Christian Otto

Before their graduation ceremony, the participants of the Asian Rural Institute came together for a special snow-viewing event as part of their final days in Japan. It was a moment to relax and strengthen community ties after their intensive training and final presentations. For many, it was their first time seeing snow, making the day particularly exciting. The group enjoyed classic winter activities like snowball fights and sledding, followed by warming up with hot chocolate. Later, they visited a local foot onsen, where the soothing warmth provided a perfect counterbalance … Read more

The atmosphere was one of anticipation and reflection as participants of the 2024 Asian Rural Institute (ARI) training program gathered to deliver their final presentations. After nine months of learning, working, and growing together, this was their opportunity to share how they plan to apply their experiences back home. During the presentations, the participants—now proud ARI graduates—spoke about their visions for the future. They outlined both short-term and long-term plans, such as establishing training centers, introducing organic farming techniques, and promoting the use of organic pesticides and non-chemical fertilizers. Their … Read more

Naria Yokota, a third-year student at Aoyama Gakuin Elementary School, won the Mitsumura Printing Award on the 74th National Primary and Junior High School Essay Contest (sponsored by the Yomiuri Shimbun) in the lower elementary school division for her essay about her homestay exchange with ARI participant Azi. The family welcomed ARI participant Azi from Northeast India as a host family in June this year. In her essay, Naria expresses her encounter with a different culture and her understanding of the ARI participant’s background in such memorable phrases as “Azi … Read more

The Western Japan Study Tour continues! On Day 9, we bid farewell to our wonderful host families in Minamata and began the long journey to Hiroshima. Unfortunately, traffic jams delayed our progress, and we arrived too late to join Baikou University’s chapel hour as planned. Despite this, we received a warm welcome from ARI friends at the university, who expressed their hopes of deepening ties with ARI and sending more students in the future. After navigating additional traffic within Hiroshima, we finally arrived for dinner, ending what was a very … Read more

The Western Japan Study Tour continues! On day 7, we arrived in Moji early in the morning after an exciting ferry journey and continued to Minamata, where we met the program organizer, a long-time friend of ARI. Our Minamata program began with a visit to the private Minamata Disease Museum, distinct from the government-run public museum. This museum preserves numerous materials from Minamata disease patients, providing participants with insights into why the disease occurred, the factors that exacerbated it, and its impact on the community. Following the museum visit, we … Read more

The Western Japan Study Tour continues! On day 5, we visited Osaka YMCA for a field trip and divided into three groups. The Kamagasaki group focused on the issue of homelessness. Each year, participants find it challenging to fully grasp the complexity of this issue, often comparing it to their own countries. However, they gained a better understanding by comparing Kamagasaki’s situation to other parts of Japan, which highlighted why it remains a significant problem. Another group explored Korean Town to learn about discrimination issues. They were shocked to discover … Read more

The Western Japan Study Tour (WJST) continued with meaningful experiences Seirei Gakuen at Hamamatsu and Aino High School at Mie, offering ARI participants valuable insights into cultural exchange and community engagement. The day began at Hamamatsu, where we were warmly welcomed by a third-generation ARI supporter, who generously gave us a large supply of oranges! The participants were thrilled. From there, we safely arrived at Aino High School, where a teacher and former ARI volunteer guided us on a campus tour. This year, ARI Japanese graduates also joined us for … Read more

The Western Japan Study Tour (WJST) has provided ARI participants with valuable experiences in community engagement and cultural exchange. On our first day, we visited the Theological Seminary for Rural Mission (Noden), where we received a warm welcome from the staff. In a special gesture of hospitality, they served homemade curry, a delightful change from the usual bento lunches. We were also given a brief tour of the campus grounds and had the chance to experience a short Zazen meditation, which provided a moment of reflection in a tranquil environment. … Read more

Director’s Report:We welcomed Ms. Keiko Holmes, a British resident who has worked for reconciliation between Japanese people and British POWs (prisoners of war) and their families by the former Japanese army. We heard about her 30-year journey of reconciliation. This was Keiko’s third visit to ARI. Her testimony of how many people’s hearts that had been closed tightly and wounded by the war were healed by Keiko’s who has walked with God side by side, and their lives were transformed by being set free from hatred and enmity, shows us … Read more

On October 28 and 29, the Asian Rural Institute hosted a biogas workshop led by Mr. Kuwabara, an engineer and organic farmer from Ogawa Town, Saitama. This session was a follow-up to the participants’ visit to Mr. Kuwabara’s farm in June, where they first explored biogas technology. During the workshop, participants learned how livestock manure could be processed to generate renewable energy, offering a sustainable alternative for energy production. Mr. Kuwabara demonstrated the use of a plastic biogas chamber, explaining how the process also produces an organic liquid fertilizer, enhancing … Read more