Discover a different side of Japan and spend some time in Kotohira, a small town steeped in tradition on the island of Shikoku. During your Hostel Experience in Japan You live and work in a place where international travelers, local stakeholders, and diverse ideas come together. The modern hostel, with its attached coworking space, creates a unique blend of hospitality, exchange, and community life.
As part of our small team, you’ll help with day-to-day hostel operations, serve as a point of contact for guests from all over the world, and participate in community events. This will lead to new encounters and conversations time and again, allowing you to get to know people from a wide variety of backgrounds. At the same time, the coworking space is available to you around the clock, so you can use your free time for your own projects, remote work, or studying.
Kotohira offers an exciting contrast to Japan’s major cities. Between the famous Konpira Shrine, peaceful countryside, and the diverse attractions of the Setouchi region, you’ll get to know Japan in a relaxed setting. If you enjoy being around people, are open to new experiences, and want to get a feel for life in a small Japanese town, you’re in for a varied and enriching time here, between Hostel life, coworking, and cultural exchange.
The hostel in Kotohira was originally founded as a tourist information center. From the very beginning, it welcomed travelers from all over the world. Now, the space has reinvented itself as a coworking space and hostel. The goal is to continue offering authentic, local experiences while fostering global friendships and collaborative projects through the coworking space, which is open not only to guests but also to local stakeholders.
Your stay at the Hostel & Coworking Space offers you a unique blend of cultural immersion, community, and personal growth. You’ll live in a quiet, historic city, work alongside a small, friendly team, and have round-the-clock access to a coworking space—ideal for your own projects, remote work, or studying.
Japanese people are known for their polite, respectful, and reserved interactions with one another. During your stay at the hostel, you’ll have the opportunity to get to know the people and their culture in a particularly authentic way. You won’t just be traveling through the country as a tourist—you’ll become part of a community and experience local life from a unique perspective.
During your stay, you'll live right in the hostel, putting you right in the thick of things. As a central part of the hostel, you'll get to know all kinds of people from around the world and hear their interesting stories, make new friends quickly, and become part of a international traveler community. This often leads to new acquaintances and friendships that will last a long time.
The Kotohira Hostel is a cozy, modern space that combines comfortable accommodations with a coworking space accessible 24/7. It attracts remote workers, travelers, and culture lovers who appreciate a quiet, productive, and collaborative atmosphere.
General responsibilities at the hostel include both the Guest Contact and helping to create a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, as well as maintaining and cleaning the common areas. Above all, it’s important that you treat our many international guests with kindness and show an interest in learning about their stories. Another area of responsibility may also include preparation, setup, and occasional Event Management that take place regularly on site. If you’d like, you’re also welcome to help out with the organizational tasks behind the scenes.
When working at the hostel, it's important to have a proactive, open, and communicative attitude. That way, you'll have a great time and experience many fascinating encounters.
Normally, your workweek is 20 hours. This means that, as a rule, you work about 4 hours a day, 5 days a week. When events take place, your hours may be adjusted as needed.
Kotohira, in Kagawa Prefecture on the main island Shikoku, is a small tourist town named after an ancient sea god, Kotohiragu. This historic town is famous for the Kotohiragu Shrine—affectionately known as Konpira-san—which is the largest Shinto shrine complex on the island of Shikoku. Surrounded by tranquil countryside, Kotohira offers a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Here, you can enjoy the local life of a small Japanese town. Thanks to its walking distance to public transportation, supermarkets, and shopping streets, the location offers convenience for both daily life and travel. With the train station just a few minutes’ walk away and rental bikes available, you can reach nearby attractions and the city center quickly and easily. With excellent transportation links and plenty of options for day trips, Kotohira is a perfect starting point for Kagawa and the Setouchi Region to discover.
Just a few steps from Konpira Shrine and its charming temple grounds, you can discover the heart of Kotohira. From here, you can easily reach some of the most beautiful sights in Kagawa and Shikoku, such as Chichibugahama Beach, famous for its sunsets over the mirror-smooth water. Or you can visit the impressive Iya and Oboke gorges, a true natural wonder. The picturesque islands of the Seto Inland Sea, on the other hand, are world-renowned centers for contemporary art, museums, and architecture.
You don’t need any special prior experience or training to work at the hostel. What’s important for working at the hostel is a friendly, outgoing, and responsible personality. You should be curious and enjoy interacting with guests and helping to create a warm, welcoming atmosphere. You should appreciate the quiet life in a small town and have an interest in coworking, community events, and cultural exchange.
If you already have a professional background or other relevant experience, the hostel will take this into account and assign you to appropriate tasks.
A special experience awaits you. You’ll become part of an international community, live surrounded by breathtaking nature, and have many unforgettable experiences. Of course, in addition to your work, there will be plenty of time to explore the area and have a great time with fellow travelers.
To participate in the program, you must English Sufficient. It's important that you're able to communicate well so that you can interact easily with the hostel staff, international guests, and other volunteers. Japanese isn't required, but an interest in the Japanese language is welcome.
During your stay at the hostel, you'll share a dorm room. The room has plenty of storage space for your personal belongings. Depending on the length of your stay, you may also be accommodated in a private room. The hostel has shared bathrooms for everyone.
During your stay, you can use the fully equipped communal kitchen, which includes a refrigerator. Since the hostel does not provide meals, you can cook here together with other volunteers. The hostel features a cozy living room and offers a free laundry service. You’ll have unlimited Wi-Fi access and 24/7 access to the coworking space. The hostel has its own bicycles, which you can use for free, subject to availability.
In Japan, our contact person, Alejandro, is always available to offer you advice and support. He has been an integral part of our team since WanderWorld was founded in 2018 and knows our projects and partners inside and out. Alejandro is originally from Guatemala, but moved to Japan a few years ago to be with his wife, and from there he supports our volunteers throughout Asia.
Whether you have organizational questions, need travel tips, or have any other last-minute requests, Alejandro is here for you. You can reach him quickly and easily via WhatsApp or phone. He’ll also provide you with valuable insider tips on the most beautiful places, the best modes of transportation, and everything else that will make your time in Japan unforgettable.
Founder of Wanderworld Travel
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