Moo Mow World Study Tour
Moo Mow Garden
Not so far from Tokyo, Moo Mow Garden — a loving home for cows and chickens — is located in Tomioka Town, Fukushima.
After the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in 2011, Tani Satsuki and her team offered help to affected farmers in the area. They decided to take in the cows affected by the disaster and create a zone where they can live the rest of their lives safely and peacefully. Today, it is a home to 10 chickens and 11 cows, two of them are dairy cows from Hokkaido.
Starting as a safe haven for the earthquake survivors, now Tani Satsuki and her team have a vision to transform it into a community where human and nonhuman animals can cohabit in harmony. They also plan to welcome visitors and offer them a learning experience by being in touch with the animal residents. Families, amateur photographers, and animal advocates from nearby cities, like Tokyo, could come visit – spending time and deepening their bonds with the animals and nature.
Given that the sanctuary was built on abandoned farmland, the team had a lot of exciting work ahead before they’re ready for first visitors.
This was where ReRoot Asia Fund came in to support their amazing mission.
The Study Tour
Providing a learning experience for the visitors is part of their plan. The team received support from ReRoot Asia Fund in 2023 to prepare their study tour aiming to encourage participants to make new discoveries and open up their compassionate hearts for farmed animals.
Since June 2023, the team has been working hard to prepare the place, as well as the tour program for visitors. Despite challenges, they received support from volunteers who helped this project become possible.
With collective effort from the community, they have welcomed 11 participants to their study tour, presented their project to 35 people, and published a video to reach more hearts and minds.
Thank you Moo Mow Garden for not only being a safe loving home for its animal residents, but also opening arms for outsiders to reconnect with nature and nonhuman friends. We all could appreciate a brief getaway from city noises to listen inwards to our own hearts and discover a kinder version of ourselves.
