Seek Sustainable Japan

What a wonderful guest for the 600th Episode of the Seek-Sustainable-Japan talkshow! Alex Kerr shares insights from his latest book about MINKA traditional Japanese houses & rural Japan travel gems.

Alex Kerr is a leading Japanologist expert on Japan who has written many books, created many wonderful renovated MINKA into guesthouses and does talks and seminars on the value of bringing old buildings into modern relevance through renovation projects for the value of tourism but also for benefits to Japanese society as well as the economy.

Watch all the Alex Kerr talks on this Playlist on Seek Sustainable Japan: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcyYXjRuE20GITGrIjiqQy5VvlAuBQOSs http://alex-kerr.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Kerr_(Japanologist) https://www.instagram.com/alexarthurkerr/

BUY Alex Kerr books:

Complete set on Amazon.com (also find elsewhere- support your local bookseller, but this is a clear listing) https://www.amazon.com/stores/Alex-Kerr/author/B000APT3MG?shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ref=ap_rdr&shoppingPortalEnabled=true --

Talk LINKS -- Jon Stollenmeyer's Somakosha training school: https://www.somakoshaschool.com/

3-Mentors of Kyoto: https://writersinkyoto.com/2020/04/27/introductions/alex-kerr-reminisces/

Playlist of Akiya-Minka-Kominka house theme talks on Seek-Sustainable-Japan: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcyYXjRuE20FnRrydax7RWlFLxibc6N-X&si=jY1Y92RIvrpBMasw

Brett Rasmussen founded OKIBI and was on Ojika island for many years in Nagasaki and is now based in rural Nagano where he is renovating old MINKA houses and doing organic farming, foraging and community building.

OKIBI: Fostering traditional skills, crafts and ways of living in Japan to allow them to spread and prosper anew, with a focus on the structures where these activities happen.

Please subscribe to Brett's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@okibibrett

‪All of Brett's links: https://linktr.ee/ras.brett

Aya Reisui Ito founded the Sakura-Kyoto business where she carries on the traditions of her family heritage (dating back hundreds of years in Kyoto). She has taught thousands of visitors including many celebrities, chefs, florists, artists as well as tourists interested in a deeper Japanese cultural experience.

I love her story of learning English so well by listening to American rock and hip-hop in the 80's- she speaks wonderful English despite never living abroad. Aya introduces Japanese cooking, Ikebana flower arranging, calligraphy and tea ceremony experiences as well as koto, local festivals and even live music events - she is a great link to the real Kyoto beyond just sightseeing. https://www.sakura-kyoto.jp/

JJ & Tove chat about sustainable Japan events, topics, strategies, travel & highlights for Sept 2026 in our monthly Short-Takes on Sustainable Japan series. Sept is Mental Health month as we try to be kind - people struggle to go back to work and school (support TELL) / PM Takaichi made 1st speech to UN: support Ukraine, AI regulation, disaster collab, Hibakusha & no-nuclear peace declare, support ICC- international law, Yokohama Green Expo 2027 / Tove's Portugal travel highlights: vegan/vegetarian difficult, but clear about sustainable strategy for locals & in English (for visitors) / JJ's Shizuoka stay with Dr.Shelley Clarke reuse highlights / JJ's Behind-the-scenes Kurashiki consulting: vegan-friendly & preservation, reuse stylish / JJ's Guiding seminars - be lifelong learners to create great sustainable travel stories, better for locals and more valuable travel for visitors / Tove's TNFD: (Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures) / Plantbased vegan cookies and treats OVGO baker / long-shelf life curry with plan to make use before expiry KIBOU curry

LINKS - TELL Online Mental Health support & counseling https://telljp.com |

Donate to help support others struggling with mental health in Japan: https://telljp.com/donate/ -

Sept 30 - Leadership Seminar in Yokohama https://community.venturecafe-yokohamaconnect.org/sessions/248

PM Takaichi 1st speech at the UN meeting (as 1st female Japanese PM) 9/2026 https://youtu.be/8skU84PCfIk?si=397kiDUy-cH90HOt

KIBOU long-shelf life curry with use plan before expiry https://ginger-lab.co.jp/

Plantbased cookies, muffins and treats: https://ovgobaker.com/en/pages/ovgo-baker @ovgoBaker

Green Expo Yokohama 2027: https://expo2027yokohama.or.jp/en

TNFD 2026 Report (Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures) @taskforcenature https://tnfd.global/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/TNFD-2026-Status-Report-2026_WEB.pdf?v=1790002362

Hope you can join us next month again on Sustainable Japan Short Takes - Sustainable Short-Takes is a monthly chat about sustainability trends, innovation, events and issues for Japan & beyond with JJWalsh & Tove Kinooka - 2 sustainability-focused insiders, educators & consultants working in Hiroshima & Tokyo Topics & Updates - September 2026

Tove Kinooka Global Perspectives KK https://www.globalperspectives.biz https://www.linkedin.com/in/tove-kinooka JJWalsh - InboundAmbassador co. - sustainable tourism & business consulting & development / sustainable tour training & guiding / moderator-speaker-host of Seek Sustainable Japan https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjwalsh-inbound-ambassador/ https'//www.inboundambassador.com

Dr.Shelly Clarke sponsored my trip and stay at her wonderful estate in rural Shizuoka where she has been working passionately for many years to bring it back to life (in her free time). Dr.Shelley Clarke (Japanese citizen) is an international expert on sustainable fisheries worldwide.

Watch the YouTube versions of this podcast on the Shelley Clarke playlist here (Shelley Clarke Season 1 SHOW)

We walk through all the buildings talking about the renovations, new additions and her ideas for how to show respect for the history and heritage but bring it back into modern relevance and enjoy using it.

Find out more about the Sasu-Ichi Estate and Dr.Shelley Clarke on her LINKS below:

• Vintage Kawasemi Cottage on AirBnb https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/39117472 Sasu-Ichi restoration: https://www.sasuichi.org/
• Sasama consulting https://sasamaconsulting.com/ Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeqkAmgWnzqQ&si=KN5vFZ4jprNrmRYE

Thanks for listening & As always you can get in touch with me at [email protected]

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Bonus walk-thru of the fabulous Akiya (abandoned house) to stylish retro guesthouse - talking through the designs and renovation while I was staying at the wonderful Benton Homestead Guesthouse in #omishima island #ehime - join me for a walk-through to hear about all the charming designs of this #renovatedhome #akiya abandoned house into fun, comfortabe & stylish #japan #sustainable #japanesehouse #guesthouse #sustainabletravel‪@bentonhomestead‬ #bentonhomesteadjapan #sustainablestyle #japan #ruraljapan

Catch up on AUGUST 2026, JJ and Tove talk Japan events and insights for a more sustainable Japan.

TOPICS: JJ is staying at Akiya (abandoned house) to stylish retro GuestHouse on Omishima island (Ehime) Benton Homestead, Summer Beach Event | Swarm of Blue Button Jellyfish Japan Beaches | DEI collab: LIXIL ‪@LIXILcorporation‬ MAERSK ‪@maersk‬ Coloplast ‪@ColoplastUS‬ TetraPak ‪@tetrapak‬ & Yokohama Connect | Benton Homestead Akiya to Guesthouse Stay ‪@bentonhomestead‬ | JNTO & Japan Travel Awards Sustainable Inbound Tourism Judging | One-Young-World ‪@OneYoungWorld‬ South Africa 2026 Event | Wakayama retreats at ‪@Ryunohara‬ Ryunohara- talk with founder Lee recap | Sustainable Fisheries & Renovated Akiya to Guesthouse, Cafe, Bathhouse .. in Shizuoka by Shelley Clarke at Sasa-Ichi - talk with Shelley Clarke recap | Commemoration of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 81 years since the nuclear weapons attack on these cities

Alex Kang loves cycling and motobiking in Japan and coaches for triathlon as well as does cycle tours in the Shimanami-kaido route from Hiroshima to Ehime on Shikoku island.

In this talk coach Alex joins us from the US where he is based half of the year but talks of his love for Japan 2-wheel travel as well as shares about his new business renovation along the main shopping street in Onomichi - the main launching point for cycling the shimanami-kaido route. Looking forward to going to see him there this year!

https://www.coachkang.com/

I have been thinking a lot about data centers and in this podcast catch us up on the situation with datacenter planning and pushback in Japan, some more sustainable models for a datacenter in Akita, and a discussion of the questions we all should be asking more in government leadership, the media and our communities about whether we really need so many data-centers in Japan now?!

MEDIUM article: Does Japan Need Data Centers?

In 2022, I met Shelley Clarke at Minka Summit and talked with her here on Seek Sustainable Japan - here we catch up on the last 4 years of renovations and projects she has done as well as insights from her work with sustainable fisheries for the UN. #sustainable #business #travel #stay #japan #shizuoka #educator #expert #entrepreneur #communitybuilder LINKS

• Sasuichi Restoration project: https://www.sasuichi.org/
• Sasama Consulting: https://sasamaconsulting.com/
• Book Shelley's cottage on AirBnb: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/39117472...
• Move in Ready 8 Bedroom house and garden with garage for under $100,000 in Shelley's neighborhood: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ib67...
• Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood watch- search for updated information in Japan and wherever you are of what seafood and fish to eat and what to avoid: https://www.seafoodwatch.org/ ‪@MontereyBayAquarium‬
• Shark Docs interview with Dr.Shelley Clarke about the need for more shark protection and regulation for more accountability in the fishing industry where IUU (illegal, unregulated, unreported) happens too easily around the world ‪@SharkDocs‬ • Beyond All the Sharks: Shark Fishing & Tra...