by Paul Noah Agha Ebrahim

Located in Ishikawa Prefecture, Takigahara Farm stands as a tranquil retreat that tries to combine modern comfort with traditional Japanese farming practices. While the farm offers accommodations, it also serves as a place for community, sustainability and art.  The journey started with the R-project, an urban renewal initiative led by Teruo Kurosaki (TALKING Ultrasuede n. d.), and since then several other buildings have been added to the original structure of the farm (now being used as a shared house of the community), namely a café, a hostel and a workshop studio (Kahan 2023).  Anna Jensen, a prominent member, describes Takigahara as “fluid,” emphasizing its welcoming environment where people come and go, contributing to a diverse community.  Starting off with the help of government funds, Takigahara now lives off its events, workshops and on-site products (Kahan 2023).

A notable event was the “Passenger Program”, a collaboration with the New York-based multidisciplinary eco-collective Aerthship. Founded in 2021 by Tin Mai, Aerthship is a collective of creatives that promotes an earth-centric subculture through community-centered dining experiences or the exploring of urban farming in New York (Y+L Projects 2024).  The “Passenger Program” was launched in November 2023, inviting 15 QTPOC (Queer and Trans People of Color) artists from diverse backgrounds for five days to Takigahara Farm (Marcelline 2023). This program aimed at inspiring artistic exploration and at deepening participants’ connection with the natural environment. Activities included silent walks through the farm’s lush landscapes and workshops on traditional Japanese crafts like washi papermaking (Y+L Projects 2024). Central to the event was the celebration of cultural diversity and artistic freedom. While half of the artists were from Japan, there were also participants from Vietnam, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Australia and the United States to share their unique perspectives and creative insights (Marcelline 2023).  Beyond art, the “Passenger Program” aimed at building lasting connections and inspiring positive change within the community. Journaling sessions, communal meals using locally sourced ingredients, and even movie nights became opportunities for bonding and cultural exchange.

However, this event was not only an opportunity for exchange among the participants, but also created encounters with residents of the neighboring communities. Milo Lawson, program coordinator at Takigahara Farm, said it took several years to forge a relationship with the surrounding community and that they would not have been able to host an event like this during his first year in Takigahara (Y+L Projects 2024). Nowadays, the locals make food, help run the shuttle bus around the village and even perform traditional dances at the yearly music festival hosted at Takigahara farm (Y+L Projects 2024). Creating a space in rural Japan, where locals that lived there all their life and young queer artists from around the world get to interact is what makes this farm so unique. Reflecting on the “Passenger Program’s” success, Aerthship and Takigahara Farm plan to expand their collaboration globally (Marcelline 2023). Future initiatives may include more artist residencies, cultural exchanges, and educational programs promoting sustainability and cross-cultural dialogue.

References

Kahan, K. (2023), “Takigahara: Creating a Community in Rural Japan,” Tokyo Weekender, February 16, 2023, https://www.tokyoweekender.com/travel/takigahara-community-in-rural-japan/, accessed June 17, 2024.

Marcelline, S. (2023), “Aerthship X Mimi Zhu│Artists and Ecology in Symbiosis on Japan’s Takigahara Farm,” Flaunt, https://www.flaunt.com/post/aerthship-x-mimi-zhu-artists-and-ecology-in-symbiosis-on-japans-takigahara-farm, accessed June 17, 2024.

TALKING Ultrasuede (n. d.), “Takigahara Farm,” https://talking-ultrasuede.jp/en/takigahara-farm/ accessed June 17, 2024.

Y+L Projects (2024), “How NY Collective Aerthship Found A Creative Escape in Rural Japan,” Medium, https://ylprojects.medium.com/aerthships-artist-residency-in-rural-japan-03b173b41c48, accessed June 17, 2024.

Paul Noah Agha Ebrahim is a student in the BA program in Japanese Studies at the Freie Universität Berlin.