Update from Totsuka

This weekend I’ll be attending the International Eco-Village Conference in Tokyo. My lecture will be on April 26th, titled Re-Localization and Slow Life. I will also be MC-ing a workshop called Eco-Villages and Mental Illness. This dovetails with my newly released Yukkuri Notebook on Bethel House, an alternative mental health center in Urakawa, southern Hokkaido. Please come if you are in the Tokyo area.Last week, I had the opportunity to interview Kazuhiro Soda, the director of the film Mental (Seishin). I was so impressed with his film and luckily was able to interview him just before he left for New York. Stay tuned for more information on this.

Tonight (Friday, the 24th), I will host the next Cafe de la Terra. This is a discussion series held at my local Buddhist temple, Zenryou-ji. We are trying to bring back the ancient tradition of culture, arts, philosophy, and festivals centered around neighborhood temples. Sometimes we serve homemade food and organic coffee and tea.

Tonight’s featured guests are Bethel House director Mukaiyachi Ikuyoshi and his wife Etsuko. The event starts at 7 p.m.

Finally, I am off to Finland on the 27th in exploration of the Slow Life there…