Our base encompasses the area stretching from the urban heart of Kyoto to the mountainous region of Keihoku, located an hour by car northwest of the city. While the “Forest of Craft” is a symbol for our work that is not limited to any particular region, our efforts in Kyoto-Keihoku can serve as a model for others to follow. In Keihoku we are focusing on two initiatives. These initiatives have the purpose of connecting the forest, which is the fountainhead of all craftsmanship, and crafts, which are a manifestation of people’s enduring connection with nature.
The “Forest of Craft” is the symbol of our work. It represents our goal to bring attention to the fact that the process of making anything starts in nature, as well as our goal to rebuild a healthy and dynamic relationship between people and nature through the “Cyclical Actions of Craftsmanship.” The “Cyclical Actions of Craftsmanship” are “Planting,” “Cultivating,” “Harvesting,” “Making,” “Using,” and “Mending.” We are looking to rebuild this wheel of actions, and make it spin once again. In doing so, we will create an ecosystem for the people, tools, and skills connected to these actions. In this ecosystem, the culture of craftsmanship can be passed on to the next generation.
The old character “藝,” meaning art, which is found in the Japanese word for crafts (工藝), comes from a pictograph which represents a person planting a sapling. Although it looks complex at first glance, we believe this character represents the true essence of arts and crafts. In the center of Forest of Craft’s emblem, a pair of hands cradles a sapling. Alongside those hands are a traditional Japanese woodworking plane (kanna) and wooden hammer, tools of the woodworking trade. The energy of craftsmanship flows out from the tools and hands to the rivers and mountains, and then back into the palms of our hands.
Making, buying, and using things all connect to forest cultivation - not for the sake of consumption, but to cultivate ourselves along with it. This kind of craftsmanship is sustainable and enduring, and has been enshrined in our "Ten Core Principles of Craftsmanship.”
We are making the area stretching from the urban heart of Kyoto to the mountainous region of Keihoku, located an hour by car northwest of the city, our base. While the “Forest of Craft” is a symbol for our work that is not limited to any particular region, our efforts in Kyoto-Keihoku can serve as a model for others to follow. In Keihoku we are focusing on two initiatives. These initiatives have the purpose of connecting the forest, which is the fountainhead of all craftsmanship, and crafts, which are a manifestation of people’s enduring connection with nature.
In the “Forest of Craft,” we will make a cyclical model of craftsmanship our core tenet and through it we will actualize many ideas, the boundaries of which have yet to be fully defined. In contrast to this, we have a sharply defined vision for what change we can bring about through our persistent work.
Through craftsmanship, we hope to spread a form of forest cultivation which will involve healthier, more dynamic relationships between people and nature. Through craftsmanship, we hope to bring attention to regional resources, contributing to solutions to the local area’s problems. We also hope to restore people’s attunement to nature and cultivate the resilience that people and communities will need in the coming years. With this grand vision as our mission, we will continue to work steadily to develop it and make it a reality.
Japanese Urushi lacquer is a sustainable natural resource which can be harvested from Urushi trees after 10-15 years of growth. In Japan, the Urushi tree is a familiar and useful plant which has been cultivated near settlements for over 10,000 years. It has been used as an adhesive, and to prevent water damage and rust.