Day
One
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2025
9:15 — 10:00
REGISTRATION
Doors open. Please check-in with the front desk staff and enjoy welcome drinks in the lobby.
10:00 — 10:05
OFFICIAL OPENING
Welcome to Japan
MASUMI NAKANO
10:05 — 10:25
OPENING ADDRESS
This Year’s Theme: Rejuvenation
DR. NIDA CHENAGTSANG
Dr. Nida’s opening address and introduction to the theme of this year’s Forum—Rejuvenation.
10:40 — 11:00
CULTURAL PERFORMANCE
Sutra chanting
KEIGO YONEDA
Join us for a unique cultural experience led by Keigo Yoneda, Head Priest of Shingyo-ji Temple in the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji tradition and a Dzogchen practitioner for over 35 years. This special event features a live performance of traditional sutra chanting—the rhythmic recitation of sacred Buddhist texts, used as a form of meditation and spiritual expression.
11:00 — 11:20
CULTURAL PERFORMANCE
Noh
SHIORI SHINODA
Following the sutra chanting, experience the elegance of Noh, a classical Japanese performing art that dates back to the 15th century. Combining dance, music, and theatre, Noh is known for its slow, deliberate movements and poetic storytelling. This mask-based performance will be presented by Shiori Shinoda, a skilled artist dedicated to preserving this timeless tradition.
11:20 — 11:30
CULTURAL PERFORMANCE
Shakuhachi & Japanese Dance
MATSUMOTO FAMILY
The Matsumoto family, renowned for their mastery of traditional Japanese arts, will be performing a powerful fusion of Shakuhachi music and Japanese dance, rooted in deep spiritual and cultural traditions. The Shakuhachi, a bamboo flute with strong ties to Zen Buddhism, is played not just as an instrument but as a meditative tool, its breathy, resonant tones evoking mindful breathing and inner stillness. Paired with the Matsumoto family's graceful, deliberate movements in classical Japanese dance, the performance becomes a conversation between sound, body, and spirit.
13:00 — 13:45
LUNCH
Kampo & Medicinal Cuisine
YODOFU & NANZENJI TEMPLE
Enjoy a meal that merges nourishment with healing! Kampo, the traditional Japanese system of herbal medicine, emphasizes restoring balance and promoting health through natural ingredients. This philosophy extends into Kampo-yaku ryori, or medicinal cuisine, where carefully selected herbs are integrated with seasonal ingredients to address specific imbalances and enhance vitality. Meals are prepared with fresh herbs and vegetables from renowned Funato’s Clinic’s herbal garden.
14:30 — 15:15
KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
To Be Announced
AMCHI RINCHEN DORJE
More details forthcoming.
14:30 — 15:15
KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
To Be Announced
DR. NIDA CHENAGTSANG
More details forthcoming.
13:30 — 14:10
BREAK
14:30 — 15:10
PRESENTATION
Holistic Wellness: Preventing Cancer
DR. TAKASHI FUNATO
Dr. Takashi Funato, a renowned Japanese physician, cancer survivor, and pioneer in holistic medicine, shares insights from decades of experience as a gastrointestinal surgeon, hospice advocate, and founder of Reborn Horado—a cancer-prevention retreat center in rural Japan.
After years spent at the bedsides of terminal patients, and surviving cancer himself, Dr. Funato came to a profound realization: cancer isn’t telling us to die—it’s telling us to change. His work blends conventional medicine with alternative therapies, emphasizing the emotional, spiritual, and lifestyle dimensions of healing.
Join Dr. Funato in this powerful conversation about preventing illness, reconnecting with life’s deeper meaning, and cultivating wellness from the inside out.
15:10 — 15:50
PRESENTATION
Holistic Wellness: TCM, Food, & Well-Being
DR. HIROKO FUNATO
Join Dr. Hiroko Funato, Kampo medicine specialist and Vice Director of Funato Clinic, for an inspiring talk on the power of food to heal, balance, and transform. Drawing on the principles of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) and Kampo (Japanese Herbal Medicine), Dr. Funato offers a personalized, integrative approach to health rooted in both tradition and modern science.
Her method combines Kampo-based body constitution diagnosis, modern blood test analysis, and in-depth dietary interviews to create a full-course therapeutic dining experience called
"Okusuri na Gohan – Tenchi Kōyaku" (Healing Meals: Nature’s Fragrant Medicine).
As the founder of VillaCAMPO, a wellness retreat in rural Japan, Dr. Funato helps individuals reconnect with their natural rhythm through food, lifestyle medicine, and seasonal care. This lecture offers practical insights into using food as a daily tool for preventive health and inner balance.
15:50 — 16:20
PRESENTATION
Holistic Strategies for a Healthy Menopause Transition
DR. ANASTAZIE HOLECKO
Dr. Anastazja Holecko—a medical doctor, Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner, and expert in Traditional Tibetan Medicine—shares an integrative approach to navigating menopause with balance, vitality, and resilience. Drawing on both Western science and ancient Tibetan healing wisdom, she offers practical strategies to support the body, mind, and spirit through this natural life transition.
16:20 — 16:30
BREAK
16:30 — 17:10
PRESENTATION
Male Fertility in the Perspective of Tibetan Art of Aging
DR. EMILIO GALLOTTA
Join us for a compelling lecture with Dr. Emilio Gallotta, who explores male fertility through the lens of the Tibetan art of aging. A devoted student of Dr. Nida Chenagtsang since 2000, Dr. Gallotta is a Sowa Rigpa doctor and Yuthok Nyingthig practitioner. With formal training in economics, physiotherapy, medicine, and surgery, he brings a rare integration of Eastern and Western medical knowledge. This talk offers a holistic perspective on male vitality and aging, rooted in ancient Tibetan wisdom and informed by his experiences with modern science.
17:10 — 17:50
PRESENTATION
To Be Announced
DR. OLEV POOLAMETS
17:50 — 18:00
CLOSING
Closing Address
MASUMI NAKANO
Closing speech to conclude Day 1 of the Forum.