Forest Workshop for Gifu Moku-iku (Wood Education) Instructors

For those wondering “Wait, was there an open call for this?” — apologies for any confusion. This was a workshop I was involved in purely as a helper, so no sign-ups were advertised through YAOTSU MALL.

Saturday, November 1, 2025
Forest Workshop for Gifu Moku-iku (Wood Education) Instructors

I had the chance to share some of our activities in Yaotsu and help with the running of the day.

The instructor was Eiichi Ito-sensei from Mori no Nariwai Kenkyujo (Forest Livelihood Research Institute), someone I always learn so much from. Ito-sensei has visited Yaotsu many times and knows the area well. The venue, Iwahira Tea Garden, has become a familiar and beloved spot through his workshops — a place where participants have learned about maintaining old forest paths and followed the journey of timber from tree to product.

On this occasion, we walked an old path through the forest that had been restored up until this past March. The path, we learned, was once a route children walked to school.

“What scenery did those children see?”
“How much has the forest changed since then?”
“Why did this path fall out of use?”

With thoughts like these in mind, the group walked slowly together.

Because the trees have grown tall and the canopy now filters out much of the sunlight, undergrowth is sparse and the shape of the path still clearly remains. With its days as a daily route now behind it, the walk also became a chance to think about new ways to bring the path back to life — for plant observation, forest therapy, and more. There are some practical challenges to work through, but the hope is to take it slowly and explore what’s possible, one step at a time.

It was a wonderful time — strolling through the forest in lively conversation with people who love trees and plants. An interview with Miharu-san of Iwahira Tea Garden was woven into the day, and Ito-sensei’s deep familiarity with this place gave his words a particular resonance.

I am truly grateful to have been part of such a wonderful workshop. Thank you to everyone involved — organizers and participants alike!