International Potato Institute Fall 2026 Nature Workshop

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November 10-14, 2026

Fujino, Japan

Five days in Fujino - approximately one hour by train from Shinjuku, Tokyo

Enrollment is limited to 3–10 participants, creating a small-group experience with local artists, farmers, craftspeople, chefs, and ecological practitioners.

All meals, snacks, materials, tuition, and class tools included

All workshops conducted in English or with English interpretation

How to Live — In Practice

“My experience at the IPI workshop was extraordinary and memorable.
I left completely transformed and inspired to continue practicing the newly acquired skills and philosophy in my work as a writer. I sincerely look forward to returning for the next session.” 
— Shinae, Philadelphia, U.S

“The IPI workshop immersed me in Japanese culture through art, nature, community and food. As a chef, those five days transformed the way I think about cooking, creativity and everyday life. I returned home inspired, more present and with a deeper sense of joy in what we create. I can’t wait to return and see my new friends in the village again. Arigato gozaimasu.”
— Eve, New York, U.S

“IPI is a place full of inspiration, knowledge, and genuine human connection. The wonderful team of hosts creates a space where you can truly be present, take away precious moments, and reconnect with your own creative practice.”
— Krzysztof, Berlin, Germany

“These five days were incredibly precious to me. I still find myself returning to the photos because they bring back such warm memories. They remind me of the special time we shared with such wonderful people.”
— Michalina, Poznan, Poland

This fall, join the IPI community for How to Live — In Practice Fall 2026, a five-day immersive field school welcoming artists, designers, makers and curious people from all backgrounds.

Together, we explore how we might live differently with the land—through hands-on, land-based practices that engage the environment, material, food and each other, moving from knowledge as information to knowledge as lived experience.

The IPI research workshop How to Live — In Practice begins with an introduction to the program’s core ideas and the gathering of the cohort.

Through yuzu—one of the region’s most significant seasonal crops—we explore how cultivation, food, and everyday life are shaped through long-term relationships with land, seasonality, and community.

Working alongside local growers through harvesting and cooking, the orchard becomes an introduction to Fujino itself: its agricultural rhythms, collaborative village culture, and ways of living rooted in place.

Arrival at Najikubo, our workshop house—a 150-year-old farmhouse surrounded by mountains and yuzu orchards

Welcome and introduction to the program, followed by cohort introductions

Yuzu harvesting and a hand-pulled udon cooking session with a local farm owner

Welcome dinner prepared with seasonal, locally harvested ingredients

Check-in at our family-run mountain inn (ryokan), a 10-minute walk from the workshop house
Yasutoshi Ohki

Born and raised in the serene mountain town of Fujino, is a highly respected kaiseki cuisine chef and custodian of traditional Japanese hospitality. Alongside running his father’s small, rustic inn nestled since the 1970s, he serves as the director and instructor of Green School Fujino, a nature-focused workshop organization where he shares his vast knowledge of the natural world, traditional foraging techniques, and craft skills. He also cultivates a thriving yuzu farm, producing a range of handmade yuzu products—including miso, koshō, and ponzu—that celebrate the local flavors of the region.

Beyond his culinary and farming expertise, Mr. Ohki is also an extraordinary bamboo, wood, and vine weaving artist, transforming natural materials into forms of art with an ease and lightness as if woven from air. Known affectionately in Fujino as the “Master of the Mountain,” he is cherished for his deep-rooted connection to the land and traditions, embodying the spirit of wisdom, creativity, and stewardship that defines his community.

At the studio of a local artist and educator, this workshop introduces material research and traditional craft knowledge through the seasonal plants of Japan.

Working with kuri(chestnuts) and other autumn materials gathered from local forests, participants learn time-honored natural dyeing techniques and explore how color, material and time come together through slow, hands-on processes.

We also encounter the artist’s wider practice beyond dye, where making is rooted in everyday life and the surrounding environment.

Together, we consider how sustainable ways of making can shape artistic practice and deepen our relationship with the natural world.

Each participant creates a naturally dyed textile that reflects the colors and rhythms of the season.

Japanese breakfast at the mountain inn

Studio visit and natural dyeing workshop

Lunch featuring fresh, locally harvested seasonal dishes

Traditional multi-course kaiseki dinner and stone hot-spring bath (onsen) at the mountain inn
Masuyo Sato

Born in Fujino, Masuyo is an artist and educator known for her innovative use of natural materials. Receiving her certification as an ikebana instructor at the renowned Sogetsu school in 1981, she later founded “Shizen to asobu (Playing with nature)”-her own studio, in 1994, specializing in wildflower arrangements and nature-based crafts and textiles. Sato has published craft books, held exhibitions nationwide, and served as director of the Fujino Tourism Association. She continues her work as a craft instructor and event organizer, promoting sustainable art that connects people to nature.

https://sizentoasobu.wixsite.com/mysite

At a mountain ceramic studio, guided by a local ceramic artist, we explore the traditions of Japanese clay through wheel throwing and natural glazes made from materials gathered from the surrounding mountains.

Midday, we gather at Fujino Club—a WWOOF community hub centered around sustainable and creative living—for a farm-to-table lunch. Alongside the meal, we learn about Fujino’s community-based initiatives, including local currency systems, DIY solar energy, and collaborative approaches to living with the land.

The day concludes by an irori grilling dinner gathered around the fire—experiencing an old communal style of cooking and eating rooted in rural Japanese life.

(Irori: a traditional Japanese sunken hearth used for cooking, heating, and gathering.)

Japanese breakfast at the mountain inn

Hands-on ceramics workshop

Farm-to-table lunch at Fujino Club

Irori-grilled dinner prepared with locally harvested ingredients
Naohiro Usui & Chiaki Suita

Naohiro Usui and Chiaki Suita, owners of a mountain-side ceramic studio in Fujino, are both master ceramic artists with over 40 years of experience. Their practice is deeply rooted in the traditions of Japanese clay while continually evolving through experimentation with local materials, including natural glazes created from the surrounding mountains.
Renowned for their artistry, they have taught at numerous international universities and collaborated as design consultants for prestigious companies and design studios, sharing their expertise across borders. In their Fujino studio, they embody a philosophy of patience, respect for the earth, and the quiet dialogue between hand, clay, and fire—welcoming students from around the world to experience ceramics as both craft and way of life.

We begin the day with Zazen, a Buddhist meditation led by the head monk of a local temple, inviting self-reflection against the breathtaking backdrop of the mountains.

Afterwards, we hike the trails of Mount Jimba, moving in rhythm with the land, before joining a local vegan chef to explore the art of shōjin ryōri—Japan’s oldest Buddhist cuisine. Using freshly harvested ingredients, we learn both the techniques and philosophies behind this gentle culinary tradition. Clean flavors of mountain plants and seasonal vegetables nourish the body while fostering a serene mind.

(*Shōjin ryōri, rarely encountered outside temples and ceremonies, is a traditional Buddhist cuisine that honors life by omitting meat and fish, focusing instead on seasonal plants, simplicity, and mindful preparation.)

Early-morning zazen meditation with a local Buddhist monk

Traditional Buddhist rice porridge breakfast at the workshop house

Guided hike to the summit of Mount Jinba, followed by soba or udon and tea

Shojin ryori cooking workshop exploring Japanese Buddhist cuisine, followed by a shared dinner
Tsukuru Igarashi

Tsukuru is a chef, educator, product developer, and sustainable agriculture practitioner based in Fujino, and recipient of several progressive young chef and sustainable food awards in Japan.

Born into a family that operated well-known restaurants in Tokyo, Igarashi trained and established his early culinary career within the city’s restaurant industry. Over time, he became increasingly aware of the environmental impact and food waste generated by urban food systems, leading him to seek a more regenerative relationship between food, agriculture, and daily life.

Relocating from Tokyo to Fujino, he now works across farming, food, education, and product development—exploring traditional cyclical organic agriculture and community-based food systems. Through workshops, communal meals, and hands-on learning, he shares approaches to sustainable living rooted in local landscapes, seasonal ingredients, and care for the land.

His practice ranges from composting food waste and developing sustainable food products to creating participatory farming models that reconnect people with food, environment, and forgotten culinary traditions.

As the workshop comes to a close, the final day invites participants to reflect on the week’s journey—intellectually, physically, and spiritually. Through guided discussion, personal writing, and shared conversation over a traditional Japanese breakfast, we revisit the experiences, materials, and ideas encountered throughout the program.

Together, we consider how these engagements with land, craft, food, and community might continue to inform artistic practice, daily life, and new ways of thinking about sustainability, creativity, and living in relationship with the environment. This circle of voices becomes a moment of gratitude and renewal, exploring how what we’ve learned can continue to inspire daily life and community back home before departure.

*For those who wish, the afternoon holds an optional visit to local craft shops and a small gallery.

Japanese breakfast at the mountain inn

Group reflection and feedback circle

Check-out and drop-off at Fujino Station

Optional visit to local craft studios and a gallery

The total program fee is US$2,000 per participant. A US$500 non-refundable deposit reserves one place, and the remaining US$1,500 is due October 10, 2026. Participants can instead pay the full US$2,000 when registering if that option is available at checkout.

If the balance is not received by October 10, the registration will be treated as cancelled and the deposit will not be refunded. If a participant cancels before October 10, any amount paid beyond the deposit will be refunded. From October 10 onward, all payments are non-refundable.

If the Field School proceeds but a participant cannot attend because of illness, injury, weather, transportation disruption, visa or immigration issues, or other personal circumstances, the same cancellation terms apply. Appropriate travel insurance is required.

If IPI cancels the Field School, all program fees paid to IPI, including the deposit, will be refunded. IPI cannot reimburse flights, transportation, separately booked accommodation, insurance, or other personal travel expenses.
Enrollment is limited to a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 10 participants. If the minimum enrollment is not reached, IPI may cancel the Field School in accordance with the Payment Terms and Cancellation Policy.

The Field School is open to participants aged 12 and older. We are unable to accommodate children under 12, including as accompanying guests. Participants aged 12–17 must attend with a parent or legal guardian. The accompanying adult must complete a separate registration, pay the full program fee, and will occupy one of the 10 available participant places.

Workshops are conducted in English or supported by English interpretation.

All participants must arrange appropriate travel and medical insurance before attending. Please see Insurance and Medical Guidelines below for details.

The five-day program includes full days of hands-on craft and cooking workshops, open-fire cooking, walking, and hiking on uneven rural and mountain terrain. Participants should be able to take part safely in these activities and must follow the guidance of IPI staff, instructors, and local practitioners.

Outdoor activities and the daily schedule may be adjusted because of weather, trail conditions, safety concerns, or circumstances beyond IPI's reasonable control. Where possible, IPI will provide a suitable alternative activity.
All participants must arrange appropriate travel and medical insurance before attending. Coverage should include accident and medical treatment, emergency evacuation, trip cancellation or interruption, personal liability, and loss or theft of personal belongings. Participants are responsible for costs or losses not covered by their insurance.

IPI is not responsible for costs, losses, or disruption arising from illness, personal injury, loss or theft of property, natural events, government actions, transportation disruption, or the acts of third parties outside IPI's reasonable control.

Participants are responsible for assessing whether they can safely take part in the program's walking, hiking, cooking, and hands-on activities. Please bring enough prescription medication for your entire stay, together with a personal first-aid kit and any over-the-counter medicines you normally use, such as pain relief, insect-bite treatment, gastrointestinal medicine, or allergy and asthma medication.

Fujino is a rural area. The nearest pharmacy has limited opening hours, requires transportation by car, and may not stock specific medicines. Please arrive with the medication and personal supplies you expect to need.

Please notify IPI before registering about any food or general allergy, accessibility need, or health-related requirement that may affect safe participation.
Accommodation during the Field School is included at Ryokan Jinkeien, a small family-run traditional Japanese inn near NAJIKUBO -IPI's workshop venue in a 150-year-old kominka (Japanese traditional farmhouse).
Friends, couples or family members registering together will be accommodated together in a shared room. Participants aged 12–17 will share a room with their accompanying parent or legal guardian.

The guest rooms have key-locking doors, tatami floors, futon bedding, air conditioning, and heating. Shared toilets are located on each floor. A large traditional rock bath and shower on the ground floor can be reserved for private use, and valuables can be stored securely in the inn office.

Detailed check-in instructions will be sent to registered participants before the program.
All meals, snacks, and non-alcoholic beverages throughout the Field School are included. Meals are prepared by licensed local chefs using fresh, seasonal ingredients and reflect chisan chishō (地産地消)—the practice of producing and consuming food locally. This approach supports local agriculture while introducing participants to the ingredients and food traditions of Fujino.

Food is also part of the learning experience. Through yuzu harvesting and cooking, tsukemono preparation, irori hearth cooking, and shōjin ryōri, participants engage directly with local culinary culture and traditional techniques.

Vegetarian options can generally be accommodated. Strict vegan or gluten-free diets, medically restricted diets, and serious food allergies may be more difficult to accommodate because traditional Japanese cooking commonly uses ingredients such as fish-based dashi, soy sauce, and miso.

Please contact IPI before registering so that we can discuss your needs and determine whether they can be accommodated safely throughout the program.
Weather and temperatures in Fujino’s mountain setting can change considerably between daytime and evening. Please bring:

Comfortable workshop clothing that can become dirty, marked, stained or smoky

Layered clothing appropriate for the season, including a warm pullover or fleece

A waterproof jacket or raincoat

Sturdy walking or hiking shoes

Sun protection

A small day bag and reusable water bottle

Enough prescription medication for your entire stay

A personal first-aid kit and any over-the-counter medicines you normally use, such as pain relief, insect-bite treatment, gastrointestinal medicine or allergy medication

Some Japanese yen for drinks, personal purchases, vending machines and small local shops where credit cards may not be accepted

The nearest pharmacy has limited opening hours, requires transportation by car and may not stock specific medicines. Please arrive with the medication and personal supplies you expect to need.

A detailed packing list will be sent to registered participants before arrival.
IPI Field Schools take place in Fujino, Japan. Please refer to the individual program page and registration confirmation for the required arrival and departure times. Participants are expected to attend the complete program. Travel to and from Fujino is not included; all scheduled transportation within Fujino is included.

Arrival by train

Fujino Station is on the JR Chuo Line, approximately one hour from Shinjuku Station. Participants travelling by train must arrive at Fujino Station at the designated meeting time. IPI’s private shuttle will meet the group and provide the approximately 20-minute transfer to the workshop area.

There is no local taxi service in the workshop area, so please follow the recommended train and pickup instructions carefully. The program is closely scheduled and requires everyone to be present at the start.

Arrival by car

Participants arriving by car may check in and park at the accommodation. Parking is limited and must be reserved with IPI in advance.

Departure
At the conclusion of the program, IPI will provide transportation to Fujino Station for participants returning by train, coordinated with the train schedule.

Departure

At the conclusion of the program, IPI will provide transportation to Fujino Station for participants returning by train, coordinated with the train schedule.

Trip planning

Participants travelling to Japan across multiple time zones may wish to arrive in Tokyo a few days early to adjust to the time difference and begin the Field School well rested.

Detailed meeting, shuttle, parking and arrival instructions will be sent to registered participants before the program.
I’ll be coming on my own. Will that feel comfortable?

Participants are warmly welcome to register on their own. The Field School begins with an introduction and cohort gathering, and workshops, walks, cooking, meals, and conversations are shared throughout the five days. You will have a private room also with a maximum of 10 participants, there are many natural opportunities to get to know one another while learning and living together.

Do I need a particular professional background?

No. You do not need to be an artist, researcher, academic, or specialist. The Field School welcomes participants who bring curiosity, openness, and a willingness to learn alongside local practitioners and the group.

What should I wear and bring?

Bring layered clothing, a waterproof jacket, sturdy walking shoes, and clothes that can become dirty or stained. Also bring necessary medication, a small first-aid kit, a day bag, a reusable water bottle, sun protection, and some Japanese yen.

What will we eat? Can dietary requirements be accommodated?

Food is at the heart of the IPI Field School experience. All meals, snacks and non-alcoholic beverages are included and feature fresh, local, seasonal ingredients, often sourced through collaborations with farmers in Fujino.

This is not standard buffet-style workshop catering: each meal is thoughtfully prepared as part of the program.

Local chefs bring a creative touch to healthy, traditional Japanese cooking, making each meal a special opportunity to experience the region’s culture, landscape and community. We invite participants to approach unfamiliar ingredients and regional food traditions with openness and curiosity.

Vegetarian meals can generally be provided. Strict vegan or gluten-free diets, medically required diets and serious food allergies may be difficult or impossible to accommodate safely because traditional Japanese cooking commonly uses ingredients such as fish-based dashi, soy sauce and miso.

Please contact IPI and receive confirmation that your needs can be accommodated before registering.

What is the accommodation like?

Participants stay in private rooms at Ryokan Jinkeien, a small family-run traditional Japanese inn near the workshop venue. Rooms have locking doors, tatami floors, futon bedding, air conditioning, and heating; toilets are shared, and the traditional rock bath and shower can be reserved for private use.

Friends, couples or family members registering together will be accommodated together in a shared room. Participants aged 12–17 will share a room with their accompanying parent or legal guardian.

How do I get to the Field School?

Fujino Station is approximately one hour from Shinjuku on the JR Chuo Line. Participants must arrive at the designated pickup time for the 20-minute IPI shuttle, as there are no taxis or ride-share services such as Uber in the village. Travel to Fujino is not included; drivers must reserve parking in advance, and detailed arrival instructions will be sent before the program.

Can I attend only part of the five-day program?

Registration is for the complete five-day Field School. Participants must remain through the program's conclusion.

If you are uncertain whether you can attend the complete program, please contact IPI before registering.

Can I bring my child or children with me?

We love children and understand that travelling as a family requires planning. However, we cannot accommodate children under 12, including as non-participating guests. The program includes full days of focused workshops, open-fire cooking, tools and walking on uneven mountain terrain, and IPI cannot provide childcare or a safely supervised environment for young children.

Each adult participant must be able to give their full attention to learning and experiencing the program rather than supervising a child. Our small group and limited accommodation are reserved for registered participants. Participants aged 12–17 are welcome when separately registered and accompanied by a registered parent or legal guardian.

Can I bring a pet or other animal?

Pets cannot be accommodated at the Field School, accommodation, in program transportation or at partner venues. If you rely on a trained assistance animal, please contact IPI before registering so we can discuss access across all locations.

When is my place confirmed, and what happens next?

Your place is reserved as soon as you complete the registration form and your deposit or full payment is successfully processed. We will send you a confirmation and further information about preparing for the Field School. Registrations are accepted in the order payment is received, up to the maximum of 10 participants.

What happens if the Field School is full?

Once all 10 places are reserved, IPI will open a waiting list. Please email contact@internationalpotatoinstitute.com to join it. If a place becomes available, we will contact people on the waiting list directly.

I still have a question. Can I speak with someone?

Of course. Please email contact@internationalpotatoinstitute.com before registering, and a member of the IPI team will respond directly.