Brought to you by the Nagano AJET monkeys
What does it mean to be a member
Considering becoming a member?
Sign up at any AJET event or online to become a Nagano AJET member for that year, which will get you access to exclusive Nagano merchandise and discounts for the organization's paid events throughout the year.
Beyond the perks and discounts, becoming a member of Nagano AJET helps you to connect with the Nagano community through our events held throughout the prefecture as well as online, enriching your experience living here on the "Roof of Japan."
Membership costs for the year are ¥2,500, which can be paid in cash at any Nagano AJET event. Members who are in good standing and have paid their membership fees in full will experience the most benefit from being a member, and the more often they attend events, the greater the deals will be!
Nagano AJETs annual events are: the welcome party for incoming international residents who are new to Nagano, a holiday banquet where the community can come together and enjoy good food, a ski event that celebrates Nagano's famous winter sports scene, a stay at a ryokan that includes a traditional geisha performance, and a farewell party to bid goodbye to those who are leaving Nagano for now.
Getting involved in your community through AJET is one of the best ways to gain an appreciation and understanding for the area, to enjoy the many amazing activities Nagano has to offer, and to build a strong community and friendships that will last a lifetime.
So what are you waiting for?
What does your membership fee pay for
Nagano AJET is a non-profit organization, and the committee members receive no compensation for organizing and running events. That said, AJET still runs into various expenses throughout the year. Whether it's purchasing/replacing outdoor equipment used at events, or the needs of running the organization (bank fees, cash box). As technology has advanced, more online tools such as video conferencing and storage are available than ever before, but these once free services are slowly being pulled back as paywalls become an industry standard.
Nagano AJET also makes an annual donation to a charity chosen by the committee. The charity is announced during the annual holiday banquet, and a raffle and/or skill auction is held to help raise additional funds for the cause. Causes in the past have been local, such as Iiyama Gakuen, a facility for displaced children, related to current events, such as recovery efforts for Typhoon Hagibis, and even global, such as Doctors Without Borders. These fund raising efforts are supplanted by Nagano AJETs own funds when surplus allows.
Membership fees also help out the members themselves. Members who are in good standing with their yearly dues receive discounts to all of our paid events. The stronger membership is that year, the greater the discounts. There are typically five paid events that we organize every year, a welcome party, holiday banquet, ski weekend, ryokan stay with a geisha performance, and a farewell party. While these are constant, there are other events that come and go based on the interests of the committee and membership, such as organized visits to parks around the prefecture, murder mystery parties, recreational trips, and so on. Highly active members will receive the most benefit from these discounts. The money saved from attending most of our events throughout the year will end up paying for the membership fee itself.
Nagano AJET Membership 2023-24
The Collective, also known as Nagano AJET, is a non-profit organization loosely associated with the JET Program in Nagano Prefecture. It's goal is to better connect the foreign residents in the prefecture, provide resources, opportunities to socialize, and give back a bit to the community as well.
Despite the name, you do not need to be a current or former JET to be a member. Nagano AJET membership is open to everyone, regardless of job or nationality. Members receive event information ahead of the Facebook group, access to our event photo albums, eligibility to vote on Nagano AJET issues, and the ability to join open positions on the Nagano AJET Committee.
- Optional Membership Dues - Membership dues are not mandatory for membership, however they do add additional benefits to you including discounts on Nagano AJET events and early access to new site resources. If you opt to be a paying member on the form below, you are agreeing to pay the ¥2,500 membership fee for the 2023-2024 year when contacted by the Nagano AJET Treasurer. There are just a few required fields, however please take this opportunity to fill out the rest of the form so we may better benefit you in your work and life in Nagano, Japan.
Current membership runs from the start of August 2023 to the end of July 2024.
