Wwoof Japan

What Wwoof Japan does

WWOOF Japan is the Japanese national chapter of the global WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) movement, structured as a Limited Liability Partnership (WWOOF Japan LLP) headquartered in Tokyo with 1–10 employees. It operates a web-based, dual-sided membership platform that connects volunteers ("WWOOFers") seeking authentic organic farming and cultural-exchange experiences with organic farmers and rural hosts across Japan who provide meals and accommodation in exchange for volunteer help. The platform is built on a Joomla/CommunityBuilder stack and includes a host profile database searchable by prefecture and activity, an internal messaging system, an automatically issued digital WWOOFer Permit for membership verification, a member-contributed photo gallery, and an email newsletter; there is no mobile app, no public API, and no AI/ML components.

WWOOF Japan monetizes exclusively through annual membership subscriptions on both sides of the market, with no transactional payments between members. WWOOFers pay 5,500 yen in year one (covering 18 months) with renewal fees declining to 2,900 yen (year 2), 1,900 yen (years 3–4), and 1,500 yen (year 5+); hosts pay 8,500 yen in year one, declining to 7,800 yen (years 2–4), 5,800 yen (years 5–7), 4,800 yen (years 8–9), and 3,800 yen (year 10+). Children under 16 accompanying a parent member are free. Memberships are manual-renewal (no auto-renewal), non-refundable, and payable via PayPal, bank transfer, or postal transfer. Hosts must additionally complete an application and document-verification process before approval.

The organization's reach spans every Japanese region from Hokkaido to Okinawa, with hundreds of registered hosts and new hosts added monthly. The WWOOFer base is approximately 70% foreign and 30% Japanese — with foreign users split between roughly 20% tourist-visa visitors and 25% Japan-based residents (students, workers, permanent residents) — and members range from teenagers to 60+, averaging late 20s. The organization holds the registered WWOOF trademark in Japan, won the 2018 ORAI! Nippon Grand Prize Chairman's Award, is featured on Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries website, and has received media coverage from NHK, Fuji TV, Nippon Television, Mainichi Shimbun, and Asahi Shimbun. It is independently operated with no disclosed parent company, institutional investors, or venture backing.

Name

Wwoof Japan

Legal name

WWOOF Japan LLP (Limited Liability Partnership)

Website

https://wwoofjapan.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

WWOOF Japan is a Tokyo-based LLP operating the Japanese branch of the global WWOOF organic-farming exchange. It runs a dual-sided membership web platform connecting individual volunteers (WWOOFers) with organic farm hosts across Japan for cultural and agricultural exchange, monetizing through low-cost annual subscriptions on both sides.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. WWOOFer Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from WWOOFers (volunteers seeking organic farm stays). First year: 5,500 yen (includes 18 months bonus period). Renewal fees discounted based on tenure (2,900 yen for 2nd year, down to 1,500 yen for 5+ years).
2. Host Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from hosts (organic farmers accepting WWOOFers). First year: 8,500 yen. Renewal fees discounted based on tenure (7,800 yen for 2-4 years, down to 3,800 yen for 10+ years).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

WWOOF Japan operates a membership-based web platform that connects volunteers (WWOOFers) seeking organic farming and cultural exchange experiences with organic farm hosts across Japan. Members pay annual fees to access the host directory, connect via the platform's messaging system, and exchange volunteer labor for meals and accommodation.

Product overview

WWOOF Japan operates a single unified web-based platform that connects WWOOFers (volunteers seeking organic farming experiences) with Host Members (organic farmers and rural practitioners) across Japan. The core offering consists of the WWOOFer Membership and Host Membership programs, both providing access to the Host Profile Database for matching, the internal messaging system for communication, and the WWOOFer Permit system for verification. Additional platform features include a Photo Gallery for member-contributed images and a Newsletter Service for updates. The platform facilitates cultural exchange and agricultural work without monetary transactions—WWOOFers receive meals and accommodation in exchange for help with farm activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WWOOFer Membership Annual subscription membership for individual volunteers (WWOOFers) to access the host directory, connect with organic farm hosts, and participate in cultural exchange experiences in exchange for volunteer help with farm activities. First year fee is 5,500 yen (includes 18-month bonus period), with tiered renewal discounts down to 1,500 yen for members of 5+ years.
• Host Membership Annual subscription membership for organic farmers, rural households, and eco-conscious communities to host WWOOFers in exchange for help with farm activities, cultural exchange, and labor support. First year fee is 8,500 yen, with tiered renewal discounts down to 3,800 yen for members of 10+ years. Hosts undergo an application and approval process including document verification.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WWOOFinJapan
• Instagraminstagram.com/wwoofjapan
• Xx.com/WWOOF_Japan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wwoof Japan