Event schedule

From 14:00

Registration/check-in

The SUMMIT starts here, where pre-registered and walk-in attendees check-in. From here you’ll want to visit the adjacent Minka Tour Sign-Up table.

Minka tour sign-up

After registering each guest will be directed to our Minka Tour Sign-Up Tables, divided into two categories: Renovated Minka & Minka for Sale. You’ll see photos and information for each minka, its location relative to the Event Site with directions, travel times, and Google Map links, etc. You’ll get to choose which minka you’d like to tour, and when. Simply sign-up for the available time-slots you prefer. Minka carpenters and akiya bank representatives will be available at select locations.

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17:00-21:00

Meet & greet (Minka Annex aka Hanase Kodomo-mura)

A festive gathering of minka people from across Japan, with free finger-food and soft drinks served. Alcoholic beverages tentatively available at an additional charge.

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19:00-19:15

Welcome speech

A brief welcome speech to all attendees, including MINKA SUMMIT 2022’s Guest of Honor and Keynote Speaker. At this time, we’ll also be providing you with additional information and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have.

8:00-13:00

Minka Tours

Various Locations

Tours of local area minka, including renovated minka, minka undergoing renovation, and minka for-sale. Owners and realtors/akiya bank representatives will be on-site to answer your questions, and in some instances an experienced carpenter, historian or other specialist will be at site.

Most minka will be short drive (5-30 minutes) from the convention. The sign-up sheet noted above and map apps will help you plan your personal itinerary.

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Workshops (Shin Ai-kan)

Toda Komuten

With the Toda Komuten carpenters, children will use traditional building methods to raise the frame of a miniature kominka. Michinari Watanabe has specially prepared old timber from dismantled kominka for the project. Once the frame is ready, the children will hold a Jōhtōu Frame-raising Ceremony to express gratitude and pray for the safe completion of the house and the happiness of future inhabitants. Finally, the children will throw sweets out to the people in the audience.

13:30 – 15:00

Children’s Kominka Building

In front of the Minka Mall in the main building

Children ages 5-12

Max. six children

Yasuko Watabe, Somokusha

Somokusha is a workshop based in Miyama-cho exploring traditional ways of using wild plants that have supported people's lives and health for generations. Through the various products that we are making and through workshops we hope to not only introduce these traditional ways of wildcrafting plants to many people, but also the joys of a life rooted in place.

11:00-12:00

Midare Ami (disorder type)

1hour 2000 yen

Anyone aged 5 – adult

Max. 8 people

14:00-15:30

14:00 Hira Ami (flat knitting type)

90 minutes, 2000 yen

Anyone aged 5 – adult

Max. 8 people

Dorothee Eshin Takatsu

Washi lamp making demonstration

At the A UN Booth, 11 – 4

Association of Traditional Reconstruction Professionals

Make your own set of chopsticks! (Mitsuo Tsurutani, Association of Traditional Reconstruction Professionals)

30-minute workshops in which participants will use planers to shape pieces of cherry or cedar into o-hashi.

13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00 (30 minutes each; more times will be added as needed)

Ages 6 – adult

Max. 3 per workshop

¥200 fee

Straw Workshop
14:00-17:00 (¥1500)
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11:00-17:00

Lectures

Suihoso/Main Building, 1st Floor

Guest speakers:

• Lauren Scharf 11:00

• Chuck Kayser 12:00

• Marcus Consolini 13:30

• Jonanthan Stollenmeyer & Kohei Yamamoto 14:30

• Community Relations Panel: with Rebecca Otowa, Lee Xian Jie and Shelley Clarke 15:30

Two large spaces are the setting for a variety of lectures and panel discussions ranging from the process of finding and buying a minka through renovation options, as well as talks about creating sustainable rural communities and community interaction with longtime residents.

View our guest speaker bios

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10:00-17:00

Minka Mall

Shin Ai-kan/Sports Building

In this vast space you’ll find information booths manned by akiya bank representatives, maki stove dealers and minka roofing specialists, akiya program reps, organic farming organizations, local merchants, antique dealers specializing in minka fusuma, irori, tansu…and more!

New exhibitors announced each week!

View minka mall booths

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Book Signings

Azby Brown (13:00-14:30 / Main Building)

Alex Kerr (15:00-16:15 / Minka Mall)

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18:30-21:00

Dinner & Keynote speech featuring Alex Kerr (Minka Annex aka Hanase Koromo-mura)

SOLD OUT:
Due to popular demand, add-on tickets for the keynote speech have now sold out. But don't worry! Alex will be signing books, conversing with all MINKA SUMMIT guests over the weekend, and joining in the fun!

Join us for a sit-down full-course meal highlighted by the event’s Keynote Speech from our Guest of Honor, Alex Kerr. Vegetarian options available. Alcoholic beverages available at an additional charge.

Minka Tours

Various Locations

8:00-13:00

Tours of local area minka, including renovated minka, minka undergoing renovation, and minka for-sale. Owners and realtors/akiya bank representatives will be on-site to answer your questions, and in some instances an experienced carpenter, historian or other specialist will be at site.

Most minka will be short drive (5-20 minutes) from the convention. The sign-up sheet noted above and map apps will help you plan your personal itinerary.

_________

Minka Mall

Shin Ai-kan/Sports Building

10:00-17:00

In this vast space you’ll find information booths manned by akiya bank representatives, maki stove dealers and minka roofing specialists, akiya program reps, organic farming organizations, local merchants, antique dealers specializing in minka fusuma, irori, tansu…and more!

View minka mall booths

_________

Book Signings

Rebecca Otowa (11:00-12:30 / Main Building)

Alex Kerr (13:00-14:00 / Minka Mall)

———————
Workshops

Toda Komuten

With the Toda Komuten carpenters, children will use traditional building methods to raise the frame of a miniature kominka. Michinari Watanabe has specially prepared old timber from dismantled kominka for the project. Once the frame is ready, the children will hold a Jōhtōu Frame-raising Ceremony to express gratitude and pray for the safe completion of the house and the happiness of future inhabitants. Finally, the children will throw sweets out to the people in the audience.

13:30 – 15:00 / Children’s Kominka Building / Children ages 5-12 / Max. six children

Yasuko Watabe, Somokusha

11:00-12:00

24 Striking grass dyeing/

Leaf Dye-Stamp making

1hour, 2000 yen / aged 5 – adult

Max. 8 people

Dorothee Eshin Takatsu

Washi lamp making demonstration 

At the A UN Booth, 11 – 4 

Association of Traditional Reconstruction Professionals

Make your own set of chopsticks! (Mitsuo Tsurutani, Association of Traditional Reconstruction Professionals)

30-minute workshops in which participants will use planers to shape pieces of cherry or cedar into o-hashi. 

13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00 (30 minutes each; more times will be added as needed)

Ages 6 – adult / Max. 3 per workshop / ¥200 fee

Straw Workshop
13:00-16:00 (¥1500)
_________

Lectures

Suihoso/Main Building, 1st Floor

11:00-16:00

Guest speakers:

• Jaya Thursfield (aka ‘Tokyo Llama’) 11:00

• Kyle Holzhueter 12:00

• JJ Walsh 13:00

• Tomoko Kawata 14:00

• Azby Brown 15:00

Two large spaces are the setting for a variety of lectures and panel discussions ranging from the process of finding and buying a minka through renovation options, as well as talks about creating sustainable rural communities and community interaction with longtime residents.

View our guest speaker bios

___________

Closing Ceremony

Shin Ai-kan/Sports Building

16:00-16:45

Closing remarks, group photo, plus announcements and thanks from the MINKA SUMMIT 2022 Team.