I've said a little bit about how a bunch of us here are thinking about co-housing / community-living, and just beginning to take a good look at how feasible it would be in Japan. Of course, that has got me thinking more and more about it, and snooping around the web for those who are doing similar things. And there are plenty of folks out there who are already having a really good go at this thing.

If I was a man of means, I can imagine putting together a study trip with a few friends. First we would go visit some of the Hutterite communities that I grew up so close to. Here are people who have been living in very close community for centuries, and have survived. That in itself should be worth taking a closer look at. Then the Bruderhof Communities. To me they seem very similar to the Hutterites, though maybe somewhat more outward looking. Then I would get down to Australia to hang out with Dave Andrews and the Waiter's Union (sounds like a band name). There in Brisbane the housing situation is more like it was at home in the North End, with people close to each other but in separate houses, but they are very deliberate about loving people and enacting the principles of the Kingdom in their lives.

I have also heard that similar things are going on here in Japan, in one case through a group of people called "Bethel". I am looking into that one too, but my poor Japanese makes it more of a challenge.