News

Since 2005, the ARI Online Shop has been sharing our harvest with you. Now, after 20 years, we are turning a new page! We are thrilled to announce the Grand Re-opening of our online shop in Spring 2026! Remember those delicious cookies you had at ARI, or the carrot juice from our local marches? You can now order these fan-favorites online. We also offer gift boxes—perfect for sharing the ARI spirit with your loved ones. We are starting with a curated selection and will be adding more products soon! Note: … Read more

2026.3.14-4.30.

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.This award honors organizations and individuals tackling the 21st-century global challenges of “Food,” “Water,” and the “Environment.” Osamu Arakawa, the Director of ARI, explains why nurturing rural leaders is so important:“According to research by UNEP, the peasant food web—small-scale farming villages spreading organically like a spider’s web—supports 70% of the world’s population by using limited resources: only 25% of the world’s farmland, 10% of fossil fuels, and … Read more

Application Deadline: Saturday, February 28, 2026

Thank you for your warm support for our Christmas & Winter Donation Campaign! The Winter Campaign at ARI has now come to a close. We would like to express our deepest gratitude for your heartfelt donations and words of encouragement. The contributions we received will be carefully used to support the activities of rural leaders from Asia, Africa, and beyond, as they learn together and work toward self-reliance. This winter has been a poignant reminder that our journey toward “That We May Live Together” is made possible only through your … Read more

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