Raku Izawa

Thank you for always supporting the Asian Rural Institute. We are thrilled to announce that ARI has been awarded the “Grand Prize” in the General Category of the 15th Kubota-Mainichi Earth Future Award, organized by The Mainichi Newspapers. This award honors organizations and individuals tackling the 21st-century global challenges of “Food,” “Water,” and the “Environment.” We were recognized for: 🌱 Practicing a life of “Living with the Soil” with rural leaders from developing countries for about 50 years. 🌱 Maintaining a food self-sufficiency rate of over 90% through organic, chemical-free, … Read more

Thank you for your continued support! We are excited to announce the main event schedule for Academic Year 2026 (April 2026 – March 2027). We look forward to sharing the joy of “Living Together” with you again this year through encounters with Rural Leaders from around the world. AY 2025 is not over yet! Don’t miss these upcoming opportunities to visit ARI: Jan 17 (Sat): ARI Friends Day (Next week!) Feb 7 (Sat): JOCS Report Session (Details coming soon) AY 2026 Annual Schedule Spring March: Arrival of New Participants April: … Read more

The Asian Rural Institute (ARI) opens its doors to Japanese participants through the Rural Leader Training Program, offering a unique opportunity to learn together with people from around the world.At ARI, participants learn side by side with farmers, social workers, pastors, priests, and others from around 15 countries across Asia and Africa. Through hands-on experience, participants explore servant leadership, sustainable agriculture, and community building.Living and learning together for nine months while sharing differences and perspectives becomes a journey of self-discovery. What is community? Why does organic agriculture matter? What does leadership mean? What does … Read more

Why not enjoy your “first climb of 2026” in the rich forests of Nasushiobara at ARI?On 1/17(Sat), during ARI Friends Day, we will hold a “Tree Climbing” experience where you can climb safely using specialized ropes and saddles! The world viewed from the treetops is sure to be full of new discoveries! You will wear professional safety gear and receive a lecture on how to climb, so beginners can participate with peace of mind. With the cooperation of the local “JUN TREE SERVICE Co., Ltd.,” professional Arborist® instructors will teach you carefully, so first-timers and children … Read more

On January 17, as part of ARI Friends Day, ARI will host a screening of a recent documentary about Native American rights and protesting nuclear proliferation. Ways of Knowing is a 25-minute immersive documentary about Navajo resilience to protect health, tradition, and land after enduring extensive uranium mining by the United States government, beginning in the late 1940s and lasting until the 1970s. Eight decades after the Manhattan Project which birthed the nuclear-industrial complex, Navajo and other Indigenous communities of the American Southwest continue to suffer from contaminated land and waterways, … Read more

Happy New Year! After our students completed their programs and returned to their home countries late last year, the campus has become quiet. However, there are no holidays for the lives on our farm. ☀️ Currently, our small team of dedicated volunteers is taking full responsibility for caring for the goats, pigs, and chickens. Even on this freezing New Year’s morning, we are deeply encouraged by the lively sounds of the animals and the devotion of the volunteers. 🐐🐖🐓 Though our numbers are few, the spirit of celebration is as … Read more

Since our last year-end update received so many “Likes,” we decided to add a special alternative version! 🎥 Year-End Update (1): “Gift of Hope” Reel + This Year’s ARI Song! We have uploaded a new version of the “Gift of Hope to Bring Back to the Community” Reel to Instagram and Facebook, now featuring a special soundtrack. The song is “Monene,” an African Gospel song that became the “Song of the Year” for ARI. The participants sang it during their Study Trip and at the commencemnet ceremony to share with … Read more

Graduate Departure 2025.12.16-17.

Last week’s community event brought us up to the Nasu mountains, where we enjoyed snow-viewing. For many of our participants, it is the first time to experience snow and being in such cold temperatures – the second the less pleasant one. All community members enjoyed playing in the snow, building snow-people and some snowball fights. In the view of the white environment suddenly the joy of playing like a child gets reawakened in everyone. This was rewarded with hot chocolate and the great view. To warm ourselves up we gathered … Read more

Hello from ARI. Starting this week, we are launching a new series on our Facebook and Instagram Stories, capturing daily life on the ARI campus through photos! “Daily Life” at ARI: A Charm That Captivates ManyWe often receive wonderful comments from volunteers and visitors to ARI, such as: “I love the life and atmosphere here.” “It’s so healing to see the fields and the changing seasons.”Therefore, to share this charm with more people and convey what ARI is like “right now,” we decided to deliver photos that capture ARI “in … Read more