Seeking Sustainability LIVE (SSL)

The 3rd annual Minka Summit will be held once again in Hanase Village (about an hour from Kyoto station). In this preview talk about this year's event, Lauren, Andrea and Stuart join to give insights on the special speakers, minka mall, minka tours, locals and the village, and how the event has changed over the last 3 years. Key TakeawaysThey are expecting the biggest turn-out yet this year at around 500 people and have chosen to go back to Hanase village's location as there are more areas to mingle and interact with one another. Great sponsors and local vendors are involved as well as a local vegetarian and organic food restaurant to cater to the vegetarians who come. So impressed by how well this small team of organizers creates such a fabulous event each year!Looking forward to seeing you all there!Information about the event for April 19-21: https://kominkajapan.org/minka-summit-2024Buy your tickets: https://peatix.com/event/3712154Playlist for Minka, Kominka, Akiya & Traditional Japanese Houses in Japan:https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcyYXjRuE20FnRrydax7RWlFLxibc6N-X&si=9ZCnCJFlHPVEgU0PBackground Music thanks to Casey Bean- download your own copy and support his original musical journey on Bandcamp: https://caseybean.bandcamp.com/

Ayumi & Uberto are an international couple living in Fukuoka who know a lot about earthquake resistant traditional Japanese buildings. Ayumi wrote an excellent Medium blog about it and another about how Japanese students are educated and trained to survive an earthquake. They have been renovating and living in an old Japanese house KOMINKA after many years living in Europe. Budget: They bought the house for 30 million yen and spent 5 million yen on earthquake resistance seismic retrofit remodeling as well as another 10 million on other renovations. They got 1 million yen back from the government for making use of an AKIYA abandoned house, but couldn't qualify for the subsidy for making the house more earthquake-proof.Earthquake safety of old houses is such a big issue this year due to the horrible Noto Peninsula earthquake which destroyed so many traditional homes. But Ayumi says it's not the design of the traditional buildings which is the problem- it's more termite or rot damage and lack of upkeep.Ayumi's article, "What is an earthquake resistant house?"https://medium.com/@Japanlifeagain/whats-an-earthquake-resistant-house-89a32c7978d7Background Music thanks to Casey Bean- download your own copy and support his original musical journey on Bandcamp: https://caseybean.bandcamp.com/

What sustainable trends, events and innovations are on our radar this month (February 2024) Japan?

Emily Kaneko Reynolds loves to build with earth and mud- in this talk, she shares some of her insights and passion for natural building materials. Emily wrote a book about Japan's Clay Walls (link below) and she gave a Tedx Talk in 2021 worth watching called : Save Your World, Build with Earth – Japan Style - TEDxKUFS : • Save Your World, Build with Earth – J... Emily is based in Keihoku (north of Kyoto) and is on the final stretch of a PhD in earthen plaster studies at Kyoto's Institute of Technology. She is one of the presenters at this year's Minka Summit in April. https://kominkajapan.org/speakers Buy Emily's Book on Japan Clay Walls: https://a.co/d/fAHC75ZBlog- Plaster with WA https://plasterwithwa.wordpress.com/Instagram: emily.kaneko.reynolds

Carole Fuchs is an impressive endurance athlete who has climbed Mt.Everest, she works at the British Embassy as a climate advocate, and is an entrepreneur who launched Feel Run - a sustainable business focused on promoting sustainability in sportswear, events and sports. The sportswear she makes reuses waste plastics and bamboo fibers - the company also pledges to take the product back when you are finished with it. https://www.feelrun.com/Carole also talked of her frustrations in shopping without plastics in Japan and getting funding for her upcoming documentary in the Himalayas where she wants to show the effects of climate change on the environment and the human tragedy of how it effects the people's lives who live there as well. #carolefuchs #ultra #athlete #enduranceathlete #climatechange #himalayas #japan #activism #diplomacy #womanpower #entrepreneur #sustainablebusiness #founder

As a preview for the 3rd annual Minka Summit on April 19-21 this year, I had the chance to talk with author and Japanese house design expert Azby Brown (who is this year's keynote speaker) about some of the ideas he will be presenting to the audience of over 500 traditional Japanese house enthusiasts from across Japan who will gather in rural Kyoto for the event.Azby Brown is originally from New Orleans in the US, but has dedicated his life to documenting and sharing a deep love of Japanese architecture and house design. Azby spent his career researching, teaching, illustrating and writing about traditional Japanese houses and buildings from stunning traditional temples to small urban houses in Tokyo. In this talk, Azby will give us an update on his latest projects as well as a preview on some of the themes he will talk about in his keynote at this year's Minka Summit event.Books by Azby Brown:The Genius of Japanese Carpentry, he has written Small Spaces (1993), The Japanese Dream House (2001), The Very Small Home (2005), and "Just Enough: Lessons in Living Green from Traditional Japan" (2010)https://azbybrown.com/azby-brown-archive/books/Azby Brown is the keynote speaker at this year's Minka Summit in Hanase village, Kyoto - April 19-20-21 - please join us for this great event bringing people together who love traditional Japanese houses, rural living and community building into one space.https://kominkajapan.org/speakers

The Noto peninsula was rocked by one of Japan's strongest earthquakes on Jan 1, 2024. Bernd Schellhorn and Mitsue Nagase are residents of the Noto peninsula area who chose to move there from Kyoto and make it their home. Bernd and Mitsue have been on the Seek-Sustainable-Japan talkshow before sharing insights about Shojin-Ryori and Photography. This time, however, they will share some of their stories of survival in the Noto Peninsula, where they live. This Noto Peninsula area had a devastating earthquake on the 1st of January this year, and even months later, they still have strong aftershock quakes. Bernd and Mitsue will talk about their experiences as residents in the disaster area, and also what's happening for aide and community re-building.Unfortunately, many people feel forced to leave, but Bernd and Mitsue will talk about how the people who want to stay are planning for the next stage of life in the Noto area and some of the challenges they face.Bernd Schellhorn & Mitsue Nagase on the Seek Sustainable Japan talkshow-podcast show:Documenting Japanese food culture: https://www.youtube.com/live/zFHnhBM41-w?si=OZYHdLO19-aB9OI9Chef of Shojin Ryori: https://www.youtube.com/live/zFHnhBM41-w?si=TvjVGVUMbRoU1xFuContemporary Photography Miksang: https://www.youtube.com/live/L1GOAA643_A?si=6fJQFxHGzA7iUqs7

Brett works on Ojika island (Nagasaki) and elsewhere in Japan (new project in Nagano) under the business name “Okibi”. Here he talks about the ups and downs of fixing up old houses, reusing local materials, being as sustainable as possible with renewable energy, natural materials, community building and even beach cleanup activities as a part of his philosophy to make abandoned houses livable so they can be enjoyed again. Brett joined the Seek Sustainable Japan talkshow in 2022 and is speaking on 2 panels in this year's Minka Summit event in Hanase Village, Kyoto.2022 Talk with Brett Rasmussen: https://www.youtube.com/live/qdcgmmODZkE?si=Ew0kWfflo0XeDh8OIn this talk, Brett will give us an update about his recent projects and insights into traditional Japanese carpentry and house design which he has been learning and practicing to save some old houses in renovation projects. Joinery, plastering, bamboo walls, pounded flooring and disassembly of beams for repair or reuse. Find out more about Brett's projects and future opportunities to join workshops and stays in one of the houses he has worked on, or visit a local onsen he built the sauna for, so many great Brett projects to explore when we visit. https://www.okibi.jpWatch Brett's YouTube channel about his projects and Minka house insights: @okibibrett All Brett's Links:https://linktr.ee/ras.brett#minka #kominka #renovation #japan #ojika #traditionalcrafts #sustainablelifestyle #ruraljapan #nagasaki #brettrasmussen

Tove & Joy talk about the latest sustainability focused projects, news and entrepreneurship around Japan for March of 2024 that are on our radar.Tove Kinooka is co-founder of sustainability focused consultancy and training business in Tokyo: ENTELECO: https://www.entelecoconsulting.com/https://jp.linkedin.com/in/tove-kinooka-35a39323Joy Jarman-Walsh @jjwalsh is founder of the Seek Sustainable Japan talkshow-podcast & InboundAmbassador sustainability focused Japan travel consulting, writing, and guiding. https://seeksustainablejapan.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjwalsh-inbound-ambassador

Vancouver based Brigitte Gemme is a mom and researched professional who has been spreading her love of vegan eating and sustainable lifestyles with an international audience through her blogs, podcasts and workshops. In spring 2024, Brigitte traveled Japan with her family and has some advice for vegan eaters who want to enjoy the experience.00:00 Welcome00:40 Japan travel02:40 Vegan Japan Travel Tips06:40 Online seminars for vegan cooking09:30 Happy Cow, Google Maps Help10:50 Protein deficiency?12:05 Vegan Ninja Doctor14:28 Dairy farming background19:30 Starting where people are willing to change20:30 Crisis situation vs want to do better21:30 Vegan after 6pm23:50 learning standards of vegan basic cooking27:44 winter comfort foods easier 31:00 creating flavorful vegan dishes34:10 Add oil, salt, spice 35:38 Daily recipes for the year41:05 Cooking for one person43:50 Good food motivates healthy lifestyle48:00 Get started cooking50:00 Soups-Bowls-StirFry51:00 Vegan-ZeroWaste Festival51:50 Live Vegan Cooking Club Events 52:40 Minimum viable prep55:00 Pantry Challenge59:00 Basic shopping list1:01:29 Love of TofuThis spring, I had the chance to meet up with Brigitte and her lovely family as they traveled through Hiroshima, Japan and asked her to join the talkshow to share not only about the great work she does, but also what it was like traveling in Japan as a vegan family and any takeaways she has from her trip here in terms of how Japan could improve and some of the favorite foods and ingredients she was able to enjoy.See more about Brigitte:https://veganfamilykitchen.com/about/

As a part of the 2024 Minka Summit in rural Kyoto, we had the chance to visit the stunning KAYABUKI thatch roof MINKA traditional home and atelier art studio of talented design team 2m26 Mélanie and Sebastien. Here Mélanie talks about the process of changing their roof from metal and tile back to natural straw thatch roof over the last year. 2m26 architecture, design and construction studiohttps://2m26.com/about/#seeksustainablejapan #podcast #2m26 #interview #thatchroof #minka #minkasummit #minkasummit2024 #atelier #designer #sustainable #sustainabledesign #sustainablelifestyle #sustainability #japan #traditionaljapanesehouses #kyoto #ruraljapan #ruralkyoto #animalrescue #compostoilet #composting #naturalmaterials #naturalbuilding Music by Casey Bean - original singer-songwriter based in Ishikawa Japan - support his music and download your own on Bandcamp

Bonus podcast of my MEDIUM article Celebrating Rural Japan at the 3rd Annual Minka Summit in Hanase Village. Read the full article here: https://medium.com/@jjwalsh/celebrating-rural-japan-life-reuse-of-old-houses-at-minka-summit-24-1e496d5bc357This year was the 3rd annual Minka Summit and we went back to the beautiful Hanase Village in rural Kyoto for the 3-day event. Old houses in Japan built in traditional style with beams fitted together beautifully are called Minka and if a house is over 100 years old, called a Kominka...

2024 is set to be the biggest year yet for international visitors coming to Japan and while most news articles focus on overtourism and the bad apples in the crowd- I'd like to highlight how inbound tourism is having a positive influence on the local people, planet, proactive mindset and a more sustainable economy. Also, ideas for how we might appeal to more of these “good tourists” to enjoy Japan travel. Read the article on MEDIUM

David Caprara is an American journalist who has been based in Japan since he first came as a JET in 2012. David has worked as a writer, researcher, director and producer with major broadcasting companies both inside and focused on Japan from the US. Watch the video of our talk on YouTube== DAVID CAPRARA LINKS == https://www.davidcaprara.com/https://totorobaga.com/* Japan Lumberjacks Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5pIie2X69I* Japan's traditional Tattoo HORIMONO pilgrimage film on VICE: https://youtu.be/q1h8K92cEag?si=9cZW1tbZ8uLu49ee **BTW this section of the talk had to be trimmed out because of copyright*** NHK documentary about David's project "The Fallen Fortress" https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/shows/3004783/* PEW Journalist survey (2022) referenced by David at 27:27 https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2022/06/14/journalists-sense-turmoil-in-their-industry-amid-continued-passion-for-their-work/Minka Summit 2024 Schedule: https://kominkajapan.org/schedule-at-a-glance-2024

Miroslav Bachura is an architect-designer who is originally from Slovakia, now based in Shizuoka Japan. Here he talks about how to properly reuse Minka traditional Japanese houses and materials to be both stylish, cost effective, safe and more sustainable. Watch the talk with Miro here to see all the great pictures we refer to in this talk.Miro is now working for the Sozosya (Sozosha) architectural design company focused on building renovations, machizukuri, and local urban development projects. https://sozosya.co.jp/00:00 Welcome01:05 Miro's Backstory 05:18 Heritage & Sustainable Design07:30 Minka Summit 2024 talk summary08:40 Before Renovation Minka 09:33 Old Clay Patterns HONEGUMI11:00 Wood & Lumber in Japan14:30 Grooves in flooring15:00 Jon Stollenmeyer hand carved flooring16:40 Artisan hotel promote local crafts in design17:44 House moved to new location in Japan19:20 Subtle Lighting20:22 Wooden Bathtubs from Shizuoka21:00 Views from bath & bathroom22:30 Samurai Japanese gates24:40 Eateries, Guest Houses & Onsen projects25:50 Village Museum vision for preservation26:30 How to Reuse Wooden Beams28:30 Do not knock structural elements down31:00 Earthquake safety design for Minka 33:00 KURA storehouse renovation to guest house36:00 Choose insulation carefully38:10 Chazome fermented tea dye design41:40 Energy and heat efficiency standards43:00 Solar panels without insulation is inefficient44:30 Make use of abandoned Akiya or not47:00 Wood shock effect on construction49:00 Artistic Minka to Guest House projects50:59 Hanamura Yakitori eatery design51:28 Gara Batik Kimono design52:00 Local bamboo art 53:00 Natural light use54:00 City central sauna design55:20 Upcoming projects for 202456:40 Urban planning pedestrian green project58:00 Getting rid of trees in Japan cities1:00:00 Thanks for joining!LINKS for projects Miro is a part of with Sozosya co in Shizuoka Japan: Apartment remodel: https://sozosya.co.jp/works/3452/Craft Inn Waraku GuestHouse https://craftinn-waraku.jp/Restaurant - Yakitori Hanamura https://sozosya.co.jp/works/4749/Guest House from a traditional MINKA house Izumigaya Crafts Inn Waraku ~RAKU~ https://sozosya.co.jp/works/4298/Guest House from a MINKA Izumigaya Crafts Inn Waraku ~ WA WA ~ https://sozosya.co.jp/works/4289/Pre-Japan projects in Chezchia & Slovakia Matyskovi - https://architekturasrdcem.cz/matyskovi-na-slapechSelf-Sufficient for energy and resource home Aranka - https://architekturasrdcem.cz/aranka-v-orechuLibrary project Vamberk

Double the fun in one episode of our April and May live talks in the Sustainable Japan short-takes series with consultants Tove Kinooka and Joy Jarman-Walsh.April 2024 Episode: 00:30 Bring Your Own Bottle01:00 Refill with MyMizu01:45 Singaport Hilton tap water sign02:40 What is MyMizu?03:15 Is Plastic Recycled?04:05 Plastic Waste Export Crisis06:20 Our Waste Our Problem07:10 Ask for refills 08:30 Hotel Greenwashing10:00 No waste communication12:50 Show how you're a better visitor?13:50 Japan Times sustainable news14:33 Freshen Up Old Shoes16:00 DIY materials 16:30 2nd Hand Stores18:00 Minka Summit Event 20:30 Tokyo Rainbow Pride Event21:50 Rakuten D&I24:30 Same Sex Partner Visa Issues26:10 Earth Day holiday kids adventure28:00 Picking up trash & no cans29:00 Hiroshima Flower Festival30:00 Spartan Obstacle Adventure RacingLINKS+ Japan Times - Bottled water has more microplastics than previously thought (2024:

The Minka Summit 3-day Event in rural Kyoto (Hanase village) this year had so much great information and insights from experts and insiders across Japan who have first hand experience with renovation and preservation of old houses and traditions. This podcast is the audio from the panel discussion I moderated at this year's Minka Summit titled "Connecting to the Legacy of your Minka" with speakers Shelley Clarke, Jeremy Phillipps, Brett Rassmussen and Marcus Consolinihttps://kominkajapan.org/schedule-at-a-glance-2024

The Minka Summit 3-day Event in rural Kyoto (Hanase village) this year had so much great information and insights from experts and insiders across Japan who have first hand experience with renovation and preservation of old houses and traditions as well as developing their rural area communities. This podcast is the audio from the panel discussion I moderated at this year's Minka Summit titled "How to Find and Renovate a Minka" with speakers Brett Rassmussen, David Caprara, Mark Benham and Sam HoldenAbout the Minka Summit Japan Event:https://kominkajapan.org/schedule-at-a-glance-2024

Japan needs the diverse perspectives represented in the creative performance arts & Aya tells us the how and why theatre, acting and performance helps us live healthier and happier lives.Aya Kawakami Murray is a university educator who founded the Theatre Iridescence in Nagoya and will give us insights on her backstory, vision for the theatre, a bit about her process, and introduce some of the group's upcoming projects. In this talk, Aya introduces why she started the theatre, how she feels about being based in Nagoya Japan and how teaching the performance arts is a great life skill for her students.Buy your tickets and see more about past and upcoming performances on the website for Theatre Iridescence - founded by Aya Kawakami Murrayhttps://theatreiridescence.com/BGM thanks to The Beanpod host Casey Bean - Support Casey Bean's Musical Journey on BandCamp https://caseybean.bandcamp.com/

In this follow-up episode with Miroslav Bachura, an architect design and urban planning insider based in Shizuoka - we discuss some key issues of good, more sustainable (people-planet-profits in balance) urban design with examples from Kyoto, Shizuoka and other areas.Miroslav Bachura joined us last month to talk about his renovation projects in Shizuoka and insights from his presentation this year at the Minka Summit 2024. 0:00:00 Welcome back Miro0:00:25 Minka Summit 0:02.00 Miyama village fieldtrip0:03:00 2m26 thatch atelier0:05:30 Keynote Azby Brown 0:07:00 Highland Inn GH0:09:00 Keeping Heritage of Minka0:10:10 Minka Mall shared knowledge value0:13:10 Build love of Minka with Future Gen0:14:40 Natural Plaster Benefits0:16:50 What is good urban design?0:17:30 Kyoto's good design- waterways0:20:00 History of Edo design0:24:05 Shizuoka city plan map0:25:40 Hiroshima's quality of life rebuild0:27:00 Kyoto's Tree lined streets0:29:00 Prague shady city streets0:29:50 Houston filled with trees0:30:00 No trees problem city design0:31:48 Trees in Tokyo good design0:33:40 Pedestrian only zones0:36:00 Test Accessibility in Wheelchair0:37:40 Kyoto new yet traditional

I have a great love for the sustainability of Japanese indigo. It can be grown without pesticides while capturing carbon and restoring the soil, it can be used without damage to the people who work with it and it can be put down the drain without damage to the environment and waterways- a perfect solution to our modern textile needs. Aizome also has anti-bacterial properties which help keep the wearer healthy- it also looks great, preserves Japanese culture and traditions and is a great asset to a business and the local economy.Sally Hancox is originally from the UK but co-founded this AiAii business with her husband. They have been based on Awaji Island raising a family since 2015 and opened their own indigo dye shop & workshop called AiAii in 2020. They grow their own plants, ferment and create the dyes, create beautiful products, as well as do workshops for visitors.https://aiaii.blue/pages/en"We love how modern some of the results of the ancient methods appear, and we also like inventing our own apparatus and techniques, or borrowing and blending with indigo dyeing methods from around the world." - Sally

Ashley Souther has lived and worked in Japan for almost 30 years and talks here about his passion for peace education at his high school in Hiroshima, his experience as a pro-wrestler in Gaza and then Japan, as well as how he tries to connect people to the human stories in Gaza and related war-torn areas of conflict. Ashley also talks of his research and writing for his PhD focused on international peace issues at the Hiroshima City University.Ashley is featured by NHK for his work in Hiroshima as an educator of peace studies as well as English. Ashley is also an activist who gives talks and takes part in protests in front of the A-bomb dome in peace park to promote peace and help raise awareness to stop the war in Gaza.NHK: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/sh...#prowrestling #japan #peaceforgaza #peaceeducation #hiroshima #activist

JUNE topics: Refugees | Same-Sex Couples Equality | Koike vs Renho Tokyo Gov | Big Garbage Reuse by Gov on Mercari app | Compost Toilets & Sustainable Travel | Peace Ed & Gaza from Hiroshima | Mountain Ecosystem Tokyo Event | BCCJ event Exploring Japan Corporate DiversityLINKS:==Renho vs Koike for Tokyo Gov== https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/202...== Refugees== https://rei-npo.org/en/ | https://www.unhcr.org/global-trends | https://www.unhcr.org/events/world-re...== Same Sex Couples Equality Event == https://bccjapan.com/news/robert-walt...== Event at FABRIC in JULY to promote sustainability in the mountains ==https://mountain-ecosystem-legacy-act...==Joy's Ogasawara Island Sustainable Travel Video== • 小笠原諸島 母島バイオトイレプロジェクト／Ogasawara Island... == Japan Gov using MERCARI to #reuse Dai-Gomi Big Item Waste ==

Andrew Russell is originally from Scotland, but has been living and brewing sake in Japan for more than 8 years. In winter, Andrew is busy brewing sake from Oct to Mar each year, but during the off-brewing season, he gives excellent Sake tours in the famous brewing region of Nada in Hyogo. This is the third sake brewing area in Japan where he has worked with a local brewer.Originally from Scotland, Andrew has a MA in Japanese studies and has worked in 3 sake breweries in Okayama, 3 in Hiroshima and now 3 in Nada so he has a deep understanding and appreciation for Sake in Japan. I've heard Andrew's Sake tour is amazing - he has first hand experience using tools in the sake museum and knows how important each of the ingredients and processes are to the final resulting sake taste, aroma and look.I have enjoyed listening to many of his insights into the history, culture and people of the sake world in Japan- he is the co-host of the Sake Deep Dive podcast.My first talk in 2022 with Andrew here when he was brewing with FUKUCHO headed by Miho Imada in Akitsu Hiroshima: https://www.youtube.com/live/_FM1gbdgnjo?si=YPS4VK-WDPoJtpdhOrigin Sake Tours: https://www.originsaketours.com/blank-2Sake Deep Dive Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sake-deep-dive/id1587884895

This is the first of 4 parts of the 500th Episode of the Seek Sustainable Japan talkshow-podcast with a multitude of talented and special guests who have previously appeared in the series.This part one is with Tove Kinooka co-founder of Enteleco consulting in Tokyo, James Hollow founder of Fabric consulting and research co in Tokyo, Ruth Jarman founder of Jarman international in Tokyo.

In the second part of the Fabulous 500th Multi-Guest Episode we caught up with 4 wonderful organic and natural farmers on their latest projects and insights.Nao Fukuoka is cofounder of Iniabi farms in Hiroshima / Heather is cofounder of Nagano Naturally in Nagano / Chuck is founder of Midori farms in Kyoto and Shiga / Thomas Kloepfer is founder of Pitchfork farms in Hiroshima

Kyoto is a famous and important hub for Japanese art, culture and traditions- here we talk with 3 Kyoto based creatives who share their latest projects and insights: Robert Yellin is a living legend on anything connected to Japanese pottery and ceramics- he runs a curated pottery and ceramic art gallery along the famous philosopher's path. Felicity Tillack is a talented filmmaker and storyteller who shares her latest work on inclusivity for the LGBTQ+ people in Japan. Emily Kaneko Reynolds is a natural plastering experts and artisan who is based in rural Kyoto.

Celebrating the 500th episode of the Seek Sustainable Japan talkshow and podcast with so many fabulous guests who have previously been on the show to help me talk about some of the most popular and important topics in the series: Business, Farming, Art & Artisans, Minka and traditional house renovation, preservation and design.Part 1 == Sustainable Business ==Ruth Jarman, James Hollow & Tove KinookaPart 2 == Sustainable Japan Farming == Chuck Kayser, Heather Fukase, Nao Fukuoka, Thomas KloepferPart 3 == Crafts & Creative Kyoto == Robert Yellin, Emily Kaneko Reynolds, Felicity TillackPart 4 == Sustainable Buildings & Traditional Designs == Alex Kerr, Azby Brown, Brett Rassmussen, Jon StollenmeyerLINKS for the fabulous guests on this special 500th show Tove Kinooka: https://www.entelecoconsulting.com/James Hollow: https://fbrc.co/Ruth Jarman: https://www.jarman-international.com/Heather Fukase: https://naganonaturally.com/Thomas Kloepfer: https://www.pitchforkfarms.jp/Chuck Kayser: https://www.midorifarmkyoto.com/Nao Fukuoka: https://iniabi.square.site/Felicity Tillack: https://www.wherenextjapan.com/about/Robert Yellin: https://linktr.ee/ryygkyotoEmily Kaneko Reynolds: https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/Emily-Kaneko-Reynolds/dp/B0CZL1BB7GAlex Kerr: http://alex-kerr.com/Azby Brown: https://azbybrown.com/Jon Stollenmeyer: https://somakosha.com/en/homeBrett Rassmussen: https://www.okibi.jp/Watch all of the Seek Sustainable Japan talkshow-podcast here on YouTube:https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcyYXjRuE20GsvS0rEOgSiQVAyKbEFSRP&si=I6k2sGOW1KIOY1SnAudio podcast version of the Seek Sustainable Japan talkshow can be found on your favorite player or here: https://seek-sustainable-japan.captivate.fm/

Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima Peace Memorial park are difficult places to visit, but also important destinations to maintain and allow people to consider wartime choices and their consequences. This year, I had the chance to visit Pearl Harbor on Hiroshima day August 6th and attend a peace light-up event at Pearl Harbor again on August 7th to commemorate the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August of 1945. This is an adaptation of a MEDIUM article I wrote here.

Amazing last segment of the Fabulous 500th episode of the Seek Sustainable Japan talkshow podcast as we talk with four amazing guests about traditional Japanese houses preservation, renovation and design. Guests: Azby Brown, Alex Kerr, Brett Rassmussen and Jon Stollenmeyer

In early spring 2024, Tom Miyagawa Coulton and I traveled on a 24h ferry from Tokyo to some of Japan's most remote and not well known tropical nature reserves called the Bonin or Ogasawara islands. YouTube video of this talk hereTom is a talented photographer and is always a great collaborator on writing and consulting projects like this around Japan. Video here made by All About Japan of the trip focused on composting toilet sustainability in tourism initiatives.BGM by talented singer songwriter Casey Bean - support his music on BandCamp

Follow up interview with the inspiring carpenter-educator-writer Douglas Brooks about more of his projects in Japan and around the world to preserve and celebrate the traditional wooden boats of Japan. Watch the interview here on YouTube to add visuals to the images we are talking about.As always, big thanks to Casey Bean for the opening and closing music - find his original tunes on BandCamp and listen to his podcast on your fave player The BEANPOD

Great to catch up after the summer break with fellow sustainability-focused consultant Tove Kinooka on our monthly series Sustainable Japan short-takes. It was a lively discussion of connections across topics that help us find better ways to balance the needs of people and planet with profits. Read about this podcast on MEDIUM | See the video of this podcast on YouTubeBGM thanks to Casey Bean- support his musical journey on BandCamp

Dr.Donna Weeks - longtime friend of Seek-Sustainable-Japan - gives insights on the top-7 candidates in Japan's LDP presidential election this month (who will be the country's prime minister) based on her 40 years of research and engagement with Japanese politics as a psephologist.TOPICS covered in this talk:Politics & Sustainability?How did your political interest start?Prime Minister Kishida (67)Taro Kono (61)Shinjiro Koizumi (43)Takayuki Kobayashi (50)USA Education of candidatesJapan gov relation to Harris vs TrumpYoko Kamikawa (70)Signaling with profile hobbiesTokyo Governor's RaceShinji Ishimaru surprise popularityThe Social ContractCompulsory voting & engagementArticle 9 Japan constitutionInspired by Seek Sustainable JapanSanae Takaichi (63)Used to be easier to choose PMToshimitsu Motegi (68)Shizo Abe's LegacyShigeru Ishiba (67)Dr.Donna Weeks' choicePM must be popularIs Japan Silver Democracy?Koizumi's Circular EconomyTransparency in PoliticsPsephologist Dr. Donna Weeks has spent the last 40 years engaged with Japan's politics and peace issues and spent most of her career teaching and researching Japanese politics and peace studies at the Department of Political Science at Musashino University, Tokyo. Now based back home in Brisbane, Australia, but still with an eye on Japanese politics Dr.Weeks can walk us through some of the candidates to look out for in this upcoming prime minister race in Tokyo, the recent Tokyo governor's race and most importantly what kind of politics we should be seeking.Dr.Donna Weeks blog: https://psephyspix.blogspot.com/on Instagram & threads: @psephyspixBGM thanks to Casey Bean of The BeanPod Podcast - support Casey on BandCamp== Get in touch with JJWalsh @jjwalsh @inboundambassador https://linktr.ee/jjwalsh ==

James Hollow and his team at Fabric have set up 10 great strategies in their workplace to give them first-hand insights that inform their consulting work & passion to live a more sustainable life. == See all the short videos of James Hollow introducing these strategies here ==So much of what James is putting in place at his office can be an inspiration for others struggling to see how they can reduce waste or encourage a circular mindset among staff. I hope sharing these ideas will spark new ideas for you- please add your comments below.Thanks for Casey Bean of The Beanpod podcast for the original music background - support Casey's music on BandCamp: https://caseybean.bandcamp.com/#sustainable #business #strategy #japan #fabric #jameshollow #sustainablebusiness #businessstrategy #sustainability #podcast

On September 27th 2024 - the ruling LDP party will choose their next president from a group of seven candidates, but there are 3 top contenders are in the spotlight: Kishida, Ishiba and Takaichi.Sustainability is the underlying theme of all the big issues for the next Japan Prime Minister: energy, tax & social issues - it's worth having a look at how the top-3 contenders differ on these key issues. The pushback in Japan rural areas for Mega-Solar farms, alternative strategies, and upcoming rooftop solar initiatives in Tokyo are also discussed here. @medium article here: https://medium.com/@jjwalsh/japan-top-3-for-pm-on-energy-future-df53d3947414Background Music thanks to Casey Bean of The BeanPod podcast- support his original music on BandCamp: https://caseybean.bandcamp.com/

Global Sustainable Tourism Council manager Emi Kaiwa talks about her work in Africa with eco-tourism and strategies for how to train guides and managers in Japan to raise awareness of the value for travel that is in better balance with the needs of people, planet and profits. #sustainabletourism #sustainabletravel #gstc #interview #tourism #travel #sustainable #sustainability #podcast #emikaiwa #DMO #destinationmanagement #certification #trainingBGM thanks to The Beanpod artist Casey Bean- support his music on BandCamp

Tove Kinooka and JJWalsh are both sustainability focused consultants, educators, advisors and advocates for sustainable business and strategies in Japan. Tove is based in the Tokyo area around the capital and Joy is based in Hiroshima city. Join us for the next live talk on Oct 28th at 8:30 Japan time: https://www.youtube.com/live/Fg2f4paE9f4?si=BoVYcQHsbqTrhhUlSept 2024 topics: Tove's One Young World Conference in Montreal & Montreal's Amazing Fruit & Vegetable Markets | Joy's talk with Dr. Donna Weeks & Japan's Top-3 for the Prime Minister Job- how Sustainable are their policies? | Joy's talk with Emi Kaiwa about sustainable tourism development | Tove's work on resilience at the workplace at the Conrad hotel Tokyo | Joy's work at the Ogasawara islands nature reserve article on Dolphin identification 00:00 Welcome to September Short-Takes00:28 One Young World 202406:47 Japan's Top-3 for PM07:40 Shijiro Koizumi10:05 Carbon Tax 12:00 Shigeru Ishiba13:40 Sanae Takaichi16:19 Montreal Marche Market19:58 Ogasawara island article22:09 Building Resilience at Conrad hotel27:00 After-hour freedoms from work29:00 Emi Kaiwa of GSTCTove & Joy are both focused on sustainable issues in our work across Japan doing consulting, training, advising & development for business, organizations and tourism.Tove Kinooka: Enteleco Consulting: https://www.entelecoconsulting.com/Joy Jarman-Walsh (jjwalsh): Inbound Ambassador: https://linktr.ee/jjwalsh== BGM thanks to the talented Casey Bean - support his music on BandCamp ==

Wonderful news that the Hiroshima and Nagasaki A-bomb Survivor HIBAKUSHA group called NIHON HIDANKYO won the Nobel Peace Prize this year, but is a future without nuclear weapons a possibility? Talking about stories from guiding in Hiroshima in combination with this news of the award and current stance of the Japanese PM Ishida about the reality of nuclear weapons and bans. BGM thanks to Casey Bean - support his music on BandCamp

Felicity Tillack is a filmmaker based in Kyoto Japan now working on a documentary series about inclusion and diversity of the LGBTQ+ community in Japan. Tiffany Rossdale produces and stars in this documentary-series titled WE EXIST a focus on LGBTQ+ lifestyles and issues in Japan.Please Support the film "We Exist" via kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wexistjapan/we-exist-japan-episode-2-lgbtq-documentary?ref=project_linkWatch the live talk with Felicity and Tiffany on YouTube Support Casey Bean original singer-songwriter who provides the BGM for this podcast - find all of Casey Bean's wonderful tunes on BandCamp

Our monthly short-takes episode for November 2024 with sustainability focused consultants Tove & Joy 00:00 Welcome00:30 No Snow Mt.Fuji02:00 Climate Change Gov03:00 Fabric KK B Corp06:25 WE EXIST docu-series08:40 Gender-Focused Investing11:00 Allies for Diversity13:20 BentonHomestead on CNBC14:40 CapGemini IT event16:00 Tomoko Koyama Meterologist17:41 Yuko Nakahata SustainaSeed19:24 Same-Sex Marriage Legal20:00 Sustainable Miyajima Tour Project21:55 Wild Deer & Tourism23:09 Musubi-Kiln Sustainable Biz24:15 Good English Copy Value24:45 Vegan Osaka 25:50 Toothpaste Packaging28:28 Organic Fertilizer Experiment30:00 Enjoy Autumn colors, fruit, veggies== Upcoming Events & Talk Links === Nov 9 to 30 REI Refugee Empowerment International Walkathon Event: https://rei-npo.org/en/event/stride-of-hope-walking-challenge/= Dec 5 BCCJ Event on Gender Focused Investments: https://bccjapan.com/events/unlocking-japans-potential-with-gender-focused-investment/= CapGemini IT company event: https://www.capgemini.com/about-us/= Sustainaseed: https://en.sustainaseed.net/= Musubi Kiln: https://musubikiln.com/= Benton Homestead get a mention on CNBC @bentonhomestead @CNBC https://bentonhomestead.com/pressWatch the CNBC episode here: https://youtu.be/1F637H2yUlo?si=xvKT48MHI2DNZdtU= Order your vegan cheeses and meat alternatives at VEGAN OSAKAhttps://www.veganosaka.com/en/collections/vegan-cheesesWatch the video version of this talk here on YouTube

Introducing Hiroshima's sacred island of Miyajima latest sustainable product, Miyajima Salt as written about on GetHiroshima.comGetHiroshima article about Miyajima Salt3-min SHORTS version on YouTubeSign your name of support for the campaign to reduce Hiroshima ocean plastic pollution#miyajima #craft #salt #hiroshima #entrepreneur #japan #sustainablebusiness #sustainabletourism #trades #suportlocal #buylocalBGM thanks to the talents of Casey Bean - original singer-songwriter based in Ishikawa Japan - find all of his tunes on BandCamp

So grateful for the beautiful colors of autumn this time of year and family and friend gatherings over amazing foods- a time to show KANSHA gratitude for Japan's amazing farmers- especially those who are also regenerating the land, educating those eager to learn, reusing old AKIYA houses and rebuilding dying rural communities! Read the MEDIUM article here connected to this episodeAll the talks & farm visits on Seek Sustainable Japan - Organic Farmer PlaylistBGM thanks always to the talented Casey Bean - support Casey's original music on BandCamp

I had a great opportunity to talk with kids in 5th grade this month about sustainability and sdg's to simplify the key concepts- it was a great reminder that simplification is the standard I use use for all talks - especially for the sustainable tourism and travel talk I am giving to a general audience at the beginning of next year.Let's keep issues clear and simple so that the possibilities for positive change can stand out more clearly.Read the story here on MEDIUM: https://medium.com/@jjwalsh/talking-sustainable-solutions-with-kids-a-reminder-to-keep-it-simple-606e24b2ec7c?sk=8609316f42ada8cade10fe31e5a5d271

Tove & Joy are both focused on sustainable issues in work across Japan doing consulting, training, educating, advising & developing sustainable strategy for business, events, organizations and tourism.Tove Kinooka is cofounder of Global Perspectives & Enteleco Consulting: https://www.entelecoconsulting.com/JJWalsh is founder of Inbound Ambassador & cofounder of GetHiroshima: https://seeksustainablejapan.com/about/LINKS* Dr.Donna Weeks talks about Japan's new government and PM Ishiba: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvIO2IhjayM* Tove Kinooka Featured (YEA) by the Japan Times Sustainable Mag: https://sustainable.japantimes.com/lr/115 @thejapantimes * BCCJ Women at Work in Japan Focus: Unlocking Japan's Potential with Gender Focused Investment https://bccjapan.com/events/unlocking-japans-potential-with-gender-focused-investment/ * Climate FRESK: https://climatefresk.org/world/* Ichigo Bloom Climate Fresk: https://ichigobloom.jp/bloom/climatefresk/* REI - Refugees Empowerment International: https://rei-npo.org/en/* Mikan Bags: https://www.mikanbags.com/shop* BikuDesigns: https://www.bikudesigns.com/* Organic farmers I am grateful for: https://medium.com/@jjwalsh/grateful-for-educator-community-building-farmers-in-japan-db0a188e688eMusic thanks to talented original songwriter-singer in Ishikawa, Casey Bean: caseybean.bandcamp.com

Dr.Donna Weeks joins us again on the Seek Sustainable Japan talkshow to give us her insights on some of the key issues since the latest 2024 Japan election which created a government party, leadership and power dynamics reshuffle. Dr.Weeks has been following Ishiba's career over her political science career of 30+ years and has lots of great historical examples to draw on. We focus on the key issues PM Ishiba outlined in his policy speech this week: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/11/29/japan/politics/ishiba-policy-speech/BIO: Dr.Donna Weeks was a Political Science Professor at Musashino University' Faculty of Law in Tokyo from 2016 to 2024. She taught Japanese politics, political philosophy and security and her research focused on peace issues and Japanese elections.Psephologist Dr. Donna Weeks has spent the last 40 years engaged with Japan's politics and peace issues. Now based back home in Brisbane, Australia, but still with an eye on Japanese politics Dr.Weeks can walk us through some of the key issues happening in Japan's government since the election.Dr.Donna Weeks blog: https://psephyspix.blogspot.com/on BlueSky, Instagram & threads: @psephyspix

Lead composer-producer artist Facundo Arena joins the Seek Sustainable Japan talkshow-podcast to share insights about their Japan-inspired ambient musical journey as creators of THE KYOTO CONNECTION.After years of admiration of Japan, especially Japanese music and culture, the trio are finally on their way to Japan in April 6th to May 18th 2025. Join us as we talk about the 25 years they have been making Kyoto & Japan inspired music and their plans for visiting Japan on their tour.YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thekyotoconnectionInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekyotoconnection/Website: https://www.thekyotoconnection.com/BandCamp: https://kyotoconnection.bandcamp.com/music

Tove & JJ wrap up their favorite sustainable short-takes of the year and give suggestions for great organizations to support, great blogs to read and shopping mindfulness as we enter the holiday season. Enjoy! TELL mental-emotional supportBest of Sustainable Japan eventsFabric Regenerative Biz eventBCCJ Gender Equity eventHiroko Yoda BlogImport Concepts LocalizationSustainable PRIDE valueUseful Gift Japan traditionConsider Gift End of LifeRecycled Wool JapanSustainable Shop ToursJapan DenimJapanese IndigoHAKKO Fermented GoodsVenture Cafe YokohamaPowerful Questions eventEnd-of-Year MindfulnessLINKSTELL mental-emotional support helpful https://telljp.com/counseling/Japan Travel Awards 2024: https://japantravelawards.com/jta-2024-enSustainable Japan Times 2024 Awards: https://sustainable.japantimes.com/sjaward-company2024Fabric Regenerative Business Report: https://fbrc.co/en/homeHiroko Yoda - Japan Happiness Blog: https://blog.hirokoyoda.com/BCCJ (British Chamber of Commerce Japan) https://bccjapan.com/Art of Powerful Connections event: https://www.dccj.org/events/workshop-the-art-of-powerful-questions-----------Tove & Joy are both focused on sustainable issues in work across Japan doing consulting, training, educating, advising & developing sustainable strategy for business, events, organizations and tourism.Tove Kinooka is cofounder of Global Perspectives & Enteleco Consulting: https://www.entelecoconsulting.com/JJWalsh is founder of Inbound Ambassador & cofounder of GetHiroshima: https://seeksustainablejapan.com/about/

Originally from Melbourne Australia, Rowie Geraerts has found a home and supportive community in the town of Nozawa Onsen in Nagano, Japan.Rowie describes her career in Japan as an entrepreneur as a stopover before settling down which became a place to start planting roots. In Australia she says she always felt she was an easy-going water-baby, but has found more focus to run businesses among mountain people in the village of Nozawa Onsen where she has set up a yoga studio, runs wellness retreats and started a vegan cafe called SHIZEN. At the end of our Seek-Sustainable-Japan talk in December, bonus clips from my in-person chat with her at her beautiful FUNKY COTTAGE - introduced by village Minka (traditional home) ambassador Ed Stratham:https://seek-sustainable-japan.captivate.fm/episode/fixing-up-a-250-year-old-house-in-japan-snow-country-house-tour-talk-with-ed-stratham BGM thanks to Casey Bean of The Beanpod podcast - support his original singing-songwriting on BandCamp: https://caseybean.bandcamp.com/

It's January 2025 which is a perfect time for me to share some goals for this year of the snake as well as highlight positive insights from Japan to give you a more proactive slither start to the year than a defensive coil.Read the post on MEDIUM LINKS:Zero-Waste Town of Kamikatsu Japan Playlist San Francisco Recyling Center Visit - RECOLOGYDani & Evan - the Upcycle, Vintage Reuse & Disposal ExpertsBenton Homestead Unboxing Video in an Abandoned Japan HouseVermicular Cast Iron Cookware series JAPANVermicular USAMamacation Review of Best and Worst non-toxic optionsHardwood Lumber - How to avoid plastics in the kitchenMiyajima Island Woodworking ShopBee Eco wax wrapsWhat is WAKA poetry?Sustainable Japan Reizei Family Waka Poetry LegacyCrowdfunding campaign to support the Reizei Family projects

An interesting and inspiring first talk of 2025 here with the amazing Alex Kerr who has spent his entire life focused on a better Japan through his book writing, consulting, business projects. Also, in recent years has also added a love of design, traditions and life in Thailand to his life focus. In this episode, Alex takes us through the design and process of making his thatch home in Chang Mai Thailand. Then we discuss some of his insights and ideas for better rural development tourism strategies in Japan based on Museums, Food, and Old House Reuse.http://alex-kerr.com/

I hope you are surviving your first month of 2025 with a sense of hope and enthusiasm for what we can do this year.Of course, there is a lot of depressing news these days. The fires in LA and being bombarded by unethical governance in the US is hard to take. But there is still some hope for this year in terms of sustainable strategy, innovation and creative passionate folks doing good work.This podcast features the audio from a Jan 27th 2025 talk I gave to an enthusiastic group of amazing local women in Hiroshima Japan. I loved meeting them all and seeing their smiles and nodding heads as I talked about the things I love about Hiroshima, stories we need to tell of women in Japan's history, and some of the most impactful and inspiring stories of sustainable tourism at work in our area of Japan.Talking about sustainable tourism strategy, branding and inspiring examples of success from Alex Kerr & his traditional MINKA to guest house projects, to Onomichi, to Setoda, to Kamikatsu, to Mukaishima, Teshima, Omishima, and AiAii on Awaiji island.I hope you also find some new and inspiring ideas here that give you hope for a brighter future in travel and how we want to do business and live our lives.

First chat of 2025 for this monthly sub-series of the Seek Sustainable Japan talkshow with Tove Kinooka and JJWalsh. A 30-min chat about sustainable Japan topics that focus on a better balance between the needs of people and planet with profits.30-min Short-Takes on Sustainable Japan events, products, services, trends, news, strategies & people to inspire us all. Tove Kinooka is the Director & Co-founder of Enteleco & Global Perspectives JJWalsh is the Founder of Inbound Ambassador & Seek Sustainable Japan | Co-Founder of GetHiroshimaTove LINKSLINKEDIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/tove-kinooka-35a39323/https://www.entelecoconsulting.com/https://www.globalperspectives.biz/JJ LINKSLINKEDIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjwalsh-inbound-ambassador/https://inboundambassador.com/https://gethiroshima.com/https://seeksustainablejapan.com/

Michelle Huang is a creative-technologist and Akiya Collective founder passionate about "renovating abandoned houses in japan and converting them into habitat installations." How can we revive rural Japan? Michelle and her group are onto something new and important - by making good use of Akiya vacant homes in creative ways that reuse the value already there and build on the strengths of a positive community. Exciting to learn more about what events, workshops, shared experiences and fun they are planning for their KOMONO 2025 Spring Event. #akiya #japan #nagano #komoro #komorospring #komoronagano #akiyacollective #michellehuang #interview #seeksustainablejapan #ruraljapan #ruralrevival LINKShttps://michellekhuang.com/Akiya Collectivehttps://www.akiyacollective.org/BGM is from Michelle Huang who is a DJ and a talented music-maker as well- check out her DJ Sparkill original tunes on @SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/myvanillatictacWonderful interview Michelle Huang did with Joi Ito about the Akiya DAOhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=houer6d_YaU

Lauren Schraf & Marcus Consolini join us to talk about the Minka Preservation Society- the motto is: "They build it, we preserve it".What is it and what are the elements of their inclusive work to support and preserve Japanese building traditions, artisans, tradespeople, and rural communities in Japan.It is a very wide tent and they have some exciting events and activities coming up held across Japan. See more information on their social media pages and website below.LINKS https://www.instagram.com/minkapreservationsociety/website: https://www.minkasociety.com/Lauren Schraf is a tourism expert - find her work and contact on Nippon Discovery: https://www.instagram.com/nippondiscovery/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-scharf-05410712/Marcus Consolini is a sake brewery CEO of Daimon Brewery in Osaka https://daimonbrewery.jp/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcus-consolini-a04847/TAGS#minka #japan #traditionaljapanese #houses #renovation #minkapreservation #minkapreservationsociety #ruralliving #ruraljapan #communitybuilding

Ally Hongo is the cofounder of Shiitake Creative KK which has produced the Japan Travel Awards since 2021. The awards are focused on better Japan travel for the inbound market which are also sustainable, accessible, and inclusive for LGBTQ & families - so these places, people and destinations are welcoming to all people who love to travel. Originally from Bulgaria, Ally has had a long and interesting career in Japan as a student, academic, reporter, writer, editor and content creator. Now Ally as Director of the Japan Travel Awards, has a powerful and positive influence on the future of inbound tourism in Japan and the development of more sustainable tourism and travel in rural areas.https://www.allyhongo.com/https://shiitakecreative.jp/en/https://japantravelawards.com/

An innovative approach to Japan's AKIYA vacant house problem and dwindling rural communities through a DAO approach to ownership and investment in exciting projects to revive areas with great potential.In this talk, Tamaki Nishimura and Monika Sadkiewicz of PanetDAO share their passion to working with amazing rural communities to preserve important cultural properties and places of rich heritage by opening up property investment in Japan. Open opportunities to both international and Japanese investors who want to be a part of building something positive, yet lack the knowhow to do it solo. https://planetdao.world/about/

30-min Short-Takes on Sustainable Japan events, products, services, trends, news, strategies & people to inspire us all. Tove Kinooka is the Director & Co-founder of Enteleco & Global Perspectives JJWalsh is the Founder of Inbound Ambassador & Seek Sustainable Japan | Co-Founder of GetHiroshimaTove LINKSLINKEDIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/tove-kinooka-35a39323/https://www.entelecoconsulting.com/https://www.globalperspectives.biz/JJ LINKSLINKEDIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjwalsh-inbound-ambassador/https://inboundambassador.com/https://gethiroshima.com/https://seeksustainablejapan.com/

Andrea Carlson is on the board of the Japan Minka Preservation Society and will join to share some of her passion for preserving old houses and rural traditions and culture in Japan. Andrea will also be introducing some exciting events and meet-ups, talks, experiences and more coming for the group for the enthusiastic Minka-loving community.https://www.minkasociety.com/

Elly Hirano is a freelance sustainability consultant in Japan with a variety of project insights and a great philosophy about a better way forward in business that balances the needs of people and planet with profits. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellyhirano/

Robin Lewis is the inspiring co-founder of the LESS PLASTIC, MORE FUN startup in Japan called MyMizu. In this talk, Robin reflects on the 5-year Journey to taking the innovative idea of creating a refill network across Japan (and beyond). What's ahead for the venture, and also offers insights and advice for leaders and entrepreneurs of the future.Robin Lewis is also a social entrepreneur, speaker and educator who works as the Representative Director of Social Innovation Japan - one of NIKKEI's ‘100 Companies Building the Future'. Robin Lewis is also the co-founder of MyMizu, an award-winning community-building app listing clean water refill areas across Japan and beyond to improve health, reduce plastic waste and connect with more ethical businesses.It is exciting to talk with Robin on Earth Day this year to talk about the MyMizu 5 year report insights and catch up on his other projects and hear about his hopes and vision of the future for sustainable innovation in Japan. LINKShttps://robin-lewis.com/https://www.mymizu.cohttps://www.socialinnovationjapan.com/

Interviews with entrepreneurs Ally Hongo of Japan Travel Awards & Shiitake Creative, Elly Hirano a sustainably focused freelance entrepreneur & Robin Lewis of Social Innovation Japan & MyMizu

Joy and Tove share their insights on sustainable Japan issues, news, updates for April 2025

This month Joy and Tove talk about forests, conservation, solar projects and thinking of YES AND instead of stopping projects, Biodiversity and Cycling Events for good causes. Write your comments and questions below if watching replays.LINKSConservation and Solar Farms https://www.japantimes.co.jp/environment/2025/05/26/wildlife/kushiro-wetlands-solar-eagle/SOLAR farms can protect habitat https://environmentamerica.org/center/articles/solar-farms-can-protect-habitats-and-biodiversity/SOLAR over parking AEON mall Sumitomo https://www.sumitomocorp.com/en/jp/news/release/2024/group/17340KIWL Charity Ride: https://www.kiwl.net/events/500km-cycle-rideYokohama Connect Event https://venturecafe-yokohamaconnect.org/event/yokohama-connect-14/Tourism boom - need to manage crowds https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/05/21/japan/society/foreign-visitors-april/Hiroshima museum should use these large A-bombed warehouses for large group tours https://dive-hiroshima.com/en/explore/3526/Japan's trees and forests loss and culture https://www.japantimes.co.jp/environment/2025/05/26/earth-science/trees-environment-japan-sacred/30-min Short-Takes on Sustainable Japan events, products, services, trends, news, strategies & people to inspire us all. Tove Kinooka is the Director & Co-founder of Enteleco & Global Perspectives JJWalsh is the Founder of Inbound Ambassador & Seek Sustainable Japan | Co-Founder of GetHiroshimaTove LINKSLINKEDIN / tove-kinooka-35a39323 https://www.entelecoconsulting.com/https://www.globalperspectives.biz/JJ LINKSLINKEDIN

With more than 406 million subscribers, Jimmy Donaldson- better known as Mr.Beast- has become the most successful YouTuber by doing outrageous acts of generosity. The fact that Mr.Beast's strategy of using video revenue, sponsorship and collaboration to fund lifechanging projects around the world is an inspiration to any of us trying to go above and beyond the status quo to do-good for others and the environment.Spending a month off work was a perfect excuse to binge Mr.Beast's unscripted reality gameshow called BEAST GAMES for Amazon Prime. I was in good company as one of 50 Million viewers in its first month. Read the entire post on MEDIUM here' https://medium.com/@jjwalsh/how-youtuber-mr-beasts-kindness-collaboration-keeps-going-viral-cfbb106696e8BGM is from Michelle Huang who is a DJ and a talented music-maker as well- check out her DJ Sparkill original tunes on @SoundCloud / myvanillatictac

After cataract surgery, can my eyes be reused? / Reading glasses LIONS club donation ‪@lionsclubs‬ / New Japan BioPlastic Tech discovery that dissolves in seawater ‪@Reuters‬ / Fujisawa Beach Clean event with SEGO / Popular keep-cool tech waste ‪@theGuardian‬ / Tokyo pride parade & LGBTQ+ issues in Japan / MrBeast viral generosity success on YouTube ‪@BeastPhilanthropy‬ / Daikin Air-Conditioner Sales Boom sticks to carbon-neutral targets ‪@thejapantimes‬ / Osaka Expo REUSABLE structure BLUE DOME ‪@TheEconomist‬ LINKSBioPlastic Japan Scientific Discovery https://www.reuters.com/sustainabilit... ‪@Reuters‬ SEGO BeachCleanUp featured on Go Connect: https://goconnect.jp/2025/06/04/sego-... ‪@goconnectjp‬ MrBeast Philanthropy - Go Viral & Make Money while doing Good for People & Planet ‪@BeastPhilanthropy‬ https://www.beastphilanthropy.org- ‪@medium‬ Beast Games and Mr.Beast inspiration for content creators doing good

Sustainable travel definitely includes plantbased dining, but independent vegan travelers struggle with Japan travel as there are fewer options and sometimes hard work to research and explain what you need. World Vegan Travel does the research and tour plan for vegan travelers around the world and has great insights on Japan travel.Brighde Reed is co-founder of World Vegan Travel Company and a plantbased expert for Japan and other parts of Asia and the world where they run their tours focused on supporting vegan travelers who want meaningful, fun, engaging and on track with their plantbased eating lifestyle values.#worldvegantravel LINKSWorld Vegan Travel Website https://worldvegantravel.com/ World Vegan Travel Upcoming 2026 Japan Tour https://worldvegantravel.com/joyful-japan-2026-1/NYT Gift Article about Vegan Travel Booming: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/21/travel/vegan-travel.html?unlocked_article_code=1.X08.m6Y7.N8dgzBURo9d4&smid=url-shareJapan ANIMO Animal Sanctuary @animosanctuary https://www.animosanctuary.org/Hiroshima New Stylish Vegan Eatery https://jogesayu-hiroshima.com/en/Vegan Food at Osaka World Expo 2025 https://www.itravelforveganfood.com/articles/vegan-food-osaka-world-expo-2025 PETA featured World Vegan Travel for plantbased sustainable travel safari tours https://www.peta.org/features/vegan-african-safaris/. @peta Vegan Influencer Colleen Patrick Goudreau: https://colleenpatrickgoudreau.com/

July Short-Takes 30 minutes of sustainable japan & beyond highlights with two sustainability focused women entrepreneurs based in Japan, JJWalsh and Tove Kinooka

August 6, 2025 is the 80th anniversary of the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima city. The first part is a pre-recorded walk-thru of the most meaningful monuments that I introduce on guided tours and the 2nd part is clips from the August 6th livestreaming video from around the A-bomb dome on August 6th.#peacenow #nonukes #hiroshima80 #peace #hiroshimajapan #hiroshima #japan Watch the video of this podcast on the SEEK SUSTAINABLE JAPAN podcast playlist:https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcyYXjRuE20E18H3DZrT5FnAfxDiLFs32&si=poKQJQd1db7uSZZh

Grateful this year to have had the rare opportunity to attend both the Hiroshima 80th and Nagasaki 80th commemoration events this year - may these two cities be the last places on earth to experience such horror, suffering and devastation from a nuclear weapon attack.Read post on MEDIUM#nonukes #hiroshima #nagasaki #japan #hiroshima80 #nagasaki80 #nomorehiroshima #nomorenagasaki #nomorehibakusha #nomorewar

WelcomeVegan-Friendly LondonVegan LUNA BurgerHiroshima Nagasaki 80thNoto Recovery Trip BCCJWajima Lacquerware RecoveryAlex Kerr talks Wajima in Hidden Japan bookBenton Homestead Rural EntrepreneursWrite Public Response about Manager Visa ChangesGTN Working with Foreign Residents as positive opportunity not riskCircular System Tokyo includes Worm CompostingFukuoka Clean Energy & Drinking Water ProjectMichael Mears actor playwright THE MISTAKE LINKSTalking with Michael Mears about THE MISTAKE play on Hiroshima Nuclear Weapons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d2jaraQyuYLUNA Vegan Burger in HASE Kamakura area outside Tokyo #veganfood #japan https://maps.app.goo.gl/BM8ZRHaTN57oy1R78 No More Hiroshima Nagasaki 80th Commemorations @medium #peace #travel https://medium.com/@jjwalsh/no-more-hiroshima-nagasaki-80th-8d4c808638b7Staying in NOTO after the quake talking with Bernd & Mitsuehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVIFqBe-0f4Alex Kerr book Hidden Japan mentions Noto peninsula and Wajimahttps://www.youtube.com/live/plqAlGpCCvU?si=UWw12L1xdpuKLKmxBenton Homestead @bentonhomestead https://bentonhomesteadjapan.myshopify.com/Please write in about the sudden changes to the Business Manager Visa system- we don't want to lose businesses doing good like Benton Homestead: https://public-comment.e-gov.go.jp/pcm/detail?CLASSNAME=PCMMSTDETAIL&Mode=0&id=315000115 @theGuardian Fukuoka OSMOTIC Clean Energy and Drinking Water Project featured by the Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/25/japan-osmotic-power-plant-fukuoka?fbclid=IwY2xjawMaiu5leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETEwYWVwQjBzTk1KbFBrcnVrAR4NOapoCche5jHIsRTLksPSU699Acv72IxtqSpuTL0HCncHqOUM-Yvq19ooYA_aem_yaIjHbOaqJ0jl34TyKdZDA====Sustainably focused consultants JJWalsh & Tove Kinooka monthly 30-min Short Takes Chat about sustainable strategy, news, events and innovation in Japan and beyond.#sustainablejapan #seeksustainablejapan #shorttakes #japan #sustainability

UK actor and playwright Michael Mears joins Seek Sustainable Japan to share insights about his latest play called THE MISTAKE - a two person performance telling stories connected to the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima 80 years ago. https://michaelmears.org/Arcola theatre about THE MISTAKE: A powerful reflection on the decisions that changed the course of history and the human cost that followed.In the 80th anniversary year of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, this is urgent, unforgettable theatre.https://www.arcolatheatre.com/whats-on/themistake2025/Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6_szLiCp5sAn important play about nuclear weapons and the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima.play description:"Shigeko Nomura is a young woman living in war-time Hiroshima.Leo Szilard is a Hungarian scientist and ‘father of the atomic bomb'.Paul Tibbets is the American pilot chosen to fly the plane that drops the bomb.At 8.15am on a Monday morning in August, their lives become fatally and forever entangled."https://michaelmears.org/the-mistake-a-new-play-about-the-day-the-world-changed-forever/Michel Mears will be performing a bilingual version of THE MISTAKE in Tokyo, Hiroshima and Tottori in September this year. Contribute to their crowdfunding campaign. https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/taking-my-play-the-mistake-to-japan-in-september

This month sustainability focused, Japan based consultants, educators and entrepreneurs Tove Kinooka and JJWalsh discuss Sustainable Japan Day event and awards featured by the Japan Times ⁨@thejapantimes⁩ - One Young World - Sustainability in the Himalaya mountains with Carole Fuchs - Tech for Impact event in Tokyo October - Global Perspectives workshops and INTRApreneurship training programs - Digital Collage September event ICHIGO BLOOM - Responsible Finance and Investing with Morisawa Michiyo - Wooden Barrels Craft Award Yamaroku Shoyu Shodoshima - Made-in-Japan apparel - Sustainable Forestry in Wakayama - Zero-Carbon baseball stadium HANSHIN Tigers - GLIN impact capital investments in startups with social and environmental impact - Outrage & Optimism podcast ⁨@OutrageandOptimism⁩ - HGPI Health and Environment intersection - Yamaroku Soy Sauce - Yamagata rural revival ..LINKS- Sustainable Japan day event 2025 on September 18 https://sustainable.japantimes.com/sjd-2025 - UNICHARM circularity in diaper business for babies and elderly - recycled pulp & recycle used https://www.unicharm.co.jp/en/csr-eco/education.html - One Young World https://www.oneyoungworld.com/ ⁨@OneYoungWorld⁩ - Global Perspectives workshops & Intra-preneurship training https://www.globalperspectives.biz/intrapreneurship- Tech 4 Impact Summit https://tech4impactsummit.com/- Digital Collage event in Sept 2025 Ichigo Bloom Tokyo https://ichigobloom.jp/digital-collage-explore-the-hidden-footprint-of-our-digital-lives-tokyo-21-september-2025/- Morisawa Michiyo feature about Responsible Investing https://sustainable.japantimes.com/unraveling/25- Yamaroku Shoyu SHODOSHIMA island https://yama-roku.net/en- Factelier made-in-japan clothing apparel https://factelier.com/aboutus/- WAKAYAMA sustainable forestry https://nakagawa-forestry.com/about- Hanshin Tigers Zero Carbon Baseball Stadium https://zerocarbon-bp.hanshin.co.jp/park/map.html- GLIN social and environmental impact funding, startups and investing https://glinimpact.com/en/insight/insight-investment20231017- Japan Health and Environmental policy intersection advising and diplomacy https://hgpi.org/en/- Netchu Rural Revitalization in Yamagata - reusing abandoned schools to...

Lauren and Andrea are Minka Preservation Society founders and talk here about what we can look forward to at the MINKA CON event coming up in November 2025https://www.minkasociety.com/

Kyle Holzhueter is a master plasterer in Japan and founder of Kamimomi Permaculture center in Okayama joins Seek Sustainable Japan once again to talk about their upcoming Living Earth Lab - a 7 day workshop experience in natural living and sustainable life skills- with Phil Cashman of Awa Farm and other Tokyo area permaculture projects. Kyle Holzhueter & Phil Cashman are both long-time Japan based permaculture masters who are running a workshop in Okayama focused on Sustainable Living called LIVING EARTH LAB. Phil is passionate about urban farming - growing your own food even in small spaces, compost toilets and founded Awa Permaculture Farm in Chiba. Phil's Awa Permaculture farm community page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064494287906Kyle: https://pamimomi.com/Kyle Holzhueter on the Seek Sustainable Japan talkshow-podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh9VhKmd2_Uhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2cJPZa1bc8More about Phil: https://therongolianstar.com/2013/06/29/for-permaculture-in-japan-visit-permaculture-awa-farm-dojo/

CEO Toru Muramatsu talks of the great work of Chiiori Alliance and is an inspiring designer and manager who has done great work alongside Alex Kerr to develop beautiful, high-value stays for both international and Japanese guests by renovating old traditional Japanese homes into guest houses.Chiiori Alliancehttps://www.chiiori-alliance.jp/

Monthly 30-min news and topics catch up

Inspiring talk from Azby Brown at MinkaCon2025 about how the beauty of hand-crafted things in traditional houses is what we as human beings respond to and NEED to have connection to in our homes and lives. Azby Brown is a respected MINKA MASTER, educator, author, researcher, advocate and advisor based in Japan for many years. https://azbybrown.com/about/ Watch the video here to see the images he shows and talks about on Seek Sustainable Japan YouTube https://youtu.be/02XeH-FnOZg?si=Vb6UMOoHUkm6YwQZ

Kominka Japan has set the date for the annual Hanase Village Minka celebration in Rural Kyoto for the weekend of April 24,25,26 2026 - save the date! Tickets are now on sale and you can get a discount if you buy before the end of 2025https://kominkajapan.online/events/LINKS:My talk with Paul & Kim Fredale about their stunning home and garden renovation: https://youtube.com/live/yjVcsFL09sUBuy your MINKA SUMMIT 2026 tickets, dinner tickets, lunch tickets.. on Peatix: https://minka-summit-2026.peatix.com/Some Highlights of the event to be announced in the show: · Speaker Presentations· Minka and Machiya Tours!· Hands-On Workshop Demonstrations!· Minka Mall!· Friday Night Meet-and-Greet· Saturday Night Dinner & Keynote SpeechAbout Stuart Galbraith from KominkaJapan websiteStuart Galbraith IV is a film historian who has lived in his 1810 minka in the mountains north of Kyoto since 2016 with his wife, Yukiyo, and daughter, Sadie. He is the author of seven books, including The Emperor and the Wolf – The Lives and Films of Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune and Japanese Cinema and a co-writer of Academy Award-winner Steven Okazaki's documentary Mifune – The Last Samurai (2015). A former archivist for Warner Bros. and MGM, Galbraith writes reviews for the website The Digital Bits and frequently does audio commentaries and produces short documentaries for DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K releases, including such films as Kurosawa's Rashomon, Sanjuro, and Dersu Uzala, Kinji Fukasaku's Battles without Honor and Humanity, Martin Scorsese's Silence, and Joshua Logan's Sayonara. His most recent credit is an audio commentary for the Powell & Pressburger classic A Matter of Life and Death. He also wrote and produced the documentary short, The Minka of Gaijin Alley (2019).

What are the latest sustainable japan topics on our radar for November?Monthly chat about sustainability trends, innovation, events and issues for Japan & beyond with JJWalsh & Tove Kinooka / Topics & Updates - November 2025LINKSThe Conduit - Climate and Conflict https://www.theconduit.com/programme/... The Burning Question: Climate & Conflict • The Burning Question: Climate and Conflict Talk with traditional-Japanese design expert author-architecht Azby Brown about how Humans connect to human-made things • Hand Crafted Design Appeal of Traditional ... Blacksmith in Fukuyama: / akitakazuyoshi Deep Travel Experience with Alex Kerr in Kagawa via ONESTORY / onestorytraveller LinkedIn Univ Exeter COP30 Summary

Wonderful discussion here with educator, author, architect & artist Azby Brown where he shares his deep insights into the beauty and meaningful design of traditional buildings and art where you can see the I WAS HERE mark of the human who crafted it. There is a warning here from Azby Brown about our fast shift to destroy these handcrafted things of value (like MINKA) in the rush to embrace technology and AI - this will not make us happy and will DESKILL and UNSKILL us.LINKSAzby Brown https://azbybrown.com/about/

Our top picks of Sustainable Japan for 2025 - enjoy!Did we miss your faves? Please let us know and we will give you a shoutout in the next episode!LINKS: #seeksustainablejapan on YouTube #inboundambassador on IG & FB #jjwalsh on BlueSky

Welcome to a new year of Seek-Sustainable-Japan - here are some dreams and thoughts as we start the year as best we can- hope it's a good one for all of us! Feel free to drop comments or questions to me somewhere & I will give you a shoutout in the next episode!LINKS: #seeksustainablejapan on YouTube #inboundambassador on IG & FB #jjwalsh on BlueSky

Rachel Nicholson shares insights on her work with Hiroshima Kagura performances - she translates the story subtitles to English and hosts the live shows every wednesday night in Hiroshima city. LINKS https://www.rccbc.co.jp/event/kagura/en/ This is the website for the Wednesday Night Kagura performances (that start on 4/1) https://www.hiroshima-kagura.jp/en/ This is the big “what is Kagura” for Hiroshima website Notes from Rachel about Hiroshima Kagura: As for favorite performances, here are some videos my top 3: Ox-Baby - Ushi-gozen (Asahi-ga-Oka Kagura Troupe)Lady Takiyasha (Kaminakachōshi Kagura Troupe)Maple Leaf-Viewing Party (Miyanoki Kagura Troupe)

Douglas Brooks joins the show again this month to talk about his 10th apprenticeship with a traditional Japanese boatbuilder in Hiroshima as well as other projects in 2026. His backstory is that he had a roommate from Hiroshima at University and when he first visited Japan as a backpacker he got bored of the typical sightseeing, but fascinated by wooden traditional Japanese boats he found his way into an apprenticeship. This has led to 9 apprentices with traditional wooden boatbuilders in Japan - often as their only and last apprentice before they retire. https://www.douglasbrooksboatbuilding.com/

First of our 30-min Short-Takes series for 2026In this episode JJ & Tove give their predictions for Sustainable Japan 2026: Food Diversity - Zero-Waste - CleanTech - GenderEquity - Apps - Minka - Traditional Rural Japan Travel - Japan EV's - Innovation - Entrepreneurs - Biodiversity =Tove's top 5= 1) TooGoodToGo Food Waste/Loss App Launches in Japan / https://www.toogoodtogo.com/ja 2) Multi-lateral Thinking to Sustainability - like the IKEA 2050 Project / https://www.ikea.com/jp/en/this-is-ikea/community-engagement/life-at-home-2050-pub2ef982b0/ 3) UpScrolled App - More Sustainable Social Media / https://upscrolled.com/en/faq/ 4) Women-Positive Events on the Rise - IchigoBloom / Joconne / Rocklit https://www.rocklit.com/ https://luma.com/8jcxj6ef 5) Biodiversity-Forward BIODIVERSIFY https://biodiversify.com/ =JJ's top 5= 1) Japan EV's 2026 - HONDA - Mazda - Suzuki - Nissan - Toyota all have exciting cars in JAPAN 2) Sustainable Travel Innovation - The Japan Travel Awards 2026 - event 2/12/2026 / https://japantravelawards.com/en/home 3) Traditional Japanese MINKA houses, craftspeople, rural living, sustainable travel - Minka Summit event 4/24-26/2026 / https://kominkajapan.online/events/ 4) CleanTech Innovation - Smart Energy - Green Entrepreneurs - Events in Tokyo-Chiba-Osaka https://www.wsew.jp/hub/en-gb.html 5) PlantBased Vegan Vegetarian Forward Eateries - VeganOsaka delivers https://www.veganosaka.com/en / Japan Times article on plantbased vegan rise japan https://www.japantimes.co.jp/environment/2025/01/29/sustainability/veganism-rise-japan-climate/ --------------- JJWalsh's Inbound Ambassador Website: https://inboundambassador.com/

Visitors and new residents to Japan are often surprised to see so many wonderfully cute and bizarre characters in Japan and the characterization of everything from safety announcements to tourism promotion. Dr.Debra Occhi has been studying the Japan world of characters for many years and shares some of her insights on the historical connections as well as how these characters function in business as well as for the benefit of society.

I visited the traditional boatbuilding workshop of craftsman Tenkyou Hirofumi who was working with Douglas Brooks and filmmaker Chikara Motomura on a project this year in Miyoshi *Hiroshima* Japan - great to hear the sounds of traditional carpentry as we talk about the value of preserving these traditions.

CEO Paul Christie of Walk Japan started as a guide for tourists many years ago and has led the Walk Japan company toward a more sustainable business path where needs of locals and visitors are more in balance. He has also helped revive a small village in rural Japan with organic farming, community building, bringing in new residents and using tourism income to help fund projects.https://walkjapan.com/

Creating a textbook that engages with university students in Japan is a challenge but a Professor at Okayama university, John Rucynski has found a winning formula for writing a textbook with stories of successful international professionals working in Japan. https://deepjapan.org/john-rucynski/https://cengagejapan.com/elt/ListeningVideo/page/?no=1412662013bfq7a

This month FEBRUARY we talk about some of our favorite low-waste, plastic-free products in Japan, the high-technology of trees & other great sustainable business & travel events, talks, innovation and inspiration Tove Kinooka - sustainable business consultant based in Yokohama, Japan *Tokyo area*JJWalsh - sustainable business & travel consultant based in Hiroshima, Japan *Setouchi area*

You Sakaguchi (You-Sakana) has been living and promoting the SETOUCHI area of Japan as a blogger, designer, photographer and content creator. Ryoko Ihara is the head of branding at GoField co and often works in collaboration with You on projects. We will talk about some of their work, philosophy and sustainable travel highlights for the Setouchi (Kagawa/Tokushima/Okayama) area of Japan. You Sakaguchi | YouSakana https://www.instagram.com/yousakana.design/ https://yousakana.jp/

Sustainable travel, business and innovation on our radar as sustainability focused consultants in Japan - Tove Kinooka & JJWalsh

Author Hiroko Yoda joins us to share insights from her latest book "Eight Million Ways to Happiness - Wisdom for Inspiration and Healing from the Heart of Japan'. It is a deeply personal journey of spiritual understanding, training and research into how Shinto, Buddhism, Shugendo and the many many Gods of Japan interplay in her thought processes as she grew up in Japan as well as gained more Japan life insights while living, working & traveling abroad. Hiroko Yoda Links- Newsletter: https://blog.hirokoyoda.com/ Instagram: @hi_yoda_1 Bluesky: @hirokoyoda.bsky.social Hiroko will participate in three Writers' Festivals in Australia (Melbourne, Margaret River and Sydney) in May, 2026. Here are some links to tickets available for my talks. More coming soon, and I will announce it later on SNS. "Hiroko Yoda 'Eight Million Ways to Happiness' : How meaning, purpose and gratitude are woven into Japanese culture" https://www.swf.org.au/program/festival-2026/hiroko-yoda-eight-million-ways-to-happiness/ Matt Alt and I will have a talk together too! : “The Japan Effect: How Japanese culture influences the rest of the world.” https://www.swf.org.au/program/festival-2026/the-japan-effect #seeksustainablejapan #talkshow #podcast #author #book #japan #japaneseculture #spirituality #culture #japanesetraditions #hirokoyoda #interview LINKS https://www.hirokoyoda.com/ https://blog.hirokoyoda.com/p/eight-million-ways-to-happiness

How can a traditional Japanese inn survive for many generations? CEO Chizuka Tachibana is following in the footsteps of her family's legacy to run Ryokan Ohana in Fukuoka. As a descendent of feudal lords, Tachibana-san maintains, and continues to elevate an impressive family business legacy. Tachibana-san did a huge renovation of the buildings in 2025 and won the Grand Prize for the Japan Travel Awards in 2026 for her dedication to excellent, inclusive and accessible hospitality and service. Vegan-Vegetarian and international customer welcoming, they have a very sustainable Japanese business philosophy in hopes of being successful for their staff, locals as well as customers beyond the next 100 years & far into the future. https://ohana.co.jp/en/ Japan Travel Awards 2026 Winners https://japantravelawards.com/en/winners/2026 - JOIN the Ryokan Ohana Crowdfunding Effort to preserve their beautiful pine trees https://readyfor.jp/projects/ohana1910/announcements/421132

Hana Shiraishi is editor-in-chief of DeepJapan - an online magazine sharing stories written by long-time Japan insiders to share interesting perspectives on local people, culture and travel across Japan. In this talk, Hana shares insights from working at a convenience store for her first job as well as many other wonderful stories of travel, inclusion and international community in her work with Deep-Japan. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hana-shiraishi-73092415a/ Deep Japan website: https://deepjapan.org/

Swastika & Trishit have been working with locals in Futaba Fukushima - a coastal area devastation by the 2010 earthquake, tsunami and radiation disaster that forced evacuation of the area. Now 16 years later, telling the stories of disaster and survival with visitors is a positive way to help rebuild the community.Visiting the Fukushima area is a deeply-impactful experience- you can book your tour on FUKUSHIMA SEASIDE TOURS https://fukushimaseaside.travel/ Trishit Banerjee on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/trishitbanerjee/Swastika Harsh Jajoo on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/swastikajajoo777/ NHK feature of their work in Fukushima https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/shows/2087155/#sustainable #tourism #travel #japan #fukushima #disaster #community #rebuilding #revival #resilience

Shiitake Creative Ally Hongo joins Seek Sustainable Japan to share insights on the 2026 winners, behind the scenes stories and a new published book focused on better, more sustainable, accessible and inclusive travel in Japan. Shiitake Creative Website @shiitakecreative https://shiitakecreative.jp/ Japan Travel Awards Website @japantravelawards https://japantravelawards.com/

The 2026 Minka Summit in Hanase village, Kyoto - a community gathering of people from across Japan who love traditional Japanese houses, rural living, renovations, traditional crafts and cultural preservation. Join us for a day or for the entire 3 days - looking forward to seeing you there! https://kominkajapan.online/events/

Tiffany Rossdale is a long-time international resident who has worked in the entertainment industry but is now more involved with social impact projects and businesses in Japan. In this talk, we explore some of Tiffany's latest projects talking about LGBTQ+ issues with universities and for WeExist film events, suggest being accepted by her professional name by LINKEDIN, helping to support homeless in Tokyo, make more inclusive travel for LGBTQ+ travelers in Japan and insights from her podcast BREAKFAST WITH TIFFANY. / tiffanyrossdale / tiffanyrossdaleofficial