Writer’s Booth Languages: 🇬🇧+🇯🇵

Originally from New Orleans, Azby Brown has lived in Japan since 1985. A widely published author and authority on Japanese architecture, design, and environment, his groundbreaking writings on traditional Japanese carpentry, compact housing, and traditional sustainable practices of Japan have brought these fields to the awareness of Western designers and the public.

In addition to 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 LivingGgreen fromTraditional Japan (2010). He retired in 2017 from the Kanazawa Institute of Technology, where he founded the Future Design Institute, and is currently on the sculpture faculty of Musashino Art University in Tokyo.

Restored Traditional Sake Brewery (An Official Sponsor)
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Marcus Consolini discovered Daimon Brewery in early 2017 and soon acquired it, turning it into one of the fastest growing sake breweries in the Kansai region. When not building businesses, Marcus and his team focus on acquiring, designing, and renovating traditional machiya and kominka in the region.

Daimon Shuzo was established in 1826 at the foot of the Ikoma mountain range. For 6 generations we have been producing some of the finest Sake in Kansai, the central region of Japan. With a focus on fresh spring mountain water, using the highest quality of rice and 200 years of refined skills - we bring our craft to the world.​ ​

Architectural Design, Minka Preservation, Renovation & Relocation (An Official Sponsor)
Languages: 🇬🇧+🇯🇵

Toda Komuten, a longtime advocate for folk house preservation in Japan, disassembles kominka which are in very good condition but are going to be demolished and rebuilds them for use as homes, studios, home offices, community centers, Japanese garden structures, and shops in Japan and abroad. They also renovate existing minka, maintaining the beautiful aesthetic while creating a comfortable space in which to live and work.

Toda Komuten works with the Kominka Collective to preserve minka and old materials and raise awareness of Japanese traditional built cultural heritage abroad by organizing online and in person bilingual events and relocating and rebuilding minka that have been abandoned to North America and beyond.

Minka Preservation & Relocation Non-Profit (An Official Sponsor) Languages: 🇬🇧+🇯🇵

The Kominka Collective was conceived as a way to share traditional Japanese folk houses with people outside of Japan, and in so doing give these beautiful old houses a second life.

We work with Toda Komuten of Shinshiro Japan to make reclaimed and restored Japanese kominka and traditional Japanese building techniques, materials, fixtures, and furnishings accessible to people outside Japan. Together, we also organize bilingual online and in-person events to raise awareness of Japanese traditional built cultural heritage.

We are not-for-profit company.

Clothing made from upcycled kimono Languages: 🇬🇧+🇯🇵

I make new clothing for women using old kimono. Stop by my booth for a cup of tea and a chat and have a look at the shirts, pants, dresses, bags, and other items I have made specifically for the Minka Summit!

Research related to built cultural heritage and rural revitalization initiatives Languages: 🇬🇧+🇯🇵

Initiatives to address issues related to kominka becoming vacant and/or being torn down go hand in hand with efforts to revitalize rural areas. With regard to both issues, the protection and preservation of Japanese traditional built cultural heritage and population decline in rural areas, the participation of a range of people is central and critical. Stop by our booth and learn about the research we are carrying out and how you can help!

Designer, photographer, natural farmer, and minka owner Languages: 🇬🇧+🇯🇵

Designer, photographer and natural farmer Rupert Singleton is based in Fukuoka Prefecture – and owns two kominka – the oldest of which is located in the valley where the first tea seeds were planted in Japan from China over 600 years ago. Stop by his booth for a cup of authentic tea roasted according to ancient methods in cast iron 'kama' and the chance to learn about 'Yame-cha' tea culture and hear all about his kominka life experience in rural Kyushu (which has been featured on TV multiple times). The Summit coincides with 'shin-cha' new tea harvesting season so he will endeavour to roast a 'Summit-cha' specially for the event. As a photographer he has documented his Japan and minka life over the last 10 years and will showcase his photos. Prints will be for sale. Presently he specialises in 'Satoyama' photoshoots and will also be available for hire for a portrait shoot in the Citizens Forest during the Summit. In addition to tea, he will be selling (in limited supply!) his ancient grain of Japan: 'kodaimai' black rice cultivated and processed entirely by hand. His booth will be adorned with all things Kyushu!

Minka Restoration & Culture Languages: 🇬🇧+🇯🇵

We organize multilingual online and in-person activities and events throughout the year with the aims of sharing information, materials, and resources about the history and culture of Japanese folk houses, as well as providing support for those who would like to live or work in a kominka; passing on traditional building techniques through workshops and collaborative projects; creating opportunities to work together to restore kominka in Japan and relocated kominka overseas; holding art, music, and other cultural events in these extraordinary traditional old structures; and, sharing findings from domestic and international research related to kominka, old materials, and issues related to rural revitalization.

Community-driven project to renovate abandoned houses Languages: 🇬🇧+🇯🇵

Akiya Collective is a community-driven project to restore and renovate empty houses around Japan into creative residences. Starting first with a 250-year-old home in northern Kyoto, we aim to breathe life back into a historical artifact so it can become a continuously inspiring container for human flourishing: one that blends deep cultural heritage with modern creative endeavors. We are a collective of artists, builders, and humans who care about improving experience design, connected living, and rural revitalization enabled through technology, and hope to inspire others by open-sourcing our entire operational playbook.

Specialists in Maki stoves for minka Languages: 🇯🇵

In addition to importing cast-iron wood stoves from the United States, the U.K., Belgium, and Scandinavia for more than 20 years, the Miyama, Kyoto-based Heart Country Stove specializes in the tricky installation of stoves and chimney pipes in traditional minka, including kaiyabuki-style with their tin-over-thatch roofs.

A Humble 'Yamaga No Cha No Yu, 山家の茶湯' Tea Ceremony Languages: 🇬🇧+🇯🇵

Yufuko and Francis, two potters living in the deep mountains of Nara Prefecture, will create a space in the Minka Mall for a humble 'yamaga no cha no yu, 山家の茶湯'.

Originally from Berkeley, CA, they are making an art and pottery residency on the grounds of their 300 year old farmhouse.

Okuyama House Studio will also be offering an eleven-day work-trade timber frame post and beam intensive workshop under the guidance of a miyadaiku (temple builder) from March 17 - 27, 2024.

Minka Mall Food Vendor Languages: 🇬🇧+🇯🇵

Rairaiken. “Nestled in the mountains,” they tell us, “I chose Keihoku as a place with an amazing sense of community and rich natural resources as the perfect place to raise my children after a career in the big city and as a professional spear-fisherman. This environment activates all five senses and brings out the most of what nature has to offer. Rairaiken's motto is ‘To feed the bounties of nature to your most loved ones.’ From my traditional kamado wood stove I use local Keihoku wood, rice and organic vegetables to activate your body's five senses from a gentle whisper to a strong lightning bolt that will connect you back to nature through gastronomy.”

Traditional aizome indigo dyeing Languages: 🇬🇧+🇯🇵

The oldest plant-based dye in human history, Japan has a centuries-old history with aizome (indigo dyeing). The fermentation technique to create this unique dye was first devised over 200 years ago. Worn by samurai and in the Meiji period (1868-1912) the color was internationally referred to as “Japan Blue.” In contemporary Japan, where the more convenient synthetic dye has become mainstream, the natural vivid blue of indigo is still appreciated by artisans around the world.

At their booth you’ll meet aizome artist Naoko Omae, who found her love for Japanese indigo dyeing after studying fine arts in California. Naoko currently lives in a traditional thatched-roof house in the mountainous Miyama, where she makes “everyday art” with her spouse, Kota.

Kominka Japan Rural Revitalization Initiative Languages: 🇬🇧+🇯🇵

Kominka Japan is proud to offer this ever-growing database of personal My Village profiles from members of our Kominka Japan Facebook page and elsewhere.

The aim of this initiative is to contribute to the revitalization of rural villages across Japan and preserve its traditional minka.

Minka Mall Food Vendor Languages: 🇬🇧+🇯🇵

Delicious Mexican cuisine served made to order on site.

Minka Summit Dining Languages: 🇯🇵

Traditional, unpretentious dishes like curry rice, gyudon, beef and kitsune udon, as well as coffee and juice, all in a nice atmosphere, with seating both indoors and out.

Minka Mall Audio Visual Kiosk
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Take a break and enjoy various short minka-related documentaries that run on a continuous loop throughout the day.

Minka Mall Photo & Art Display
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A display of historic photos of minka, images by professional and amateur photographers of minka, and original artwork. We’ve already accumulated some beautiful pieces to display, but if YOU have photos or paintings of minka you’d like to display and share, please let us know! (No sales items, please.)

Our company has several divisions which includes managing real estate for foreigners, and I am in charge of this division. We have been specializing in Akiya for over a decade now, and our service is quite unique. We operate as a wholesaler of real estate, so our listings are typically not open to the public. However, given the issue of Akiya in Japan, we have recently established a division to assist foreigners interested in purchasing a house in Japan. Therefore, I may not be able to present many current listings for the summit, but we will be available for consultations regarding finding a property in the Kansai area as we always have a large number of property acquisitions.