【要予約 Reservation required】Mt.Fuji Wood Culture Society Woodworking Studio -まなびの杜 木工スタジオ- — Attraction in Fujikawaguchiko

I came expecting to learn about the basics of joinery, but my experience was far beyond just that. Sensei Tak is a real master in his craft, and being taught by him has been such an honour. His deep knowledge and passion for the craft is inspiring, and his kindness and humility in teaching despite his status in the world of woodworking was a humbling experience I could not believe I’d be given the privilege to have.

Takuya-san and Togo-san gave us a strong sense of belonging throughout the week, and generously offered advise and help as we work through our projects. They shared stories about their experiences being in the craft, which gave us so much more to learn outside of the class.

The course was also an opportunity to meet new friends from all over the world coming together sharing the same interest in a beautiful country, which all the more makes it such a unique experience.

You will not only get a woodworking course, but rather an experience that is hard to come by, and I am very grateful to have this to hold dearly in my memory for the rest of my life. Thank you so much for creating this beautiful experience Sensei Tak, Junko-san,...

One of our most memorable weeks in Japan was volunteering here. During our van tour of Japan (Miyazaki to Aomori) we found MFWCS and volunteered for a week landscaping, helping with some forestry work and any other ways we could support the wider project.

Tak-san, his family and the whole MFWCS team were beyond welcoming. We felt part of a big family. We spent our days helping with any work contributing to the bigger vision of MFWCS. Our afternoons and evenings were spent in the workshop amongst many woodworkers (talented apprentices, an artist in residence, other volunteers) working on their creative projects.

We left inspired. Inspired by being witness to a deep respect of a beautiful traditional craft. Inspired by being immersed in a creative community. Inspired by the sustainable ecology design of forest and wood craft. Inspired by the ambitious wholistic vision that Tak-san has for the land, the forest, the buildings he built from his forest, his students and ensuring that this traditional craft continues through following generations.

We are so thankful to Tak-san and the whole MFWCS family for a...

I recently took the 5 Day Joinery Class at the Mt Fuji Wood Culture Society and it was one of the most wonderful experiences of my adult life!

Tak Yoshino is a gifted teacher, with generous expertise and a calm manner that created an atmosphere of focus and support. The class is aimed at introducing the fundamentals of Japanese Joinery, but even though I had some woodworking experience, the Japanese tools and approach required me to relearn basic techniques to get the level of precision required.

We stayed in the studio above the shop, with a shared kitchen and open space. It was an unexpected pleasure to spend time and share food with like-minded craftspeople after a hard days work. Even the trips to the supermarket were delightful; the sushi was shockingly good and cheap. The whole Yoshino family, and the apprentices, made every step easy and fun.

If you have any interest in woodworking, this is an excellent place to start. It requires a quiet mind to concentrate on the details, and this place is something very special; possibly unique...