Press Release: Fieldwork Club registration now open
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 2025
Exploring Japanese Heritage Materials and Techniques for Sustainable Living.
Kyoto, Japan – Kyoto Research Institute announced today the international launch of Fieldwork Club, an immersive, mostly online, initiative inviting members around the world to research, explore, and co-design sustainable solutions rooted in Japanese heritage materials and techniques.
Fieldwork Club opens access to Kyoto Research Institute’s research and design methodology, connecting traditional Japanese knowledge with global contemporary application. Members will explore how raw natural resources such as rice, bamboo, hemp, and seaweed have historically been transformed into the materials that define everyday Japanese living such as washi paper, koji-fermented grains, earthen walls, and how these heritage materials can inspire functional, aesthetic, and sustainable practices worldwide.
“Fieldwork Club is about learning from ancestral knowledge and applying it in today’s global context,” says Momoko Nakamura, Founding Partner of Kyoto Research Institute. “Through research, experimentation, and design, we aim to create a platform for global discussion and collective development of practical living solutions that are culturally and environmentally responsible.”
Program Structure
Fieldwork Club combines weekly self-paced video lessons, workbook guides and brainstorming prompts, live online sessions every other month, and bi-annual in-person gatherings in Kyoto. Members gain direct access to farmers, researchers, and craftspeople who are the modern custodians of generational knowledge, and collaborate on tangible projects that result in physical products designed for use, wear, and enjoyment today.
The first Case Study, running from October 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026, focuses on “Traditional Japanese Workwear for Today.” Members will investigate the fabrics, forms, and functions of historical garments and co-design original pieces in partnership with artisans and researchers.
Membership Options
Registration opens September 1, 2025 with special inaugural pricing available through September 30:
Supportive Member (Monthly: 5,000 JPY / Bi-annual: 25,000 JPY) – Ideal for those who wish to support and follow research passively, with access to reports, early product purchasing, and in-person Fieldwork Days.
Club Member (Bi-annual: 60,000 JPY) – Includes full access to case studies, weekly video lessons, workbook guides, live online sessions, research credits on products, and invitations to Fieldwork Days in Kyoto.
Global Access, Local Roots
Fieldwork Club is fully bilingual (English and Japanese) and open to participants worldwide, from designers and educators to researchers, makers, and lifelong learners.
By joining, members will:
Discover ancestral knowledge of heritage Japanese materials and techniques
Unlock rare opportunities to learn directly from craftspeople and farmers
Contribute to the design of new products for today’s living
Apply learnings toward professional practice and sustainable living solutions
Registration
Registration has opened on September 1, 2025, at https://www.kyotoresearchinstitute.com/fieldwork-club. The program officially begins October 1, 2025.
About Kyoto Research Institute
Making a case for heritage Japanese materials.
Founded in July 2024, Kyoto Research Institute is an independent organization dedicated to the study and proliferation of Japan’s heritage materials. Through field-based research, KRI studies a wide range of sectors from clothing, cuisine, forestry, architecture, and craft, to prove the relevance and practical utility of traditional materials and techniques today.
KRI develops bilingual publications, educational content, original product collaborations, and maintains a materials archive collection. Its mission is to bridge traditional knowledge and modern application, turning hyper-local fieldwork into global purpose.
Kyoto Research Institute
Founded: July 30, 2024
Location: Kyoto, Japan
Founding Partner: Momoko Nakamura
Website: https://www.kyotoresearchinstitute.com
Instagram: @kyotoresearchinstitute
Media Contact
For interviews, press inquiries, press kit, or partnership opportunities:
Kyoto Research Institute
info@kyotoresearchinstitute.com