ICU Farm Project

JICUF Supports Collaboration between ICU and Asian Rural Institute

Sachiko Tokai agriculture, ARI, Asian Rural Institute, Hügelkultur, ICU Farm Project, Nature and Food, rural development, Study Camp September 2, 2025

With support from JICUF, ICU is implementing a program titled “Learning and Practice on Nature and Food in Collaboration with the Asian Rural Institute.” Located in Tochigi Prefecture, the Asian Rural Institute (ARI) is a school where participants from around the world come together to learn and live in community, cultivating leadership for rural development through a life centered on agriculture. Sharing a common history rooted in Christian ideals, ICU and ARI have built a longstanding relationship through ongoing exchanges. At ICU, momentum has been growing to make greater use of the campus’s rich natural environment in education—for example, through the Farm Project launched in 2024. This new collaboration with […]

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Farm Project Report – Spring 2025

Sachiko Tokai compost, Forest Garden, ICU Farm Project, Mitaka Ōsawa Wasabi, Orchard, Wasabi Field March 26, 2025

The Farm Project, a collaboration between JICUF and ICU, was launched in spring 2024. (Click here to read about the project’s background and meet Farm Manager Chigusa Horiuchi.) JICUF will be sharing seasonal updates on the project’s progress and activities. Rooted in the themes of food, agriculture, and environmental engagement, the Farm Project began its activities last fall under the name FARM DAYS. Students and faculty volunteers gathered about three days a week to cultivate the land, plant fruit trees, and tend to the fields. By February 2025, nearly 100 individuals—including many repeat volunteers—had taken part. Currently, the project focuses on three key areas: the forest garden, the orchard, and […]