ARI Friends Day Summer 2026

July 21, 2026
Yuko Emura

Come visit the ARI campus for fun activities and our community atmosphere. Enjoy fellowship with the ARI community and local neighborhood through our fun events!

Date: Saturday, August 22, 2026 10:00-15:00

Venue: Asian Rural Institute

Timetable:

(9:00 : Ohinata Marche opens)

10:00-10:15: Opening Performance by MINNGOS

10:30-11:30: ARI Graduate Talk Session 1

10:30-12:00: Chocotto Farm & Forest (Tree Climbing) 1

(11:00: Used Book Market opens)

13:00-14:30: Chocotto Farm & Forest (Tree Climbing) 2

13:30-14:30: ARI Graduate Talk Session 2

Events

I. ARI Graduate Talk Session

Daneth Him (Cambodia, 2010 graduate) has returned to ARI as a Training Assistant. Hear stories from her home communities!

II. Chocotto Farm & Forest

Try Tree Climbing® and see the world from the tops of a tree! Ropes and a saddle provided for anyone from age 6. (reservation required)

[Join Us] Connect with the Soil, Connect with the World: “Chocotto Farm & Forest” at ARI! – Asian Rural Institute

III. Ohinata Marche

Alongside ARI Friends Day, the local market group Ohinata Marche will host their market. Ohinata Marche is an organic market which aims to collaboratively create a locally sustainable lifestyle.

IV. Used Book Market

Best sellers, paperbacks, picture books, art books, and many more, all donated from across Japan, will be available for 100 yen and up.

*Parking: Please park on the grassy field on the way to the Nasu Seminar House.
*Traffic Notice: The road at the campus entrance is very narrow. Please follow the one-way traffic rule.

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.