Updated 2016 updated elements highlighted
Updated after April 10, 2014 updated elements highlighted
Updated Dec 19, 2013 updated elements highlighted. Descriptions about blogs added.
Updated Oct 29, 2013 updated elements highlighted
日本のパーマカルチャー系の場所を
英語圏の人のためにまとめてみた。
まだまだ僕が知っている場所は限られているから、
ここにないお勧めスポットがあればコメントしてね。
僕の特におすすめは伊豆のDionとあさこと、
千葉のPhilかな。両方とも日本語大丈夫。
パーマカルチャーを深く理解していて、
パーマカルチャーを生きている人達。
商業的パーマカルチャー農場だと
霜里ファームとかウレシパモシリ自然農場を
良く勧められる。
川口由一さんの農場と赤目塾は絶対に行くべし！
頭の中に情報がありすぎて今はまとめる余裕がないけど、
モチベーションがあがったら内容を増やすつもり。
Hey, so I get an inquiry once in a while about where to check out for permaculture in Japan. I decided I'd try to organise what I've found so far. It's not comprehensive but its a start. Feel free to comment with additional info that you have, or if you found it helpful! (that'll motivate me to keep doing this stuff).
Basically, the Permaculture movement in Japan is still young and very little info is available in English. Not a lot of people seem to be doing permaculture (as a design method) beyond organic gardening, herb spiral making, and reskilling in the arts of miso making or natural clothes dying. It's not that impressive if you just look for capital "P" Permaculture. I also question whether importing Western-style permaculture elements really makes sense in the Japanese context. There is a difference between looking permaculture and being permaculture.
I would say permaculture has been practiced in Japan for hundreds of years (if not longer). The best practitioners alive often seem to be the really old rural farmers, carpenters, artists, etc who are dying without having a chance to pass on their wisdom. Many of these people have never heard of Permaculture, but they live it. You can find elderly villagers that are more than happy to share with you their amazing skills and knowledge, which are quite ordinary for them. In older districts of Tokyo, there are areas where cramped old wooden houses stand with impressive vertical gardens, rainwater catchment systems, and elaborate fire prevention strategies which are some examples of urban permaculture.
The natural farming movement is perhaps one of the most impressive things, permaculture-wise, happening in Japan. There are a lot of different people and styles involved. My favorite is Yoshikazu Kawaguchi in Nara prefecture who is an amazing natural farmer and human being. He founded a natural farming school in Mie called Akamejuku where several hundred people every year learn to do natural farming by doing it. The general idea is no fertilizer, no pesticides, no weeding, and no digging (in practice these are not strictly followed and the principles are quite nuanced). So, don't miss out on doing some natural farming with experienced masters spread all over Japan.
Key words to look into: Edo, satoyama, shizenno (natural farming)
A few resources you can start with
Blogs by foreign permies in Japan and a few extras
- Dion Workman: Kiwi permy living in Izu with an excellent understanding of plants, food forests, and low-income living in Japan
- Kyle Holzhueter: Young straw-bale home builder with a PhD in the subject. Offers workshops in various countries but resides in Japan
- Ken Elwood: Permy in Nagoya area with a very well-done website and lots of projects
- Phil Cashman (website is more updated): Cool Irish-Japanese former carpenter who is a hub for permaculture action in Japan
- Cecilia Macaulay (mix of Japan and Australia articles): The most beauty conscious permy I have ever met. Cecilia specialises on balcony gardening and share-houses.
- Cecilia's website that includes some projects she did in Japan
- Article on permy artist duo Namaiki. All I know is that they do cool stuff.
- Tokyo DIY Gardening: just found this an it is awesome!!! Must check out.
- Edoble: through the site above I found a Tokyo food foraging group. How cool!
- Byron Nagy: up-and-coming permy starting a permaculture village empire
- Tokyo Green Space
SITES
Below are a few recommended places for sustainable living and permaculture interest. Most places don't have English information yet, and the hosts probably don't speak English either. But, with enough enthusiasm and resourcefulness, I'm sure you can make a visit work.
** means I haven't been there yet.
TOKYO
Sumida ward, Tokyo (North of Skytree) 墨田区
Walk around the neighborhoods and get lost on narrow meandering paths sandwiched by old wooden houses. You'll find impressive vertical gardens, rainwater harvesting systems, and other interesting features of old urban Japan. The less straighter paths leads to more interesting finds. The meandering narrow roads are former rice paddy paths. This area was saved from the US fire bombing and incinerated Tokyo during WWII.
Shitamachi Museum, Ueno
Good place to get a sense of Edo period permaculture. Very resource efficient living designed with almost no waste. It's small museum but there is a lot you can learn.
http://www.taitocity.net/taito/shitamachi/sitamachi_english/shitamachi_english.html
Dion and Asako's Shikigami homestead CLOSED
For Permaculture in rural Japan, this is my number one pick so far. Traditional homestead slowly enhanced by their edible forest gardening. They are well-versed in permaculture and knowledgeable about traditional Japanese farm-life.
Check out
KANAGAWA
Fujino station 藤野
Fujino is a hotspot for alternative culture in Japan. They host the Permaculture Center Japan (PCCJ) which is probably the first permaculture hub in Japan. Many of their graduates have started interesting projects in Fujino, like Transition Town Fujino (TF) that was featured in the documentary
In Transition 2.0. The PCCJ site hasn't impressed me yet, but graduates have done some cool housing designs such as the
Satoyama Nagaya.
The vibrant TF movement is worth checking out. They've developed a solid local currency called
yorozuya, a forestry group, a young farmer group, and an energy group called
Fujino denryoku.
Fujino denryoku has been working on creating alternatives to centralized energy systems after the Fukushima nuclear disaster (still continuing). They have developed a solar electric scooter station, they are trying to provide 100% solar energy for a school building, and are looking into community scale micro-hydro systems.
There is also a guy I hear often about named Bryan Whitehead who makes kimonos starting from silkworm eggs. Check out the article below, it's quite amazing.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2010/07/18/general/from-grubs-to-kimono/#.UkfGbxbUTG4
My friend Byron Nagy is starting a permaculture homestead in Fujino. He might have an internship program in the not so distant future, and probably could use skilled help. Another friend Shiori (21) built herself a mobile home (hut on wheels) and is starting to practice permaculture on Byron's land.
The project is called Umbrella Pine Permaculture
http://umbrellapinepermaculture.wordpress.com
Nihon University: Center for Natural Environmental Sciences, Koji Itonaga Laboratory
Homepage: http://hp.brs.nihon-u.ac.jp/~cnes/english/index.html
Cafe De La Terra (Totsuka) カフェデラテラ
A hub for the slow movement in Japan. Really cool straw-bale temple.
http://slowjapan.wordpress.com/2011/12/15/straw-and-soil-bind-all-of-us-to-provide-you-with-warmth-and-comfort-straw-bale-house-workshop-in-japan/
http://www.candle-night.org/en/event/event-report/candle-night-in-zenryouji-temp.html
Gokan no Mori Permaculture Preschool (by Phil Cashman and co.)
http://gokantaiso.org/?page_id=493
AICHI
Sansu Asuke Yashiki 足助屋敷
This is a educational "theme village" that recreates an old artisan village. The buildings are made in the traditional manner and various artisans inhabit the village during the day making charcoal, wooden bowls, baskets, water buckets, metal tools, silk kimonos, etc. The crafts-wo/men are very friendly and will gladly teach you their skills. It is a business that allows for crafts-wo/men to make a living in modern day Japan. It feels like a romantic recreation of traditional rural Japan. Located in a very beautiful area where you can venture deeper into the mountain for a more "authentic" experience if you please.
Homepage:
http://www.asuke.aitai.ne.jp/~yashiki/aboutus/index.html
English:
http://www.jnto.go.jp/tourism/en/s050.html
Tokurinji Temple (Aioiyama) 徳林寺
This is a zen temple with a radical abbot who is always starting up new projects. He has a strong connection to Nepalese culture and has built two naan ovens. Other projects I've seen are a giant water tank, PV array, cob oven, organic garden, and a
minna no ie (a place to demonstrate sustainable living). They also have meditation practitioners from around the world and a donation based dorm.
Homepage:
http://www.aioiyama.net
Blog (more update):
http://minanoie.jimdo.com
Time to get lazy for now.....
Adams Guild**
Blog:
http://kenelwood.wordpress.com
