Sharing traditional Japan knowledge with the world

J-STORIES - There are many elements of traditional Japanese culture that might surprise non-Japanese nationals. For example, people in countries where fired brick has been used in construction for thousands of years might not know about Japan’s age-old practice of building walls from earthen plaster. Similarly, residents in countries where seaweed isn’t considered a foodstuff might be surprised to learn that seaweed is an integral part of Japanese cuisine.

The Tokyo-based company GEN Japan (Genuine Education Network Japan) is hoping to fill such information gaps, educating people from countries outside Japan about traditional Japanese culture while facilitating two-way cultural exchange.

Participants in a GEN Japan program learn about traditional fermentation and preservation methods of such foodstuffs as soy sauce and miso.     Source: GEN Japan<br> — Participants in a GEN Japan program learn about traditional fermentation and preservation methods of such foodstuffs as soy sauce and miso. Source: GEN Japan

To date, it has run more than 30 educational programs in the Japanese countryside, as well as in Italy, Spain and other countries. In those programs the company has looked at traditions relating to food, architecture, and interior design, while participants have included chefs, architects, designers, food researchers, and academics from over 30 different countries.

Participants in a GEN Japan program watch a demonstration of "ikijime," a traditional fish preparation technique.      Source GEN Japan — Participants in a GEN Japan program watch a demonstration of "ikijime," a traditional fish preparation technique. Source GEN Japan

Participants in domestic programs spend a week to 10 days in a Japanese locality. Their instructors and guides are bilingual experts in the local culture. As well as learning about the local culture and skills, participants discuss how they can apply this traditional Japanese knowledge in their own communities back home.

According to GEN Japan CEO and social entrepreneur Yukako Saito, not every topic automatically attracts interest. Sharing such traditional knowledge across national borders is difficult in some respects because of the barriers posed by the culture and customs of each country, she says.

“There are many things that are ignored in one country but are used a lot in another,” she says. "To take advantage of something that is ignored and underutilized in one region requires a considerable shift in perspective and thinking (in others), and that can only be done with inspiration."

GEN Japan CEO Yukako Saito also heads GEN Italy, which shares traditional knowledge from Europe with Japan and other parts of the world.     Source: GEN Japan — GEN Japan CEO Yukako Saito also heads GEN Italy, which shares traditional knowledge from Europe with Japan and other parts of the world. Source: GEN Japan

Indeed, Saito believes traditional Japanese culture includes many elements that can help people overseas tap unused resources or develop new environmentally friendly technology.

An example is a project Saito is currently working on to develop a bio-toilet that uses traditional fermentation knowledge to turn bodily waste into fertilizer.

In this project, body waste and toilet paper are allowed to decompose through a process of “compound fermentation” in order to completely decompose the waste. And since nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphoric acid remain in the purified water that results from this process, it can be used for agriculture as liquid fertilizer. The liquid’s effectiveness in improving soil has already been demonstrated, and ultimately, the company hopes to produce water that has been purified to a drinkable level.

The bio-toilet project is run through an organization called Jinowa, which was set up by GEN Japan and is led by Saito.

According to the Jinowa website, soil health "is closely connected to plants, people and all life forms, and taking care of the soil also contributes significantly to people’s well-being." Healthy and fertile soil also has the ability "to absorb and store the carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere," making it a perfect decarbonation method, it adds.

The bio-toilet was designed by Tono Mirai, an architect internationally renowned for his use of earth.      Source: GEN Japan — The bio-toilet was designed by Tono Mirai, an architect internationally renowned for his use of earth. Source: GEN Japan

A consortium of companies is involved in the project, including Matteo Brioni S.r.l., an Italian company that uses earth in interior design, and Souchikusya Inc., a Japanese company that specializes in traditional plaster walls. All the companies share a special interest in soil.

Also involved in the project are Ishizaka Inc., a company that has developed soil recycled from industrial waste materials, Tono Mirai Architects, a firm that specializes in sustainable buildings made with natural materials, and Terashima Kohmuten, which applies traditional shrine and temple architectural construction technology to residential housing.

The toilet was designed by Tono Mirai and constructed with recycled earth, including from buildings dismantled by Ishizaka Inc., a company known for its "zero waste" system. So, the toilet recycles building materials as well as bodily waste.

Project leader Yukako Saito says she set her sights on earth because of its crucial importance to the environment. The aim of the project is to increase the microorganisms in the soil while maintaining a good balance. Fertilizing the soil and circulating organic matter can strengthen the natural ability of the earth to repair itself.