Community Description
Konohana Family is an agriculture-based community at the foot of Mt. Fuji where 80 non blood-related members live as one big family (as of 2013 Dec). In 1994, 20 members found Konohana Farm, which then was renamed to Konohana Family. They aimed to establish a community where people can live together by supporting each other in Fujinomiya, Shizuoka, Japan. The name “Konohana” comes from the goddess of Mt. Fuji, “Konohana Sakuyahime no Mikoto”. Since its establishment, the family has built a certain lifestyle based on harmony. All members make full use of their talents in daily life, playing specific roles, and helping each other. Konohana Family practices organic agriculture and does not use any chemical fertilizers, agricultural chemicals, or genetically modified technology. We choose a sustainable method that provides a good balance between self-sufficiency and productivity and paying attention to the natural resource circuits. Our total farmland covers 18 hectares; 9 hectares are for vegetables and grains, and the other 9 for rice. Most of the land is borrowed for free from our local neighbors. We produce most of our food – 260 types of vegetables, grains, 11 types of rice, free-range eggs, pure honey, and miso (fermented soy paste), soy sauce, and other processed food, produced with traditional methods. We only purchase sugar, salt, and some spices. We also use “Konohana-kin” (Konohana-microorganisms), an original cultured microorganism solution based on the Effective Microorganisms (EM), for livestock feed and water, which significantly reduces odor and creates a healthy environment overall. “Konohana-kin” is used for the fermentation process of natural fertilizers, spraying for crops, and for humans to drink as a lactobacillus beverage for our health. Konohana Family has taken unique steps for the last 19 years without any specific ideology or model. Recently, it received high recognition as an ecovillage in various aspects for its initiatives such as: the environmentally friendly life-style that achieved high self-sufficiency of food based on organic agriculture; harmonious community building based on high-level of spirituality; a mutually-supported system based on common economy, and spirituality that is deeply rooted in the daily life without belonging to a specific religion or denomination. These aspects have attracted attention domestically and internationally.
About
- Type(s): Commune (organized around sharing almost everything)
- Location: Rural
Housing
- Area: 18 hectares
- Current Number of Residences: 6
- Additional Comments: About 95% are the local communities, but we use them for free in exchange to manage them.
Membership
- Adult Members: 62
- Child Members: 27
- Non-Member Residents: 8
- Percent Women: 61-70%
- Percent Men: 31-40%
- Percent Transgender: 0%
- Visitors Accepted: Yes
- Visitor Process: 1. Please check the following site and read our leaflet and brochure. http://www.konohana-family.org/for-non-japanese-speakers/ 2. If you decide to visit us, please fill out the visit application form from the following link. https://www.konohana-family.org/for-non-japanese-speakers/secform-en-visitapp/
- Open to New Members: Yes
- Additional Comments: We have faith, but no particular spiritual traditions
Government
- Decision Making: Consensus (everyone agrees)
- Identified Leader: No
- Leadership Core Group: No
- Additional Comments: We have a spiritual leader, but for the daily life, we practice emergent leadership. We use mixed method by situations
Economics
- Dues, Fees, or Shared Expenses: No
- Shared Income: All or Close to All
- Open to Members with Existing Debt:Yes (some debt)
- Additional Comments: During the provisional period (first one year), you must support your living expense, pension plan, medicare, and other costs. We expect all the members to share your properties when you join
Sustainability Practices
- Energy Infrastructure: We use both systems.
- Current Renewable Energy Generation: 26-49%
- Energy Sources:
- Solar
- Biomass
- Geothermal
- Clean Energy from the Grid
- Planned Renewable Energy Generation: 50-75%
- Current Food Produced: From 50-75%
- Planned Food Produced: 100%
- Food Produced Locally: 100%
Lifestyle
- Common Facilities:
- Common House
- Garden(s)
- Greenhouse(s)
- Vehicle Share
- Library
- Workshop
- Outbuilding(s)
- Hot tub or hot springs
- Outdoor Kitchen
- Large Scale Kitchen
- Internet
- Internet Available: Yes, community provides it
- Internet Fast?: Yes, it’s fine.
- Cellphone Service: Good for most people.
- Shared Meals: Approximately all meals
- Dietary Practices:
- Local
- GMO-Free (only non-genetically modified organisms)
- Vegetarian Only
- Mostly Vegan
- Dairy-Free
- Dietary Choice or Restrictions: Yes – we all share a common diet.
- Special Diets OK: Yes
- Alcohol Use: Yes, used seldomly, or ceremoniously.
- Tobacco Use: No, this community does not permit tobacco use.
- Additional Diet Comments: We are obo-vegetarian.
- Common Spiritual Practice(s):
- Eclectic (integrates multiple religious or spiritual beliefs)
- Not a particularly spiritual or religious community
- Education Style(s): Public Schooling
Community Network or Organization Affiliations
Global Ecovillage Network (GEN)
Community Affiliations
2BD Termined
Fair Housing Laws
This community acknowledges that their listing does not include any potential violations of the Fair Housing Law, or that they do not provide housing. For any questions about this topic please see our Content Policies and contact FIC with any questions or concerns: directory@ic.org.
Keywords
Spirituality, Ecovillage, Community, Diversity, Japan, Mt. Fuji, Organic Agriculture, Self-sufficient
- Website: http://www.konohana-family.org/for-non-japanese-speakers/
- Business, Project, or Organization:https://www.npo-greengrass.org/
- Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/konohanafamily/?ref=hl
- Other Social: http://konohana-family-english-weblog.org
- Contact Name: Michiyo or Yoko
- Phone: 544660250
- Community Address:
238-1 Nekozawa
Ohisama House Himawari
Fujinomiya, Shizuoka 419-0302
Japan