Blogs

Aya, Sustainable Community in South Kyushu

Aya, Sustainable Community in South Kyushu

Posted by Taro Kobayashi on 7th Jun 2019

Aya (綾) is a picturesque sustainable organic farming community of 7,053 inhabitants (2019) located about 20 kilometers from our hometown of Miyazaki in south Kyushu island. It is nestled betwe … read more
Making Tea with Children Helps Teach Values

Making Tea with Children Helps Teach Values

Posted by Yoshi Kai on 14th May 2019

In Japan, the tea ceremony is more than an artistic pastime for preparation and presentation of matcha. The ideals which it represents serve as tools for teaching children personal and social values … read more
Memories of Cherry Blossoms

Memories of Cherry Blossoms

Posted by Yoshi Kai on 24th Mar 2019

There is so much written about the beauty and profoundness of cherry blossoms. And yet, my childhood memories of them are quite simple.I grew up in Mimasaka, a small town in Okayama prefecture. There, … read more
Reflections and Hopes

Reflections and Hopes

Posted by Yoshi Kai on 18th Dec 2018

Winter solstice will be upon us soon. Days will begin to get longer, and the promise of new beginnings is in the air.As we put 2017 behind us, just as we do every year, we want to say thanks to our … read more
A hot summer day in Miyazaki

A hot summer day in Miyazaki

Posted by Yoshi Kai on 27th Jul 2018

In July, the sun rises before 5:30 in Miyazaki, and my day starts early. By 7 o’clock, Momo (my 5-year-old Papillon) and Yuki (my 2-year-old Japanese Spitz) have had their morning stroll by a … read more