WOODWORKING APPRENTICE PROGRAM
Immerse yourself in the craft ecosystem of the Keihoku forest; working and living alongside expert instructors in this historic forestry town. Experience the deep connections between practice, environment, community, and spirituality.
ABOUT THE WOODWORKING APPRENTICE PROGRAM
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.
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.
2026 Dates
Late Summer: August 24th - Sept 18th
Early Fall: September 28th - October 23rd
Late Fall: November 2 - November 27
- Location Keihoku, Kyoto, Japan
- Experience required Beginner friendly
- Capacity 4 apprentices
- Cost $9,000 USD
To apply, please email us sharing a bit about your background and what draws you to sashimono. Selected applicants will be invited to interview.
why keihoku forest
A space of natural and profound interconnection, the Keihoku forest supports a symbiotic relationship between nature, humanity, and craftsmanship.
The region’s wild and dense forests belie its past as one of the most significant timber and woodworking sites in the country. With a history of forestry dating back to the 7th century, even the construction of the imperial city of Kyoto relied considerably on its timber exports.
Through hands-on practice and cultural immersion in the forest-based workshop, participants will learn about the deep connection between spirit, nature, and craft in Japan, which is expressed through the traditional practice of sashimono joinery.
The workshop
Learn, experiment and hone your skills in our purpose-built wood workshop. Situated among a community of professional practitioners, within this setting you will experience the relationship between woodworking practice and forestry management.
The accomodation
Live in purpose-built accommodation for program apprentices. Individual rooms are available in both Japanese and western styles, with communal spaces for socialization.
field trips
Complement your woodworking practice with a series of field visits. Enhance your understanding of the practical, ecological and spiritual contexts surrounding the craft ecosystem.
meet your instructor: Tomoya Hyodo
Tomoya Hyodo’s path to woodworking began after a visit to a joiner's workshop who specialized in tea ceremony implements. Encountering a palm-sized wooden box, he was astonished by the level of precision achieved with natural wood. This inspired him to pursue sashimono.
He apprenticed under two master craftsmen before establishing his own studio — where apprentices will stay — and has spent the last 20 years crafting kiri boxes.
Hyodo-san also grows his own paulownia trees, practicing stewardship of the materials he works with.
meet your instructor: Takuya Tsutsumi
Born in Kyoto into a fourth-generation urushi-refining family, Tsutsumi-san initially studied agriculture in Hokkaido, drawn to life close to nature.
He took over the refinery from his father to continue producing a premium lacquer developed by his family that had gained recognition across Japan.
Today, he leads the refinery, its workshops, and its retail space, while also spearheading an urushi reforesting project that aims to sustain Japan’s lacquer tradition for the next generation.
what is included
WORKSHOP & LECTURES
The program includes 80+ hours of guided woodworking instruction, and approximately 50 hours of free studio time to practice, experiment, and refine your techniques.
- 9–5 instruction three days a week with a 1-hour lunch break
- Free studio hours 8–9am and 5–8pm on instruction days
Content of instruction will follow a course of learning about the tools, sharpening, joinery, and project focus.
field trips
Participants will join a curated series of field visits that expand on the themes of craftsmanship, forestry, and local culture.
- Forestry and urushi cultivation sites in Keihoku
- Workshop walkthrough showing how wood goes from logs to furniture
- Site visits to ehance understanding of relationship between woodworking and Shintoism
- An overnight excursion to Ise Jingu, one of the most significant shrines in the realm of wood working
accomodation
You will stay in newly-renovated accommodations on-site at the woodworking studio of Tomoya Hyodo. Amenities include:
- Private bedroom in a shared home
- Shared kitchen and living space
- Shared bath and toilet facilities
- Wi-Fi and workspace
- Nearby bus access into central Kyoto (1x/hour)
- Peaceful forest surroundings
- Shared bicycles for local transportation & shared car access
join the waitlist
If you're considering attending a future program beyond our listed dates, join the waitlist. Please email us and let us know what draws you to sashimono and what you're hoping to gain from the experience. You will be the first to get notified about future program dates.