The 50th Harvest Thanksgiving Celebration

This is ARI’s biggest annual event which is held to give thanks for a bountiful harvest.
After last year’s online event, we are happy to welcome you to our campus this year!
Please remember that reservations are limited to the first 160 people who sign up (80 people per session).

*We have closed reservations for both the morning and afternoon sessions.

Saturday, October 15 (live webcast available)

Morning Session 9:30-12:00 (Entry from 9:00)
Afternoon Session: 13:00-15:30 (Entry from 12:30)

Reservations required. 

Changeover: please note that the registration is for the session and not for the whole day. 
limited number of participants (Up to 80 people per session *0~3 years old are not counted)

Venue: Asian Rural Institute (442-1 Tsukizawa, Nasushiobara, Tochigi)
Admission including meal ticket: Adult 1,000 yen, 4 years old~Elementary school student 500 yen

Come to enjoy our International Organic Cuisine / Harvest Thanksgiving Service / Stage Performances / Exhibition and more!

Live Stream

We will live-stream the event through our Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/Asian.Rural.Institute/

Live Stream Schedule

9:30-10:25 Opening Ceremony

10:45-11:55 Stage Performance I

12:00-13:00 ARI Introduction Videos

13:00-14:15 Stage Performance II

14:30-15:30 Harvest Thanksgiving Service

For those who will join HTC on site

1. For those coming by car
Parking will be available in the Tsukinokizawa Elementary School yard. Please do not park in ARI.
Please use the shuttle bus for transportation between the parking lot and ARI.
 ● Morning session
 <Tsukinokizawa Elementary School to ARI> departing 8:35, 8:55, and 9:15
 <ARI to Tsukinokizawa Elementary School> departing 12:10, 12:30, and 12:50
 ● Afternoon session
 <Tsukinokizawa Elementary School to ARI> departing 12:20 and 12:40
 <ARI to Tsukinokizawa Elementary School> departing 15:40 and 16:00
 *There is a limit to the number of people that can be accommodated at one time. In order to bring everyone to ARI by the start time, we would appreciate it if you could be at the parking lot at the time of the first bus.

2. For those coming by train
Please take the shuttle bus from JR Nasushiobara Station (not Nishinasuno Station) to ARI.
You can board the bus at the west exit, down the escalator.
 ● Morning session
 <Nasushiobara Sta. to ARI> departing 9:05
 <ARI to Nasushiobara Sta.> departing 12:10
 ● Afternoon session
 <Nasushiobara Sta. to ARI> departing 12:30
   <ARI to Nasushiobara Sta.> departing 15:30
 Note: Shinkansen from Tokyo arrives at 8:57 a.m. and 12:20 p.m., and leaving to Tokyo at 13:03 p.m. and 16:03 p.m.

3. Please cooperate with bringing your own tableware and eco-bags.
We recommend you bring large plates, bowls, cups, and silverware.
Please also bring your own eco-bag for shopping.

Reservations

We have closed reservations for both the morning and afternoon sessions. No additional reservations will be accepted. Thank you for your understanding.

Please make a reservation here.
[Reservation form: Reservation start date: Thursday, September 15, 10:30].

Food will be available in both morning and afternoon sessions. You are welcome to register for either. 

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.

クリスマス・ウィンターキャンペーン 2025
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