Today is HTC (Harvest Thanksgiving Celebration)!

October 14, 2023
Raku Izawa

HTC (Harvest Thanksgiving Celebration) Today!

For the first time since the pandemic, we will host HTC with no limits on entry — all are welcome!
Theme: LIVE・WORK・LAUGH TOGETHER!
There will be a multinational organic food sale, harvest thanksgiving service, multicultural stage, exhibition, games, a bazaar, and much more.
We will celebrate the joy of the harvest together!
Date: October 14 (Saturday) Time: 09:30 – 16:00 (doors will open at 09:00)
Venue: Asian Rural Institute (442-1 Tsukinukizawa, Nasushiobara, Tochigi)
Admission: Free (meal tickets will be sold)
Please take note of the following:
– The Worship Service will start at 9:30, while Food / Bazaar etc. will commence at 11:00
– Shuttle bus services will be available Departure from Nasushiobara Sta. West Exit (bus rotary): 09:05, Departure from ARI: 15:30
– Parking: Tsukinukizawa Elementary School (tentative), Please bring your own tableware to enjoy your meal

Crowdfunding in Japanese has reached 1 million yen in support! Thank you!

If you can’t read Japanese, our Crowdfunding for English speakers is supporting travel expenses for rural leaders from Asia, Africa, and Latin America learning at ARI. Please join us.

Global Giving: https://goto.gg/60943

Koinonia Dinning Hall

This is where the community gathers to share meals and fellowship together. More than just a dining hall, it also serves as a venue for events, meetings, and learning activities. Koinonia is a Greek word meaning “fellowship” or “sharing.”

Kitchen

At peak times, meals are prepared for as many as 100 people at once. Students, staff, and volunteers all take part in cooking and meal preparation. The kitchen is not only a place for preparing food but also a space for learning, serving others, and building relationships within the community.

Classroom and Library

Participants attend classes in these classrooms throughout the training program. The library contains a wide range of English and Japanese books, audiovisual materials, and magazines covering agriculture, social issues, community development, and many other fields of study.

Men's Dormitory & Guest House

Participants and volunteers live in separate dormitories for men and women. The dormitory includes shared lounges, kitchens, showers, and laundry facilities. Wi-Fi is not available.

Poultry House

The poultry facilities include free-range chicken coops and a brooding house. More than 400 chickens are raised, producing over 80,000 eggs and approximately one ton of chicken meat each year.

Pig Pen

Participants learn a variety of pig farming techniques through hands-on practice. Both deep-litter and concrete-floor systems are used, and manure is recycled into biogas and fertilizer.

Goat House

Goat milk (over 200 liters annually) and meat are used for food, while manure is used as fertilizer. During the day, the goats roam freely in the pasture.

Forest

The forests surrounding the campus are managed through selective thinning for firewood and charcoal production. Leaves and other organic materials are collected for use in agriculture.

Fields

On 2.5 hectares of farmland, approximately 100 varieties of vegetables and crops are grown without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. The entire community helps manage the fields as part of its commitment to learning and self-sufficiency.

Rice Paddies

Rice is cultivated in paddies both on and off campus. Various organic rice-growing methods are studied and practiced, including weed control and fertilization using ducks.

Workshop

The workshop is a space for repair and recycling activities. It contains machinery, welding equipment, woodworking tools, and a variety of materials.

Feed Mixing Room

Livestock feed is produced here using both manual and mechanical methods. Continuous efforts are made to improve feed quality and sustainability.

Administration Building

The first floor houses the reception area and administrative offices, while the second floor contains staff offices and the Director’s office. The Farm Shop (Agricultural Training Room) is located adjacent to the building.

ARI Shop

The shop offers ARI-grown produce, processed foods, books, and handicrafts from the home countries of ARI graduates.

Farm Shop (Agricultural Training Room)

The facility serves as the hub of agricultural activities at ARI. It includes classrooms, storage for tools and farming materials, and facilities for drying and storing crops.

Oikos Chapel

Originally a 100-year-old traditional farmhouse, the chapel has been renovated into a place of worship. Daily morning gatherings are held here, along with meditation, dialogue sessions, gospel choir practice, and other community activities. Oikos is a Greek word meaning “home.”

Manna House (Food Processing Room)

This facility is used for producing and storing processed foods such as cookies and jam. The ground floor also contains a poultry processing facility.

Fish Ponds

Fish are raised for both food and agricultural purposes.

Staff Housing

Several staff members and their families live on campus. Housing includes one apartment-style building and three detached family homes.

Women's Dormitory

Paticipants and volunteers live in separate dormitories for men and women. The dormitory includes shared lounges, kitchens, showers, and laundry facilities. Wi-Fi is not available.

Nasu Seminar House

Located adjacent to the campus and owned by the Student Christian Fellowship (SFC), the Nasu Seminar House accommodates visiting groups, individuals, and families. It features Japanese- and Western-style guest rooms, a multipurpose hall, a lobby, a vegetable garden, and a kitchen.