“Raise funds to maintain a sustainable traditional Japanese retreat for the next 100 years”
Hello My name is Naoko
I live in the mountain side in the northwestern part of Osaka.
This was a sacred place in the past.
It is also a famous place as a hidden Christian village
A portrait of Francis Xavier, Japan’s most famous missionary,
appeared in this area and was inhabited by people
who secretly kept the Christian faith during the turbulent times.
More than 30 years ago, my parents wanted to create a space where people could regain
their beautiful heart, so the house where the ancient Jomon people lived was recreated in a modern style.
It has been operating as a restaurant for over 24 years until the Covid-19 happened.
People of all ages and men and women from all over the world
have come to this area and have been familiar with them.
It has been loved by people because it looks like Totoro’s house.
Twenty years ago, the story of highway construction emerged in this sanctuary.
My father consulted with Mr. Higashi, the director of the Hidden Christian Museum called
“Kakure Kirishitan Museum “in Japanese
and they decided to manage to protect this land.
However, this area was cut down mountains and trees a few years ago
and construction of a highway was promoted.
When this area was dug up a few years , the Jomon archaeological site
15,000 years ago was excavated.
My parents built a Jomon-style house without knowing anything,
but I was surprised by chance when it became clear that
the Jomon people actually lived in this area 15000years ago.
Now, the lives of people in the Jomon period include the wisdom and techniques
that we should cherish today, respect and gratitude for philosophy and nature,
and spiritual beliefs that we have forgotten.
The Jomon period is a culture of 15,000 years ago,
long before the Old Testament period (from about 3000 years ago.
It was a culture that developed with a deep spirituality through hunter-gatherer
culture rather than farming.
Christianity and the Jomon period are deeply connected.
I think that Christianity eats plants, animals, fish, etc.
according to the season, and is familiar with the idea of the Jomon period,
which had a coexistence and co-prosperity relationship with nature.
All the conflicts in the world today have their roots in the ego of the individual
and the ego of the nation.
The ego was born when humans discovered a farming civilization.
I think that when humans learn to farm,
they store rice and wheat.
That became money and created a disparity society
And the ego was born.
There was no ego in the Jomon period.
Because it was a hunter-gatherer culture.
That’s because all food was given from the mountains
and the ocean during the Jomon period,
We always prayed and thanked to the ocean and mountains.
There was no conflict there.
There is love and harmony.
There is a house of love and light near the building my father built.
A bronze statue called takayama Ukon stands on the premises.
Japan once had a time of undisputed love and harmony.
Because of this era, we must return to our origins as human beings and
it is time to learn the Jomon people’s way of life and sustainable lifestyle
in order to regain the essence of what it means to live.
This building is re-roofing by hand using the old-fashioned method.
Repairing the roof requires 10,000 bundles of reeds, which in fact costs a huge amount of money.
Due to the fact that we quit the restaurant since Covid-19 happened,
the roof is getting moss and leaking rain under the severe business situation,
and it is very difficult to repair the roof and the highway is right next to it,
which causes noise problems.
The real wish is to relocate this place to the quiet countryside of Kyoto,
which is full of nature.
We hope to continue to maintain this place 100 years from now
as a retreat that prepares people’s minds, bodies, and souls.
We would like to create a space that will be a healing place
where you can connect with your heart,
cleanse your soul, and nurture your heart that appreciates
the blessings of all things.
We would like to restart with the name
“Jomon Retreat Matama”.
Through such a space as a place to meditate, express dance and music,
produce, exhibit works, hold workshops and
small-scale events, and create memories with loved ones.
We would like to call the spirits of Jomon from here in Japan
as a place where people can connect
with each other and regain a beautiful heart like a Jomon people.
By the power of each and every one of you,
We sincerely hope that this place can be maintained
and that it will be a cause for the world to move in the brighter direction.
Thank you very much.