Kominka Japan hosts Minka Summit 2024: Celebrating sustainable living

Are you in the mood to celebrate Japanese heritage and sustainable living in the countryside? Kominka Japan is organizing Minka Summit 2024, the third annual event tailored for minka owners and enthusiasts seeking their dream folk houses. The summit will feature expert speakers, panels, workshops, merchants and programs from akiya banks. It is expected to draw hundreds of foreign residents, visitors and Japanese enthusiasts. Minka Summit 2024 will also include tours of local minka, showcasing both renovated and occupied houses, as well as those available for sale or rent.

The event is scheduled for April 19-21, 2024, primarily at Hanase Resort Park Koryu No Mori, a picturesque retreat nestled in the mountain village of Hanase, Kyoto, approximately an hour’s drive north of downtown Kyoto City. The keynote speaker will be Azby Brown, acclaimed author of “The Genius of Japanese Carpentry” and “Lessons in Living Green from Traditional Japan.” Joining him are Yoshihiro Takishita, a renowned first-class registered architect with over five decades of experience in renovating minka, and Alex Kerr, an author and lifelong advocate for minka and rural living, who will be participating via Zoom from his 300-year-old minka in the Iya Valley, Chiiori.

Onsite experience

The event will include a “Minka Mall,” featuring booths operated by traditional carpenters, craftsmen, minka and machiya organizations, akiya banks, local traditional artists and NPO groups. Visitors can participate in hands-on workshops on topics such as traditional Japanese carpentry. Additionally, the Minka Summit will offer special Minka Tour group excursions to Miyama Kayabuki no sato (Kyoto’s Minka Village), the remote village of Kuta, and the recently restored thatched minka of French architects Mélanie Heresbach and Sébastien Renauld.

About Kominka Japan

The event is expected to draw around 500 individuals passionate about traditional minka from various regions of Japan and around the globe. The Kominka Japan Facebook page, which started in 2016 with only nine members and had about 1,600 members prior to our 2022 Summit, now has nearly 4,000 members actively sharing their love for this iconic Japanese architecture. They also provide valuable information to each other, contributing to the preservation of these endangered dwellings.

Stuart Galbraith IV, the founder of Kominka Japan, who resides in a 214-year-old minka purchased in 2016, noted, “Recent international news articles about inexpensive akiya have sparked significant interest in kominka.” He added, “Many foreigners, including full-time Japanese residents and those currently outside Japan, have been joining our Facebook page in large numbers. More importantly, it has created a wonderful community.”

The summit will offer a unique experience of traditional culture and sustainable practices, particularly related to Japanese lifestyle.

Event details

MINKA SUMMIT 2024 will be open to the public for three days and two nights only:

Friday, April 19: 10:00am-9:00pm
Saturday, April 20: 10:00am-9:00pm
Sunday, April 21: 10:00am-5:00pm

Admission (Tickets available via Peatix):

3-Day Pass
Adults ¥5000 (at door: ¥6000)
Seniors ¥2500 (at door: ¥3000)
Students ¥2000 (at door: ¥2500)
Children (12 and under) Free

Single-Day Ticket
Adults ¥2500 (at door: ¥3500)
Seniors/Students ¥1000 (at door: ¥1500)
Children (12 and under) Free
Friday Night Meet-and-Greet ¥500
Saturday Night Dinner & Keynote Speech ¥5000 (Sold Out!)

Venue

Address: 250 Hanase Yamasu-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 601-1103

For more information visit:
[Kominka Japan website] www.kominkajapan.org (in English and Japanese)
[Koryu No Mori website ] dobanzy.com/index.html (in Japanese)
[Reference] medium.com/@kyotocity/a-unique-community-that-connects-kyotoand-the-world-through-japans-authentic-living-culturec5a6924b3344 (in English)