ARI Friends Day is Coming This Weekend!

August 19, 2026
Makiko Abe

Here is the latest news for our event this Saturday!
Highlights from ARI vendors include authentic Peanut Stew from Ghana & Cameroon made by our graduates!
Also, don’t miss the donuts and ice cream served by our participants at the Used Book Market!
Gospel live music, delicious food, organic shopping, book hunting, tree climbing, and connecting with participants from Asia and Africa… Join us for a fun and unforgettable end-of-summer memory! We look forward to seeing you there.

ARI Friends Day – Summer 2026
Date: Saturday, August 22
Location: ARI Campus

＜Time Schedule＞

9:00 | Ohinata Marche Open (-14:00)
10:00 | Used Book Market Opens
10:00 – 10:15 | Opening Act: Gospel Performance by MINNGOS
10:30 – 11:30 | ARI Graduate Talk Session by Daneth (Cambodia)
10:30 – 12:00 | Choccoto Farm & Forest (Tree Climbing*) – Session 1
13:00 – 14:30 | Choccoto Farm & Forest (Tree Climbing*) – Session 2
13:30 – 14:30 | ARI Graduate Talk Session by Daneth

*Pre-registration required for Tree Climbing.
Details: https://ari.ac.jp/en/friends-day-summer-2026/

■ The parking lot is next to the road heading toward Nasu Seminar House. Since the road in front of ARI is narrow, a portion of it will be one-way on the day of the event.
We apologize for the inconvenience, especially to those coming from Nasushiobara Station or the Kuroiso area, but we kindly ask for your cooperation for safety purposes.

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.