News

From the 22nd to 24th of October, ARI staff Osamu Arakawa and Steven Cutting attended the ECHO Conference on Agriculture and Community Development in Chiang Mai, Thailand and met over 20 graduates in fellowship and knowledge exchange. Over the 2-day conference, experts, practitioners of the field, and interested people were able to attend workshops, plenary sessions, and direct demonstration on ECHO’s farm, deepening their understanding and sharing their knowledge about community development and agriculture practices. Osamu emphasized the importance and opportunities of collaborations between ARI and other networks, pointing out … 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

Today, the fall Used Book Market started! Best sellers, paperbacks, picture books art books, and many more, all donated from across Japan, will be available for 100 yen and up. On November 1, 3, and 8, come enjoy Indian curry and chai produced by our skilled ARI chef. Fall is the season for reading. Why not seek out new words in the quiet former Missionary House, away from the noisy world? Fri, October 31 – Sat, November 8 *Closed on Sun, November 2 OPEN11:00-16:00 Venue: Former Missionary House (adjacent to … Read more

ARI conducts evacuation drills three times a year for the entire community.For many international participants and volunteers, this is their first experience with disaster preparedness training.Therefore, learning how to respond when a disaster strikes is critically important. That day, following an evacuation drill, we conducted a shelter management simulation based on the scenario that ARI campus became an evacuation shelter. We thought together about the responses required in an emergency, using a game-like method.

Best sellers, paperbacks, picture books art books, and many more, all donated from across Japan, will be available for 100 yen and up.On November 1, 3, and 8, come enjoy Indian curry and chai produced by our skilled ARI chef.Fall is the season for reading. Why not seek out new words in the quiet former Missionary House, away from the noisy world? Fri, October 31 – Sat, November 8 *Closed on Sun, November 2OPEN11:00-16:00Venue: Former Missionary House (adjacent to Nasu Seminar House) 420-33, Tsukinukizawa, Nasushiobara, Tochigi Indian Curry & Chai … Read more

We received wonderful photos taken by students at the Nippon Photography Institute in May. Each year, they visit ARI for a week to live alongside the ARI community and practice their photo-taking skills.Thank you so much for portraying ARI through your fresh, outside perspective!We look forward to your visit next year!

This month, ARI will publish the next issue of its English-language newsletter, Take My Hand. We’ll be looking at ARI participants and graduates working to nurture the next generation of rural leaders, thanks to the training they received at ARI. Want to know more about how ARI’s leadership model impacts future generations? Receive the next issue with a donation to ARI’s US partner, American Friends of ARI. Follow this link to donate!https://ari.ac.jp/en/donate-from-usa/

We were blessed with good weather, which had been our biggest concern, and HTC2025 was a great success. Hearing so much positive feedback from all of you has filled our entire team with happiness and a sense of accomplishment. It also provided an excellent opportunity for us to put the servant leadership we have learned into practice. Although there were occasional clashes, as everyone was giving their absolute best, it was an HTC full of learning. We discovered new sides to our teammates and even learned about our own previously … Read more

Finally, tomorrow begins the ARI’s biggest event, Harvest Thanksgiving Celebration (HTC).On the last day, we will bring you a message from our coordinators, who will oversee the event! 👐 Join us for a special Harvest Thanksgiving celebration (HTC) at ARI! It’s a time to celebrate the season’s bounty and the hard work of our community. Let’s enjoy a simple meal, share stories, and give thanks. Your presence would make it even more joyful. Please come! (Messaged by HTC Coordinator, Lily and Nao) ▶ Harvest Thanksgiving Celebration (HTC), ARI’s largest annual event … Read more

Only 2 days left until Harvest Thanksgiving Celebration (HTC)! Today, we’ll introduce events happening outside of the participants’ committees. We will be selling T-shirts printed with this year’s HTC logo The theme, “Sowing the seed of love for a peaceful tomorrow,” was conceived by Malem, a participant from India. The logo was designed by Yong, a participant from Cameroon (first photo). Priced at ¥2,000 each. Purchase one to commemorate this year’s HTC! We will also have sales of ARI products including vegetables, campus tours, and a bazaar featuring about 15 … Read more