Nonprofit organizations working for the public good operate throughout Japan.
Komorebi no Sato, a nonprofit organization active at two locations in Mabi and Soja City, carries out community-focused projects that make use of bamboo, a local specialty.
Its main activities are disaster recovery support and helping people who are socially withdrawn or have disabilities become independent. How is bamboo used in these two kinds of support?
We spoke with the people behind Komorebi no Sato.
The information presented here was accurate when this article was published in March 2025. Please note that it may differ from current information.
About Komorebi no Sato
Komorebi no Sato (hereafter referred to as “Komorebi no Sato”) is an NPO established in 2020 and based in Mabi, Kurashiki City, and Soja City.
It was founded in response to the July 2018 torrential rains. Ten people who had met while volunteering in disaster relief established the organization, which has since worked to support disaster recovery and the independence of people who are socially withdrawn or have disabilities.
As of 2025, it is engaged in the following six community-focused projects:
- →Employment support services under the Act for Comprehensive Support for the Daily and Social Life of Persons with Disabilities (Act for Comprehensive Support of Persons with Disabilities)
- Activities to promote community development
- Consultation and support services
- Projects that contribute to the community through agriculture
- Projects related to volunteering and community exchange
- Projects necessary to achieve the organization’s objectives
Komorebi no Sato carries out a range of recovery support and welfare initiatives, but one of its defining features is its work to make use of “bamboo,” a local specialty of Mabi.
The Type B Continuous Employment Support Office run by Komorebi no Sato develops and sells products made from bamboo from Mabi. The bamboo charcoal produced there was also sent to areas affected by the July 2020 torrential rains and the Noto Peninsula Earthquake. Spreading bamboo charcoal beneath the floors of flooded homes is said to help remove odors and moisture.
Because Komorebi no Sato was founded by disaster relief volunteers, its commitment to recovery is especially strong.
After the July 2018 torrential rains, Komorebi no Sato organized the recovery event “Ganbaro! Mabi! KIZUNA Festa,” bringing smiles to many children with the help of numerous volunteers. The organization continues to focus on recovery support throughout Japan, cherishing both what it experienced during the July 2018 disaster and the connections it made with people through disaster relief volunteering.
Akasaka Masako, deputy representative of Komorebi no Sato, says, “I believe that when people who are socially withdrawn or have disabilities take part in community-focused activities such as disaster recovery support, it can give them a sense of purpose and build their confidence.”
Komorebi no Sato Type B Continuous Employment Support Office
Here we introduce Komorebi no Sato’s main operation, the “Komorebi no Sato Type B Continuous Employment Support Office.”
A Type B Continuous Employment Support Office is a welfare service that provides people who have difficulty finding regular employment due to disabilities or other circumstances with a place to develop work skills and knowledge while connecting with society.
Komorebi no Sato has workshops in Soja City and Mabi. The Soja workshop operates on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, while the Mabi workshop operates on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The Soja workshop mainly carries out agricultural work and orchard maintenance. Participants sometimes harvest seasonal vegetables together with students from Okayama Prefectural University. On rainy days, they do piecework such as assembling confectionery boxes and sorting card games.
The Mabi workshop also sometimes does piecework, but making products from bamboo is a job unique to Mabi.
Developing products using Mabi's local specialty, bamboo
At the Mabi workshop, bamboo charcoal is produced using a method unique to Komorebi no Sato.
The method uses a drum and rice husks. It takes about three to four days to finish, but slowly heating the bamboo over time is said to produce high-quality charcoal that catches fire easily.
Participants (people who work at Komorebi no Sato) use an electric saw to cut long, sturdy bamboo into suitable lengths, then split it into smaller pieces with a hatchet and hammer and knock out the nodes.
When I visited, everyone seemed to have naturally divided up the tasks, chatting as they worked. The rhythmic sounds of cutting and splitting bamboo echoed around the grounds.
The finished bamboo charcoal is made into small chips and used in various products, or packed into nets and sent directly to disaster-hit areas. Every step, including packing, was done by hand.
When bamboo charcoal is sent to disaster-hit areas, the disaster relief group INOLIN JAPAN, whose members also helped establish Komorebi no Sato, transports it there.
Bamboo charcoal is also turned into original products, such as “Nyankoro Deodorizer Charcoal” and “bamboo charcoal soap,” which are sold at events.
Nyankoro Deodorizer Charcoal is especially popular, and at times they reportedly struggled to keep up with demand.
When I visited, they were making bamboo skewers, so I asked, “Are these for sale too?” I was told that the skewers are used for cotton candy sold at markets. The sturdy, long skewers make it possible to create large cotton candy, and they were very popular at events.
Connecting with society by taking part in events
Building connections with society is essential to continuous employment support.
At Komorebi no Sato, participants also take part in events, giving them opportunities to interact with people from outside the organization.
Every summer, Komorebi no Sato holds “Bamboo Challenge,” a nature-experience program for parents and children. Planned to encourage local people to experience bamboo, the event offers activities such as playing with bamboo toys and cooking with bamboo and bamboo charcoal. Participants join in and help support the event.
They also set up stalls at markets and festivals held in Soja City. The current participants have apparently become so accustomed to events that they are experts at preparations such as putting up tents and assembling equipment and tools.
Monthly recreational activities
In addition to work, they regularly enjoy recreational activities that let them experience the changing seasons.
In summer, they make a stand from bamboo cut on site and enjoy nagashi somen (flowing noodles) together.
As the end of the year approaches, a large stone mortar and mallet are brought out, and everyone makes mochi together.
On recreation days, people from outside the organization who have ties to Komorebi no Sato join the regular participants. It was striking to see the participants enjoying themselves amid the lively atmosphere.
Meals are made using bamboo charcoal and vegetables produced by the participants, giving them the pleasure of enjoying what they have grown and made themselves.
Komorebi no Sato provides its users with connections to society in a variety of ways.
We interviewed board chair Masashi Yakushiji and vice chair Akasaka Masako about the ideas behind their work.
About Komorebi no Sato, a Specified Nonprofit Corporation
| Organization name | Specified Nonprofit Corporation Komorebi no Sato |
|---|---|
| Industry | Disability welfare |
| Representative | Chairman Masashi Yakushiji |
| Established | March 13, 2020 |
| Address | 154 Osabe, Soja City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 050-8884-6822 |
| Website | Specified Nonprofit Corporation Komorebi no Sato |
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