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Meet the Konohana Family, an agricultural collective at the Foot of Mt. Fuji, Shizuoka
Aug 5th, 2009
Lunch at Konohana Family, Isadon is facing the camera in a blue T-shirt. Photo by family member Isao
In 1993, perhaps long before the term Eco Village came into popular usage in Japan, a middle aged interior designer and carpenter from Nagoya and several companions were asking themselves if there weren’t a better way to live than the extreme consumerism that was reflected in Japanese society at the time and still is today. The following year they purchased some property in the rural municipality of Fujinomiya, just south west of Mt. Fuji, and set about answering the question. While they are still at it today, they have found their answer and for them it is an unequivocal yes.
In late April of this year I happened to attend the last day of the Eco Village Conference Tokyo. Ostensibly I was there to attend a session on communal living solutions in urban environments, but as I had arrived a bit early I decided to watch the remainder of the preceding session, unaware of what that session was. Entering the room, I was immediately struck by what the speaker was saying. He was describing a way of life quite different from that of the typical modern community in the developed world, rural and urban included, but a way which particularly struck a chord with me because it sounded quite similar to conclusions I had arrived at myself regarding the possible future of sustainable living. The speaker was Isadon (Isami Furuta), the aforementioned carpenter, and the community he was describing was Konohana Family (link in Japanese), which he and his companions established in 1994 (known at the time as Konohana Farm).
Today, Konohana Family has more than 57 permanent residents aged from infants to the elderly with an additional constantly fluctuation population of short and long term visitors, some of whom end up staying for good. Spread out over several buildings in Fujinomiya, they farm the largest land area in the surrounding community, and much of the land they farm is gladly rented to them free of charge by that community, which, faced with an aging and dwindling population, would rather see the land put to good use than go fallow. They grow ten varieties of rice and over 260 types of vegetables and grains, using no pesticides or chemical fertilizers, for a rich vegetarian diet augmented with organic eggs from their large chicken population (860 chickens!) and home made dairy products from their four goats. The only edibles they do not provide entirely themselves are salt, sugar, and most of their cooking oil (though they do make some egoma oil).
So far, this is rather straight forward for a modern day eco village. What differentiates Konohana Family, aside from the point that they had never heard of eco villages when they started out fifteen years ago, is their social structure. They describe themselves as an agricultural collective, and a “family which exceeds blood ties”. For example, they eat all of their meals together in one long room. The children call all adults, including their parents, by their first names. Every night after dinner they have a “children’s meeting” where every child old enough to speak reports on their day and can say or ask anything they like (and further must answer questions from any adult). This is followed by an “adult’s meeting” that begins at 9:00 pm and lasts until every issue has been voiced, usually ending before midnight but often lasting far beyond, and they never sleep late the following morning. The meetings start with daily work reports and work assignments for the following day and further address any outstanding issues that concern the family. Finally, everyone is given an opportunity to voice personal issues, which in fact many do every evening without shame or embarrassment, and these can be quite personal.
Just last week I had the opportunity to visit them (Japanese link, author is in front row third from right) over a three day weekend and see for myself, and perhaps more importantly feel for myself, just what this all meant. I came away inspired and educated. Because of the depth of that experience, the next several posts in my ongoing series on sustainable living in Japan will focus on the unique lifestyle and agricultural practices of Konohana Family.
More information on Konohana Family in English can be found here (pdf).
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This is a wonderful community of green-minded people who believe in sustainability. Maybe I can visit some time soon, as I am of the same approach to taking care of oneself, the community and the world in a peaceful, healthy approach.
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