The VISION: By rescuing Kominkas we can revitalize communities by breathing new life into a once thriving town and country of hard working farmers and merchants and their families. We want to honor the generations of owners who have kept the legacy alive and we will work to preserve these Kominka treasures and recognize the last generation with the respect and dignity they deserve.
The PLAN: The goal in the next five years is to save ten Kominka and turn them into businesses like a café, guest house, pottery studio, hobby/craft center, hula and ukulele studio, a place for basket weaving or quilting and the like. A community center would also serve our elderly retirees by having local gatherings to bring people together and share their talents like cooking, sewing, gardening, crafting, karaoke, dancing and storytelling to name a few activities.
Over the past ten months we have been meeting with farmers, merchants and some local townspeople to see what an ECO TOUR program would look like by having visitors experience farm life by going on tours to either observe or participate in helping farmers work on their properties doing maintenance by cleaning up weeds, pruning and picking and sorting fruits and vegetables. Maybe even planting rice in the spring and harvesting in the fall. How about joining the kite battle in June and help pull the rope hoping that their team wins in a fun, friendly and bonding cultural experience? Part of the eco tour program would also involve some sort of community service type of activity like helping to clean up a park or river, planting trees, removing weeds in a playround, setting up a community garden all in partnership with members of the community. After the activity we can all join in a potluck(sharing of food) and really get to know the community in the fun and productive event…..a good cross cultural experience for all.
We are currently in discussions with a major Japanese travel agency and airline and they are very interested in making the eco tour program a success by helping to bring more visitors to Shirone and the nearby towns with tours that travel agency sets up for the land portion of ground transportation, lodging, meals and guided tours from the city to the town and country of Niigata and in particular Shirone. The airline would bring in tourists from Hawaii and all over the world.
milt yamada
We recently participated in the Honolulu Festival with our Japan Kominka Rescue organization and the response was overwhelming and many people from Hawaii and the Pacific Region want to experience eco tours in the countryside of rural Japan. Many Hawaii residents want to actually own a piece of history by saving a kominka for their family and friends to visit when they come to Japan. Of all the places in the world, Hawaii has the strongest bond to Japan since many of our descendants originally came from the land of rising sun.
For this project to be a success, we are working to get the support and cooperation of the city of Niigata and town of Shirone by helping with assistance in reduced refuse(gomi?) fees, speedy permitting on building renovations and identifying kominka that can be saved by JKR.
