We celebrated our Easter sunrise service under the beautiful cherry blossoms in full bloom at ARI. 「But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.」
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.
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.
This year again, the hard work of our farm staff and volunteers bore fruit, yielding plump, sweet potatoes.
The total harvest amounted to a whopping 916kg!!
We store the sweet potato in a dedicated storage at the perfect temperature, so that they will sustain the community through spring.
On the 28th of October, I was able to attend the Sri Lankan graduates gathering held in Negombo on the west coast of Sri Lanka.
Eight board members and associates from AFARI (American friends of ARI) also joined us, so many graduates gathered from all over the country. Including 27 graduates from 1977 to 2018 (one from Bangladesh) and their families, plus us -participants from the US and Japan- the total attendance exceeded 70 people.
Prior to the gathering, we conducted field visits to three graduate projects funded by AFARI. On the day of the gathering itself, each graduate presented reports on their activities. We learned that diverse community-based initiatives, rooted in ARI spirit and valuing people, nature, and life, are being carried out throughout Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka is a country where Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, and Hindus living together, and we have graduates from all these religions. The only Buddhist monk among all ARI graduates is also a Sri Lankan graduate. Everyone respects one another and can celebrate each other’s activities.
Sri Lanka faces long-standing tensions between the majority Sinhalese and minority Tamil communities, compounded by mounting challenges like the exodus of workers and intellectuals since the 2022 economic and political crisis. Yet, witnessing the ARI graduates gather, overcoming their differences to deepen trust and friendship, felt like glimpsing an ideal vision for Sri Lanka’s future. It truly warmed my heart.
From the 22nd to 24th of October, ARI staff Osamu Arakawa and Steven Cutting attended the ECHO Conference on Agriculture and Community Development in Chiang Mai, Thailand and met over 20 graduates in fellowship and knowledge exchange.
Over the 2-day conference, experts, practitioners of the field, and interested people were able to attend workshops, plenary sessions, and direct demonstration on ECHO’s farm, deepening their understanding and sharing their knowledge about community development and agriculture practices.
Osamu emphasized the importance and opportunities of collaborations between ARI and other networks, pointing out how ECHO provides an opportunity to bring together graduates and motivate them, while also profiting from ARI’s big network of graduates worldwide.
Many thanks to American Friends of ARI for the financial and logistical support.
Hello from ARI. Starting this week, we are launching a new series on our Facebook and Instagram Stories, capturing daily life on the ARI campus through photos!
“Daily Life” at ARI: A Charm That Captivates Many
We often receive wonderful comments from volunteers and visitors to ARI, such as: “I love the life and atmosphere here.” “It’s so healing to see the fields and the changing seasons.”
Therefore, to share this charm with more people and convey what ARI is like “right now,” we decided to deliver photos that capture ARI “in the moment,” such as:
Lush green campus scenery
Scenes from the fields where participants, staff, and volunteers work together
The beautiful, changing colors of the seasons
Our livestock animals
Snapshots of community life
Please enjoy the “atmosphere” and “daily rhythms” of ARI—things that cannot be fully conveyed in words alone—through our Stories.
▼ View our Stories via our profile (icon) on each platform. You can also check our Highlights!
Instagram: [Instagram]
Facebook: [Facebook]
We hope you look forward to our daily posts!
Today, the fall Used Book Market started!
Best sellers, paperbacks, picture books art books, and many more, all donated from across Japan, will be available for 100 yen and up.
On November 1, 3, and 8, come enjoy Indian curry and chai produced by our skilled ARI chef.
Fall is the season for reading. Why not seek out new words in the quiet former Missionary House, away from the noisy world?
Fri, October 31 – Sat, November 8 *Closed on Sun, November 2
OPEN11:00-16:00
Venue: Former Missionary House (adjacent to Nasu Seminar House) 420-33, Tsukinukizawa, Nasushiobara, Tochigi
Indian Curry & Chai Sales November 1 (Sat), 3 (Mon), and 8 (Sat) *No curry or chai will be served on Fridays this time.
Curry: 700 yen
Chai: 300 yen
Bring your own tableware and get 50 yen off all menu items.
Books to donate are welcome!
Proceeds from the used book fair will be used for ARI’s training programs.
ARI conducts evacuation drills three times a year for the entire community.
For many international participants and volunteers, this is their first experience with disaster preparedness training.
Therefore, learning how to respond when a disaster strikes is critically important.
That day, following an evacuation drill, we conducted a shelter management simulation based on the scenario that ARI campus became an evacuation shelter. We thought together about the responses required in an emergency, using a game-like method.
Watch all our online events again!
Join the ARI life with family and friends!
We're looking for on-campus volunteers
