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The 12 Days Traveling from Tokyo to Kyushu: Western Japan Study Tour 2025 Vol. 4

On the morning of November 17th, participants arrived at Moji Port in Kyushu aboard a ferry and then traveled by bus to Minamata. Although they had studied Minamata disease beforehand at ARI, visiting Minamata had a profoundly different impact on them.

Upon arriving in Minamata, they first heard from Mr. Matsuki, a former Minamata City government employee. He worked with the mayor to rebuild connections within a broken community. Minamata residents had many issues – one of them was mistrust among those who were direct victims and those who could make a living either directly or indirectly through Chisso company. There are so many complex issues, but hearing from a government official was interesting for participants. I am sure through some of their questions, they feel that the government is not doing anything or enough. But it is important to consider this role as well – especially as leaders who will have to consider various perspectives.

After that they visited Soshisha- private Minamata disease Museum. Soshisha is an organization that has supported Minamata disease victims in raising their voices against Chisso and the government. Mr. Yoshinaga, our guide, shared more details about the disease, especially as people who supported the Minamata disease victims to raise their voice against Chisso and the government. Who was affected, why the disease amplified, and how stigma has endured in many ways. He ended the sharing by imploring participants to be good leaders for their people; who seek to learn and see for themselves, the ground realities.

For that night, they have all reached their 14 host families.

On the second day, participants had a tour of Minamata along with our guide, Mr. Umeda. They learned a lot about the courage of Minamata people and their desire to fight for justice. It was a new learning for staff as well, since they heard Mr. Umeda’s personal stories. He shared the three big causes of the disease. The small cause being the presence of methyl mercury as a pollutant. The secondary cause is the magnification of mercury and spread through polluted fish. The final and biggest cause of the disease was the fact that they continued to pollute the water for over 30 years, even after knowing that it’s dangerous. This is the human ego. One that sees the impact only from one perspective. He implored all participants to look at the context, the reasons, and make decisions based on the whole picture – which includes the realities of the community.

After this they heard a testimony from Ms. Shinobu Sakamoto. She is a congenital Minamata disease patient. She shared her life story and her journey in representing the voice of many who suffer from the disease – including those who are not officially recognized as Minamata Disease patients. People were moved by her determination to go to school, to go to many places, and to share her story. It was a good learning opportunity for all of them.

At the last, participants visited Karatachi and heard from Ms. Nahoko Osawa – their program organizer in Minamata. She shared about how this connection has been held for 45 years and how happy she is to be the 2nd generation supporter for Minamata people (the activities were started by Nahoko’s parents) and person connecting ARI with Minamata.

The day ended with a fellowship party which included all host families. We had music, dance and good food! All of us really appreciate their warm welcome and hospitality.

Next-Generation Energy: Biogas

In early November, a two-day biogas class was held with Mr. Kuwabara from Ogawa Town, Saitama Prefecture as the instructor. Biogas is a biofuel gas derived from organic materials such as food waste, paper, and livestock manure. The residue after fermentation can be used as fertilizer or compost, making it a waste-free process. For this reason, it has gained attention in recent years as a means of generating renewable energy.
Every year, during their observation trip to Ogawa Town in June, participants visit Mr. Kuwabara to learn about his unique biogas project involving the local community. In his area, food waste collected from households is used to produce biogas. In the early days, with public subsidies, residents received coupons usable at local shops for delivering their food waste, making it an initiative friendly to both the environment and the local economy.
On the first day, a hands-on class was held on constructing polyethylene biogas plants. On the second day, each participant challenged themselves to design a concrete biogas plant tailored to the scale and budget feasible within their own community.

The 12 Days Traveling from Tokyo to Kyushu: Western Japan Study Tour 2025 Vol. 3

Participants arrived in Osaka on the evening of the 14th and were welcomed by the Osaka YMCA.

 On the 15th, they split into three study groups:
 One team visited Osaka Korea Town in Ikuno Ward. Participants learned about discrimination issues related to Zainichi Koreans. It was an opportunity to reflect on minority groups and identity. We were grateful for the opportunity to hear about our guide’s first hand experiences as well. Many were surprised to learn that these issues exist and how they take form in Japanese society.

The issue of discrimination was also the main topic for the team visiting Taisho Ward. Participants were saddened to learn about the struggles Okinawan people in Osaka face. From their perspective, it was difficult to understand how Okinawan are different from Japanese; and why they cannot be accepted. However, after hearing actual experiences, they also perceive that there could even be issues of discrimination now if 3rd generation Okinawan people decide to return to Okinawa.

The final group visited Nishinari Ward. Participants were shocked to learn about this reality in Japan. They found that women and children are especially vulnerable. They also discussed the cycle of poverty and how difficult it is to escape it due to structural and cultural factors.

All three groups were accompanied by Osaka YMCA high school volunteers and translators. The students shared that they didn’t know about these issues despite living and studying in Osaka.

Osaka YMCA will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2032. In preparation for that, Osaka YMCA’s “VISION150” values creating space for
encounters and dialogue. We feel that these field trips uphold this vision. Together we learn and explore more ways to tackle these social issues.

The next day was Sunday, and participants spent time with their host families, visiting churches and other popular places in Osaka, some even visited Nara. In the evening, they said a teary goodbye to the families and boarded the ferry to Moji port.

Lectures from ARI Graduates

At ARI, practical classes taught by graduates are held about four times a year.
This time, two graduates from the Democratic Republic of Congo class of 2022, Shukuru and Mordekay, led an online class. They introduced methods for raising black soldier fly larvae. In fact, while at ARI, the two had first attempted this rearing as a personal project. Unfortunately, they failed at the time, but after graduation they tried again in their home country and were able to achieve success.
Feeding on kitchen waste, these insects hatch from eggs into larvae in a short period of about 18 days. They are highly nutritious and ideal feed for chickens and other animals. This space-efficient method, well-suited for small-scale farmers, has been shared with community members and the number of farmers implementing it is gradually increasing.
The class also included Ryo Maki, a former farm staff member. He shared his own experience attempting to rear Black Soldier Flies at his farm (RyoMimi Farm) in Tochigi Prefecture, using kitchen garbage and fermented rice bran as feed, making it a highly informative learning session.

Additionally, this Shukuru and Mordekay’s program is supported by Tarr Fellowship microgrants from AFARI (American Friends of ARI) and they will host a special online session this Wednesday, November 19th at 11 a.m. Eastern U.S. time — we hope to see you there!
If you’re interested, please contact [email protected] for registration.

Please note that this event is entirely in English.

The 12 Days Traveling from Tokyo to Kyushu: Western Japan Study Tour 2025 Vol. 2

On November 13th, after being treated to delicious oranges at the farm of Mr. Shinobu Yamanaka, who has supported ARI across three generations, participants departed Hamamatsu and headed for Aino High School in Mie Prefecture.
At that night, participants had a good time talking with Aino HS students. Along with a world map, they talked about their countries, what they like, and so on. Although, it was an optional for Aino HS students, many students joined this round table discussion.

The next day’s main program began with fellowship – singing, dancing, and some games to officially start the program. During the discussion time that followed, participants facilitated discussions using the PLA idea of the 3 P-s in society (power, prestige, property). They discussed which roles and occupations, such as pastors, teachers, and farmers, possess what “P”. They could hear stories of how different some roles are in Japan and in participants’ countries.

After lunch, they spent some time enjoying various sports. The program was closed by a warm message from the principal. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the day.

Learning Processing Techniques from a Local Sausage Shop

Among ARI’s curriculum, one of the most “delicious” classes is this meat processing class.
Mr. Koide from Neu Frank Atelier Nasu comes every year as an instructor. Using ARI’s pork as the ingredient, he teaches participants how to make sausages, bacon, roast pork, and more.
Processing allows for longer storage and enables selling at higher prices than raw materials. Therefore, these food processing techniques are a subject of deep interest for many participants.
We sincerely thank Mr. Koide for taking the time out of his busy schedule to provide us with such important and detailed instructions.

The 12 Days Traveling from Tokyo to Kyushu: Western Japan Study Tour 2025 Vol. 1

On the morning of the 11th, participants departed from ARI and arrived at their first destination: the predecessor of ARI, Theological Seminary for Rural Mission in Machida, Tokyo. They learned about some traditional skills of water retention from the Edo period. Although it was short, they had a good time visiting the roots of ARI.

After that, they moved to Hamamatsu, and the following day, they enjoyed fellowship with Seirei Christopher kindergarten, Elementary, Jr. high, High school and Global school jr. High school students. Playing different games, experiencing new ways to express culture, traditional drum performances. In the afternoon, we visited the Seirei museum. Many people were impressed and motivated by Mr. Tamotsu Hasegawa (the founder of Seirei group) and how he dedicated his life to serve people and respond to the needs of the community. One participant shared: I am used to hearing “do your best to serve while you are living (in this life)” but today I learned from Mr. Hasegawa’s act of donating his skeleton to the medical school for students to learn from, that it is possible to serve even after passing away.
Many shared that today helped them think more deeply about faith and religion – including servant leadership.

“People & Places : Tomoko‘s Report” : Four days at  Doshisha schools

From November 4th to 7th, I was invited to speak a total of 10 times over 4 days: as a preacher for the Special Worship Service during the Autumn Religious Week at Doshisha Junior and Senior High Schools, for the Chapel Hour at Doshisha Women’s College, and as a lecturer for the Doshisha Junior and Senior High School Faculty Religious Education Workshop.

The total number of students at Doshisha Junior and Senior High Schools, combined with attendees at other lectures and events, exceeded 5,000. It was my first time speaking to such a large audience in such a short period. Moreover, it was my first visit to all the schools, and I met the teachers in charge for the first time, except for two. Although they are all part of the Doshisha group, each school naturally has its own distinct history and characteristics, making it a highly stimulating week.

What left a lasting impression was Doshisha’s free and bright atmosphere. There were no uniforms at any of the schools, and this spirit was evident in the students’ appearance—their clothing, hairstyles, and belongings. Through the meals shared with the religious department teachers, we quickly became comfortable with each other, as if we had known each other for years, and our conversations flowed freely over a wide range of topics. Though it was still a bit early for the autumn leaves, visiting a different location each day made me feel like I was truly enjoying autumn in Kyoto.