ARI Family Blog

On May 12th, I attended the 43rd Niwano Peace Prize Presentation Ceremony held at the International House of Japan. This year’s recipient is Mr. Benki Piyãko, a spiritual leader of the Asháninka indigenous people from the Brazilian Amazon. He is also widely recognized as an environmental activist, human rights defender, and social entrepreneur. The Niwano Peace Foundation stated the following as the reason for his selection: “The people of this region have endured immeasurable hardships caused by the destruction of the forests and the damage inflicted by invaders. For the … Read more

The Bee Project at ARI has begun. What’s truly surprising is what happened behind the scenes. As we were discussing how to set up a shed to place the hives, a Filipino staff member pointed to a shed that wasn’t currently in use and said, “We can just cut that shed in half and carry it over.” For a moment, I couldn’t believe my ears. What? Cut the shed in half? And carry it over?? What on earth did he mean? I decided to let that staff member take the … Read more

Organic farming class has started. Participants learned about the ecosystem, circulation of organic matters and local resources in the classroom. Then they learned practical skills like rice husk charcoal, Bokashi, compost, IMO (Indigenous Microorganism), WCA (Water-soluble calcium), etc. Those are the basic skills of farming in ARI foodlife work. Participants enjoyed learning. They also came to learn fundamental philosophies such as “Follow the laws of nature” and “What you need is around you.”

Our annual Golden Week tradition, English Farm Camp, was a wonderful success again this year! Under the theme “Farm is Your Friend,” we had a packed program including a hands-on experience building raised beds called “Hugelkultur”, a special curry workshop led by ARI staff Vero, and the chance to share meals and farm work with the ARI community. While most participants were visiting ARI for the first time, both children and adults bonded quickly. It was a high-energy, soul-nourishing three days for everyone involved. A huge thank you to each … Read more

For one week starting April 26th, we welcomed a delegation of eight visitors from the Huria Kristen Batak Protestan (HKBP), the organization that has produced the largest number of ARI graduates. Based in North Sumatra, HKBP is the largest Protestant church in Indonesia. Among the visitors was a graduate who is a coffee farmer from the Lintong region, famous for its delicious coffee, and they kindly brought a generous gift of their beans for us. Of the eight visitors, four were graduates from the classes of 2006 to 2014, and … Read more

A few years ago, many participants expressed strong interest in beekeeping, creating a valuable learning opportunity for ARI. Fortunately, one of our dedicated volunteers, Mr. Takafumi Miyake—an expert in honeybee cultivation—generously offered to establish a beekeeping initiative at ARI. This initiative not only provided hands-on training in sustainable honey production, hive management, and pollination practices, but also opened pathways for environmental education, livelihood development, and community engagement. Through this effort, ARI gained the capacity to both learn and teach beekeeping, empowering participants with practical skills, promoting biodiversity, and supporting local … Read more

At ARI, we aim to live in harmony with nature and are working to create a climate-resilient SATOYAMA campus. It all began a few years ago with the creation of a “Meditation Path” in the forest, followed by the development of grazing areas for goats, the planning of events to foster a connection with the forest, etc. And recently, I worked alongside our young staff to build a stage (an outdoor classroom) in the forest. While it is, of course, a joy to see the forest preserved and nurtured, it … Read more

This spring, ARI is reflecting on climate change through the stories of our graduates. For our third feature, we highlight ARI’s activity for climate change. At ARI, we have the Climate Change Action Committee, a voluntary group of staff members which include our director. They work on various projects to protect the environment, both within ARI and in the local community. Key achievements from last year include: • Creating educational panels about Hügelkultur*.• Reducing plastic use in agricultural activities. Manosi Abe Chatterjee, our Curriculum Coordinator and a committee member, says: … Read more

This spring, ARI is reflecting on climate change through the stories of our community. For our third feature, we highlight John Nyondo (Class of 1983) and Judith Daka (Class of 2001), a dedicated couple working in Zambia.Facing a severe food crisis caused by intense droughts, John and Judith are applying the organic farming techniques they learned at ARI to sustain their community. Their inspiring journey was recently featured in Asahi Shimbun Digital “with Planet” (April 7th).Article Title:“Changing the Soil to Save Lives: Japanese Organic Farming in Food-Crisis-Stricken Zambia (Part 1)”We … Read more

As I hear about the increasingly chaotic state of world affairs and the various news stories where life is treated with such disregard, my heart grows heavier and heavier… However, at the recent opening ceremony, I was able to regain my hope. “They will beat their swords into plowshares / and their spears into pruning hooks. / Nation will not take up sword against nation, / nor will they train for war anymore” (Isaiah 2:4). Ms. Mochizuki from Zenkoku Tomo-no-Kai, who delivered the congratulatory address, quoted this biblical passage displayed … Read more