The Okayama Project - The Simple Life
Our latest exhibition invites everyone to witness a work in progress.... the creation of our guesthouse, farm and community hub in rural Japan. Join us at our Melbourne store for the exhibition and talks, or start your journey here...
smell the air
smell the land
smell the produce
listen to the quietness
listen to the river
listen to the bamboo forest
walk around and observe nature
- Zenta Tanaka
Fifteen years after CIBI began, our exhibition The Okayama Project - The Simple Life reveals a curious travelling pathway of design aspirations, tradition and joy set in co-founder Meg Tanaka's hometown Kibichuo, Okayama.
There, the community lives close to nature and life moves at a leisurely pace. Locals tend vegetable gardens and vineyards while bamboo groves sway in the breeze. In this beautiful landscape, where nature presents a gentle way forward, CIBI has started a project to visit, celebrate and share at home.
Guesthouse
Nestled in a gentle valley, an old farmhouse is being renewed as self-contained accommodation for visitors. Opening 2026.
Community Hub
For the local community and international friends, an old high school is being given new life as a place to meet and enjoy activities together.
Farm
A return to the land and a chance to grow...
