたい！りんだ：おかげで少し自分に自信が持てたよ！またダンスと餅ね！つうくん〜元気？会いたいよ！大好き！まゆみさん、散歩していますか？私も毎日運動します。修さん：私はやはりアートが好きだと再確認できたので今後も楽しみます。なるみさん：私もその度胸見習います。今年も美味しいトマトができますように。

〜では！また今度！！！本当に上勝の皆さんありがとうございます。〜 "

"I got lots of amazing experiences in Kamikatsu. Zero waste was just one of them, and I could learn about this through real experience both at Café Polestar and in Terumi san's home, which I stayed in for two weeks.

     During my stay, I was given enough time for reading books, taking walks (even though it was so cold and rainy while I was there), doing art and thinking. Those were things I had not tried before in my daily life. But it is only because I had a tendency to forget to do those things. To have that time again was so nice and exciting. And Terumi-san cooked delicious dishes with local vegetables which were seasonal for winter. I really hate winter just because of the coldness.

      I have learned that there is a way of thinking that is so important in Kamikatsu, and I am trying to adapt it. Recently I have been finding something wonderful in my daily life, in ordinary moments not just in the special ones.

      Finally, talking with people in Kamikatsu who are wonderful were the best memories. I was highly interested to learn about their stories. I really look forward to meeting and talking with them again. Definitely I would like to go back there many times, not only once, because now I am a fan of Kamikatsu!

       Thank you so much and see you again."

​

Nana, 20 years old, Japan

January 2020

                                               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

​

"A chance encounter brought me to Kamikatsu, and I'm forever grateful for it. From the very first day, I was immersed in different aspects of zero-waste; from helping out at a local organic farm, working at a zero-waste certified cafe, to experiencing the town's bustling recycling operation, Kamikatsu internship was the perfect place to learn and live the lifestyle even for a short time. 

    Terumi-san really tries to understand each intern's particular interests, and can draw connections from almost any part of the community to enrich your experience. Try Kamikatsu, because you never know who or what will inspire you. Something might even bring you back one day! Five stars."

Cathy, 28 years old, Canada

December 2019

                                                   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     "The people of Kamikatsu are so in tune with their surroundings, and with each other. I found their communal consciousness both inspiring and accessible. The way they treat each other, and the natural environment, gave me a lot of hope about the future of humanity.

     What started as a grassroots campaign to reduce waste and incineration back in the 2000s soon became widely known throughout the country, and visited by many. But not too many. Volunteering at the zero waste academy made me appreciate how utterly necessary it is for everyone to share the same ethos. It’s very much a group effort.

      A beautiful coincidence led me to stay in Kamikatsu for a month as an intern. I stumbled into Cafe Polestar and instantly felt at home, thanks to the extreme friendliness and generosity of Terumi-san and Linda.

      Nakamura-san, a Buddhist artist who lives alone in the mountains, is probably one of the most self-satisfied humans I’ve ever met. Seeing how he lives off nothing, ordering his time between meditation, daily chores, reading and art, enriched what was once a hurried London existence. Spending a day in his wooden studio taught me a lot about craftsmanship, made all the more surreal by the mountain vistas.

        My time in Kamikatsu was also a lot of fun. Linda jumps on any excuse for a celebration, gathering people from far and wide to laugh and dance and learn from one another."

​

Olivia, 22 years old, England

November 2019

                                                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

​

    "The Azuma and Matsumoto family are some of the most welcoming people I have ever met. During my time there I didn't feel I was there just to work as an intern, because they opened their lives to me and brought me in for 3 weeks.

    Each person in the family is really amazing, and on top of being kind, helpful, fun, and honest they are such an inspiring group of people. Terumi, Takuya, Linda and Hiroki, I was so inspired by how all of you have such incredible motivation to make changes. The way you are developing and improving yourselves and your environment gave me faith again that there are people are trying to do something positive their lives. Thank you!

      The internship itself is also pretty exciting. Working in the cafe is not difficult, it's enjoyable and it's stress-free. Plus the food is without a doubt super delicious!

      Terumi was really amazing in that she organized for me to visit an organic tomato farm and the waste collection center for day-internships, and offered so many other opportunities for me to work in if I wanted any other experience.

       On any day, you can guarantee that something unexpected or unplanned will happen, even so, the life in Kamikatsu is nothing but peaceful. The people are awesome, the work is fun, the area is beautiful and the focus of the internship is important and relevant to the environment. Thank you to Kamikatsu's no.1 Party People!"

​

Ailbhe, 20 Years Old, Ireland

 August - September 2019

                                                  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

​

 “I originally came to Kamikatsu on a writing tour, organized by author Andy Couturier around his book 'The Abundance of Less' . As soon as I laid my eyes on the bounty of mountains and heard the sound of the laughing river, however, I knew I was home. Synchronicity allowed me to find the internship at Café Polestar, and at that point there was no doubt in my mind I would be staying on in this magical place.

    Interning at Café Polestar with Terumi-san has been such an incredibly rewarding experience, and one I will be eternally grateful for. Terumi-san and her family are the epitome of graciousness in a host. They made me feel so comfortable, and pretty soon it was easy to feel as if I had known them forever.

     In her knowledge of Kamikatsu, Terumi-san is second to none. Her mother was one of the founding members of the Zero-Waste Academy, so there are many insights to be gleaned from working with Terumi-san on a daily basis. Born and raised in Kamikatsu, she has many connections to the town and its history, so if there is anything you would like to learn she is quick to try and accommodate your interests.

      Helping in the café itself feels more like play than work, as it is such a central gathering spot for the community. You are always seeing a familiar face coming in! And the food is so delicious and made with such love, from the locally grown ingredients to the way it is prepared with a mother's touch.

      If you are looking to experience something like an authentic life, a place where you can discover for yourself what is important to you, and what is worth working for, then I cannot recommend enough coming to Kamikatsu. The people that you meet here might just change your life!

​

Linda, 27 years old, Canada

May – November 2019

                                                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

​

    “Kamikatsu, which is known for its Zero-Waste campaign, is a beautiful place in Tokushima Prefecture that has so much more to offer than its stunning nature! I was only able to intern at Terumi-san's Café Polestar for two weeks, but this short amount of time turned out to be truly worthwhile and very inspiring.

    Throughout my whole stay, Terumi-san has been really supportive in every possible aspect! I was invited to stay with her and her family who treated me with nothing but kindness. They provided an environment full of positive and loving energy that really contributed to a wonderful internship experience. I had a great time helping out at the café! I very much enjoyed the delicious food and I was happy to learn how to prepare those delicious dishes that the café served.

     Terumi-san genuinely wanted me to have a great experience and supported me to make the best out of my stay.learn about farming and to just have a good time. Climbing the Yama Inu Dake mountain, surfing for the first time, watching the fireworks at a summer festival – all that was amazing and super fun !!

     But, getting to know all those great, great people with their fascinating and perspective-changing stories, that is what touched my heart and what I am really grateful for. So thank you, Kamikatsu."

Anya, 23 years old, Germany

July 2019   

                                                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~    

​

“Kamikatsu is most well-known for practicing the 45 categories for waste separation. This is also the reason driving me to it. But with Terumi-san, I found Kamikatsu offering way more than a demonstration of effective recycling practices.

    While called an internship for Polestar Café, it was actually a holistic program exposing me to how Kamikatsu reduces, reuses and recycles. I didn't only work in the café, but also helped at the Gomi Station (the waste station) and Irodori ( leaf harvesting) farm, and visited various projects designed with recycled materials.

    In the Polestar Café, I usually helped in the kitchen. We cooked mostly with local produce and seasonal vegetables, so to avoid over-packaging. Off the peak hours in the café, she would also introduce me to the zero-waste practice (eg the rewarding point system, and the accreditation system).

    While it is remarkable the progress Kamikatsu made in waste separation, it is even more impressive to learn its initiatives to avoid waste at all. The Kuru Kuru Shop is my favorite zero-waste initiative. This is where the Kamikatsu residents exchange their un-needed stuff freely. The Gomi Station management team would check and make sure the donated items are in good condition to be reused. So far the effort has prevented more than 15 tons of treasures from going to the waste bin.

     Other Interesting Projects I Visited:

     Kuru Kuru Craft Shop: Anyone visiting here would recognize the work here as artwork instead of stuff-made-out-of-

     recycled-material

     Rise & Win Brewery: This incredible building is built with recycled material again. In my eyes it is rather an art         

      project though they also have great food and beer too.

       The most unforgettable experience out of my internship, however, was the visit to Nakamura-san, the legend of Kamikatsu who lives a self-sufficient life. I was stunned, and deeply inspired by the beauty of the simple life he leads -the ultimate course to zero-waste: to get rid of the unnecessary desires and attachment, and invest my life on the real essentials.

     Despite I only had a short stay of 10 days in Kamikatsu, the internship was so enriching that I felt I have been living there for a long time. It was a research trip of waste management, a culture exchange and a self-discovery journey. I couldn't be more grateful. Thank you Terumi-san! Much love.

​

 Gu Xinyue, 28 years old, China

     June 2019