Traditional Japanese Wood Joinery Apprenticeship (POJ)

Join an immersive program teaching traditional Japanese joinery (sashimono) through hands-on woodworking, urushi finishing, and direct exposure to forestry and craft culture in the mountains of Keihoku.

More Details

Apprentices will learn from expert woodworkers using hand tools, local materials, and traditional techniques. They'll live on-site, adjacent to their instructor's woodworking studio, tucked in this historic forestry town. By the end of the program, they'll have completed kiri wood projects made with traditional joinery methods, coated in urushi lacquer, and crafted with materials sourced from the forests in their immediate surroundings. The program includes 80+ hours of guided woodworking instruction, and approximately 50 hours of free studio time to practice, experiment, and refine your techniques. You will stay in newly-renovated accommodations on-site at the woodworking studio of Tomoya Hyodo. In a world of mass production, sashimono is a return to the precision and intention of handcrafting. It uses precise, interlocking wooden joints to piece together objects that last for years. Backed by centuries of technique, this form of joinery celebrates patience, utility, and elegance. Through hands-on practice and cultural immersion, participants will learn about the deep connection between spirit, nature, and craft in Japan, which is expressed through this tradition. Your apprenticeship involves a deep dive into the tools used: you'll learn the names, uses, and histories of traditional implements like kanna (planes) and nomi (chisels), and develop a disciplined approach to tool care — especially sharpening, which is essential. Over the course of the program, you’ll create a three-tiered bento box using traditional sashimono joinery techniques. You’ll gain fluency in precise measurement, material handling, and build intuition for assembly. To make your pieces usable and complete, you’ll learn the basics of working with urushi (Japanese lacquer). You'll visit a urushi studio and learn about the coating process firsthand, gaining a practical understanding of how urushi protects, enhances, and connects woodworking to a broader cultural heritage. Step beyond the studio into the forests of Keihoku to experience the full lifecycle of wood. Learn about native trees and traditional forestry practices. You'll also visit museums, sites of spiritual significance, and more to learn about the interconnected relationship of the whole ecosystem.

Experience Type

Containers
Lacquerware
Tools & Implements
Woodwork

Original Listing

https://pojstudio.com/pages/keihoku-woodworking-apprentice-program?utm_source=bottlecapjp&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=listing_page&utm_content=original_link

Traditional Japanese Wood Joinery Apprenticeship (POJ)

This listing is for INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. All experiences are conducted by their respective providers, not Bottlecap. This page may contain affiliate links, and Bottlecap may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

CityKeihoku
PrefectureKyoto