The Latest

Jacky’s Dream: A Kenyan Graduate’s Story

After graduating from ARI in 2022, Jacky Owang (kneeling, center left) returned to her community in Kenya to uplift the local farmers and fishers, increasing food security and economic income for the members of her church community.

Since then, thanks to a microgrant from Kibo Alliance, Jacky started a fish farming project, building fish pools and training farmers in her community on fish raising techniques. This small project, of teaching her community how to raise fish, is one step towards realizing her dreams after ARI.

Want to see her project, and meet ARI graduates like Jacky? Sign up for the Kibo Alliance trip to Kenya this June 22 to July 1. Limited space available!

Use this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScPz_Ox6nN4Y-N22GOOB8BRFBojg_eavMKWqQgRWgn9SaNMHQ/viewform

ARI Staff Training: Nonviolent Communication

From Feb 16–18, ARI hosted a 3-day NVC (Nonviolent Communication) workshop for our staff, led by Nozomi Kuriyama and Mari Saito from NVC Japan Network. Marking our third year of learning NVC, it feels as though we’ve finally stood at the “starting line.”

NVC is a way of connecting that moves beyond judgment or criticism. Instead, it focuses on listening to our “Feelings” and the underlying “Needs”—the things we truly value. As we grow older, it becomes harder to listen to our inner voices, often making it difficult to nurture relationships where everyone’s needs are honored. The journey starts by noticing our own biases and shifting our perspectives. By changing ourselves, our relationships transform, and eventually, so does the world.

The key is to breathe and mindfully savor our true selves. When we connect with our deep needs, we find healing and the joy of acting from the heart.

We look forward to seeing this practice create a ripple effect throughout the ARI community—a cycle of life centered on honoring each other’s true needs.

Lunchtime at ARI: Savoring Life!

At 12:30 PM, staff, volunteers, and participants finish their morning work and gather in the dining hall, ready for a good meal.

Today’s Menu:

• Fried Chicken
• Carrot, Chickpea, and Cheese Salad
• Turnip and Edamame Potage
• Banana Cake
• Carrot Cake
• White & Brown Rice
• Yuzu Ginger Tea

From the fields and poultry houses to the kitchen, this nutritious lunch is prepared by many caring hands. We share, we appreciate, and we say “Itadakimasu”—savoring the life we receive.

Join us tomorrow for the award commemorative activity report meeting of the “15th Kubota-Mainichi Earth Future Award”!

We are thrilled to announce that ARI has been awarded the “Grand Prize” in the General Category of the 15th Kubota-Mainichi Earth Future Award.
This award honors organizations and individuals tackling the 21st-century global challenges of “Food,” “Water,” and the “Environment.”

Osamu Arakawa, the Director of ARI, explains why nurturing rural leaders is so important:
“According to research by UNEP, the peasant food web—small-scale farming villages spreading organically like a spider’s web—supports 70% of the world’s population by using limited resources: only 25% of the world’s farmland, 10% of fossil fuels, and 20% of agricultural water.
None of us can survive without the producers who create our food and a healthy environment. The true foundation of our society lies in these small farming villages—what we call Satoyama. This is why empowering grassroots leaders who work in these rural areas is of paramount importance.”

🎥 Online Livestream Announcement
Commemorative Report Meeting Date & Time: Feb 14 (Sat) 14:00–16:30 (JST)
Stream URL: https://youtube.com/live/Esh_i9X7f8Y

ARI will continuously commit to building a world, “That We May Live Together.” Please help us spread this joy by sharing this post with your network!

Peace that comes from the little ones

On February 7th and 8th, a two-day activity report session by Ms. Naomi Iwamoto from Japan Overseas Christian Medical Cooperative Service (JOCS) was held at ARI and UCCJ Nishinasuno Church. Despite the cold snap that hit over the weekend, many people attended. We listened intently to the profound life stories Ms. Iwamoto shared, as she spoke about each child by name.

In Bangladesh, children with disabilities often have no choice but to be tied to a pillar in their homes, kept locked away, or left to wander the streets during daytime. A child’s disability is frequently blamed on the mother, leading many women to be divorced and forced into lives of extreme economic hardship.
We learned that tying a child to a pillar is not an act of abuse; rather, it is the only way a mother can ensure her child’s safety while she is away at work. One can only imagine the immense relief these mothers felt when a daycare center was established after their voices—pleading for a safe place to entrust their children—were finally heard.

The current situation surrounding people with disabilities in Bangladesh is a reality that could also occur in the home regions of the participants at ARI. It was a vital opportunity for us to deepen our understanding of these challenges.

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Ms. Naomi Iwamoto and the JOCS staff for providing us with the opportunity to hear such invaluable stories.

Ready to Grow at ARI? Calling Japanese Participants for the 2026 Academic Year!

Did you know that Japanese can also enroll in ARI? Many people might imagine that our participants coming from overseas. However, we actually welcome Japanese participants as well!
To help you learn more, we’ve put together a clear and simple FAQ covering what you can study at ARI, tuition fees, required English proficiency, and the career paths of graduates. Please take a look!
For details regarding international participant recruitment, please see the following page: Admissions – Asian Rural Institute

Q1. What can I learn at ARI?
You will gain the essential skills to become a Rural Leader. This means becoming a leader who is rooted in the local community, respects local resources and the environment, and serves to improve people’s lives and solve regional issues.The Curriculum: Three Core Pillars
ARI curriculum is built on three pillars: Servant Leadership, Foodlife, and Learning Community.

1. Servant Leadership: You will learn concepts such as active listening and non-violent communication. By taking turns as group leaders, you will practice a “service-oriented” leadership style—serving the people rather than a traditional top-down approach.
   
2. Foodlife: “Foodlife” is a term coined by ARI to express that “Food and Life are inseparable.” You will learn organic farming techniques that are friendly to both people and the environment—methods that can be practiced without expensive machinery. In a time where food security is becoming a global concern, learning to take responsibility for what we eat is more important than ever.
   
3. Learning Community: ARI requires a flexible heart and mind ready for self-reflection and change. We view daily challenges—even those that overturn our values—as opportunities for growth. It is a place to connect and learn with people who share similar values, despite having different backgrounds.

Voice of a Graduate: “ARI is not just about organic farming and leadership; it is first and foremost a place where you grow as a human being. Through dialogue with others and yourself, I gained a foundation for how I want to live my life. I highly recommend ARI to anyone who wants to share values and grow together in a diverse community.” (Chigira Hasumi, 2017 Graduate)

Q2. What is the difference between a Participant and a Volunteer?
Participants join the Rural Leaders Training Program on equal footing with international participants. You will attend all lectures and practical training and share a room with international participants for the most intensive experience. Volunteers work in various sections—such as the farm, kitchen, or office—to support the community life and the training program.

Voice of a Graduate: “Having experienced being a participant, an graduate intern, and a staff member, I felt the most intense discussions and dialogues happened when I was a participant. Sharing diverse perspectives with people from different cultures remains a wonderful memory.” (Ryo Maki, 2019 Graduate)

Q3. How much is the tuition?
For the 9-month training:

• Tuition: 700,000 JPY
• Lab/Practical Fee: 260,000 JPY (Additional dormitory and food fees are 30,000 JPY per month each.) Note: If you choose to become a Graduate Intern, you can continue your studies for another year with only living expenses.

Q4. I’m not confident in my English. Is that okay?
English proficiency is not a criterion for selection. However, since all training is conducted in English, we recommend studying before you join. What matters most is your attitude and willingness to communicate, rather than fluency or technical skill.

Voice of a Graduate: “I was worried about my English, and it was hard when I couldn’t express myself at first. But my classmates encouraged me. Since no one is a native speaker, everyone tries their best to understand each other.” (Moe Koyama, 2009 Graduate)

Q5. What are the career paths after graduation?
Our Japanese graduates are active in a wide range of fields, including international cooperation (such as JICA), local farming, community development, education, welfare, and the private sector.

Voice of a Graduate: “The learning at ARI is incredibly diverse and goes far beyond agricultural techniques or rural development. From my personal experience, I believe what you learn at ARI can be fully applied to fields like social welfare and education as well.” (Makiko Nakamura, 2008 Graduate – Special Needs Education Assistant)

“The dialogues and discussions I had with fellow students, staff, and volunteers were invaluable. Through those conversations, I was able to think deeply about international and cross-cultural understanding, peacebuilding, servant leadership, and self-understanding. That unique environment is directly connected to my current career.” (Yuta Kimura, 2020 Graduate – Government employee)

How to Apply

• Application Deadline: Saturday, February 28, 2026
• Details for Japanese Participants: https://ari.ac.jp/en/jp-admission/

We offer campus tours upon request, so please feel free to contact us.

We are also recruiting long-term volunteers for the next academic year: https://ari.ac.jp/volunteer/

St. Olaf College Students Explore Environmental Learning and Community Life at ARI

In wintertime, the ARI campus typically gets quiet. Participants have returned home, the farm fields are frozen, and ARI community members recharge while preparing for the next class.

This year, however, the ARI community was abuzz with a different type of learner: college students from St. Olaf College, based in Northfield, Minnesota, USA. Undergrads specializing in environmental science and Japanese area studies, the students came for a winter session special class on environmental issues in Japan, and ARI played the host for two weeks of the course.

St. Olaf students learned about the history of ARI as an institution and its environmental philosophy grounded in sustainable, regenerative farming. They got hands-on experience exploring soil health, such as when they made their own natural fertilizer, bokashi, a technique they hoped to apply on the St. Olaf campus when they return.

The students also visited the Nasu region to study elements of Japan’s environmental history. ARI staff brought them to important sites along the Nasu canal, which first opened the region to agricultural development over 150 years ago, and to several regional farms of varying sizes. The students learned the background and current status of Fukushima prefecture and the impacts of the nuclear power plant meltdown, and heard about the history of organic agriculture in Japan.

Their stay at ARI was not simply a study trip, however. The students joined in all aspects of the ARI community life, including helping cook meals and assisting with farm work. They cleaned carrots, treading on wheat, and more. They enjoyed the ARI life so much, they ended their two weeks stay by hosting a pizza party in the ARI dining hall, Koinonia!

ARI is deeply grateful to St. Olaf for visiting our campus and breaking bread with us as part of their studies.

If you’re interested in planning a study program at ARI for you or your students, contact us today!