kizuna collective

the tl;dr version

kizuna collective is a grassroots community i’m co-creating with an incredible team of passionate people in tokyo. our bread and butter is hosting diverse gatherings where people can forge meaningful "kizuna" (絆 – connections, bonds of belonging) through authentic conversations, creative exploration, and mutual support. if you wanna check out what we're up to or join an event or circle, see here for more info.

how (& why) we started

i co-founded kizuna in early 2024 with my partner Urvi, after noticing a gap in tokyo for the kind of communities we saw popping up in some other parts of the world. a handful of examples: sf commons, groundfloor, midnight cafe, absalon, and fractal nyc. these communities each, in their own way, strive to create rich social environments for working adults who no longer have access to the social infrastructure of university to make & maintain friendships. but what stood out to me is how many of them go further than this – by offering places to reflect, grow, and meaning-make collectively (now referred to by some as 4th places).

i believe such spaces for communal meaning-making are more crucial than ever. life within modern capitalistic society, or what author Joe Lightfoot calls the dominant ideology of 'hollow & oppressive economic materialism', can often feel fragmented and shallow, leaving little room for deeper reflection or shared exploration of things that matter most. we're in a time where many people feel incredibly isolated, despite being more 'connected' than ever. this has led to what some call the "meaning crisis"—a growing sense of purposelessness and disconnection from self, others, & world that can manifest as burnout, loneliness, or an unsettling feeling that life is just a series of tasks and obligations.

tokyo’s social landscape felt like it was missing a 4th place to make meaning about our lives. there were plenty of networking events, mixers, parties, and hobby groups, but we craved something deeper. we wanted something with a vibe somewhere between a college campus and community living room; a 'home away from home'; a sanctuary where busy individuals can step away from the routines of their lives, to reflect, play, discuss, and explore their curiosities in the company of earnest community; an alternative to ordinary modes of socializing; a place you could drop in to on a friday night, when you don't feel like going drinking like everyone else, but instead want to sip tea and talk about something existential. all this became our design brief for kizuna.

what we've done

as of december 2024, we’ve hosted 25 events at various cozy venues around tokyo, with over 200 attendees participating across the board, and a solid core of regulars. our events have mostly been in english, but we've begun to venture into bilingual events for japanese speakers too. we've experimented with a range of formats, including discussions, art picnics, self-growth workshops, and curiosity salons. the topics and formats have been unconventional and diverse, but the heart of every event has been roughly the same: creating spaces for authentic connection & meaning-making.

we also launched circles—small, high-commitment mutual aid groups that meet weekly over 5-7 weeks. this was a microsolidarity experiment to allow community members to dive deeper into shared interests, build trust, and form more lasting connections, catered to people who want something more than a one-off event. the goal was to foster relationships of belonging; groups in which people start to think things like, “i belong here. people know me, and I know them. we’ve got each other’s backs. i know how to contribute.” we've finished our first round of circles, and so far the results have been overwhelmingly positive, so we're looking to do many more this year!

co-creation is also a core aspect of kizuna. from the outset, Urvi and I saw the collective as something shaped by members themselves. we're now stewarding the community with a small & vibrant team of individuals who bring their own ideas, perspectives, and passions. we're taking distributed leadership and decentralized decision-making seriously, and also working actively to create structures for members to host their own events.

looking ahead

kizuna is still in its early stages, but the way i see it, it's gradually becoming a community in which people’s social, emotional, and intellectual needs can get holistically nourished. where we can meaning-make together about the world and our place in it, and maybe even step into our aliveness as a byproduct of feeling like we belong somewhere. to that end, we’ll continue hosting regular gatherings, refining our formats, and experimenting with new ways to foster connection. baby steps towards weaving the social fabric of tokyo into something a bit more tight-knit.

our ultimate long-term dream is to create a dedicated kizuna space—a physical home for the community. a new kind of environment designed to cultivate belonging, and that brings the best parts of college life to adulthood. a warm, welcoming place where you can work, rest, play, create, learn, or simply be, all while engaging with other interesting people.

in practice, this space would look like something at the intersection of a co-working/event space, college campus vibe, community living room, and social club. it would be modular & multipurpose, featuring areas for work, play, & serendipitous connection: for e.g., quiet workspaces, lounges, a library, and event space to host a wide variety of salons, workshops, & lectures.

we're eager to connect with anyone interested in bringing this vision to life. If you are interesting in joining the team in some capacity, or just want to hear more, feel free to get in touch anytime on linkedin!