Thursday, July 23, 2026Early Arrival
Those guests traveling from afar and camping at the festival may arrive Thursday to set up camp and settle in. We kindly ask that you arrive between 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM so we can direct you to the camping area with sufficient light.
@ The Dining Tent
Casual Dinner
6:00pm - 8:00pm
4:00pm - 8:00pm
@ The Garden Shed
Early Check-In
Day One - Friday, July 24, 2026Hands on Friday
Long form workshops with masters of the craft. As most workshops provide practice materials we ask that you participate fully in your two selections.
Check-In Opens
@ The Garden Shed
7:30am
Opening Meditation and Intention
Yann Giguere
@ The Fire Circle
8:00am
Join Yann for a brief centering meditation and sharing of a few words to prepare attendees for his evening discussion.
@ The Hewing Grounds
8:30am - 4:00pm
Hewing Workshop
Yann Giguere
Spend the day with Yann learning about the tools and techniques necessary to transform a log into a beautiful timber. Plenty of loaner tools will be available, but feel free to bring your axes and adzes. More details coming soon…
Japanese Joinery
Hisao Zen
@ The Saw Mill Shrine
8:30am - 12:00pm
Hisao of DIY Japanese Joinery will lead a half-day workshop on cutting intricate Japanese joints.
Natural Plasters
Liz Johndrow
@ The Blacksmith Shop
1:00pm - 4:00pm
In this half-day version of the summer Introduction to Plastering class, Liz will give an overview of mixing and applying plaster, and participants will have a chance to join in applying it to buildings on the festival grounds.
@ The Dining Tent
Catered Lunch
12:00pm - 1:00pm
Hisashi Roofs
Hiroshi Awano
@ The Garden Shed
8:30am - 12:00pm
Learn about the elements, construction, and joinery of Japanese awnings: the hisashi roof and the application of copper tiles to the garden shed entrance roof.
Japanese Saws and Sawing
Jim Blauvelt
@ The Sawmill Shrine
1:00pm - 4:30pm
Receive coaching and instruction on the proper use of Japanese saws for precision work, and get your questions answered about all things related to Japanese saws.
Learn basic Japanese woodworking pronunciation with instructor Joe. Covers pronunciation, pitch, rhythm, and key words (tools, joinery, measurements). No prior Japanese needed—practice aloud with guided repetition and short drills. Ideal for beginners and anyone wanting clearer, more respectful speech at the festival.
Japanese Pronunciation for Woodworking
Joe Samalin
@ The Teaching Tent
3:30pm - 4:30pm
Woodworking as a Practice
Yann Giguere
@ The Fire Circle
4:30pm - 5:30pm
Is woodworking just about making stuff? Or might there be more? Join us for a presentation and discussion of the intangible side of craft, presence, and working with ones hands.
Pro/Non-Pro: Who Wins?
Will O’connor
@ The Fire Circle
4:30pm - 5:30pm
Moderated Discussion: What Hobbyists and Professionals Teach Each Other Join moderator Will for a focused talk on what hobbyist woodworkers and professionals learn from each other—skills, creative approaches, tool choices, workflows, and shared values like precision, experimentation, efficiency, and play.
Brick Oven Pizza Dinner
@ The Dining Tent
5:30pm - 7:00pm
Colin from Bergeron Tree Experts is bringing over his mobile, wood fired pizza oven. Enjoy a pizza or make your own!
Live from Japan: Chantarokichi
Kokichi Ozaki
7:00pm - 8:30pm (8:00am - 9:00am JST +1)
@ The Teaching Tent
Joining us remotely from Japan, temple carpenter Ozaki-san will give an overview of his work and his efforts to reinvigorate the Japanese chisel industry with Project Sekito, with ample time for audience questions and answers.
Day Two - Saturday, July 25, 2026Workshops & Presentations
In-depth workshops and presentations by masters of the craft. Designated areas to discuss, try and troubleshoot tools plus the vibrant planing practice tent!
@ The Garden Shed
Check-In Opens
7:30am
Fuki Urushi Lacquer
Makomako
@ The Sawmill Shrine
8:00am - 10:00am
Kintsugi artist Makomako will give an overview of the urushi lacquering process and offer a demonstration.
Fusuma Doors and the Japanese Home
Paul Tuller
@ The Teaching Tent
8:00am - 11:00am
Join Paul for an overview of his Japanese house project, including the changes made to the roof and some of the elements that have been added along the way. He’ll also bring samples from the project, including wood gutters and ridge extension joinery, to support the discussion. Afterward, he’ll demonstrate the basics of fusuma door making, using small frame mockups to show the process clearly.
The History of Iron & Steel in Japanese Tools
Pierre Nadeau
@ The Blacksmith Shop
10:00am - 12:00pm
Japanese-trained blacksmith and swordsmith Pierre will speak about the production and types of Japanese steel, how they are used in tools, and answer your metallurgy questions.
Micro Minka Tour
Jason Fox
@ The Micro Minka
11:00am - 12:00pm
We will tour the results of our Summer 2026 Japanese Timber Frame Workshop, the Micro Minka cabin, along with the students and apprentices who helped build it, and see how joinery techniques were used in a small building.
@ The Dining Tent
12:00pm - 1:00pm
Catered Lunch
The Nano Bevel
Matt Connorton
@ The Planing Tent
1:00pm - 2:00pm
What is the difference between a micro bevel and a nano bevel, and how do we use them in sharpening Japanese planes? Matt will give a presentation and be available for questions and tuning advice.
Saving Historic Japanese Homes
Andrea Carlson
Koji Toda
@ The Teaching Tent
1:00pm - 2:00pm
Andrea and Koji of the Kominka Collective will present on their work preserving the rich architecture of historic Japanese homes, as well as their efforts to deconstruct and find new homes for these buildings overseas.
Kominka North America
Adam Miller
@ The Teaching Tent
2:30pm - 3:30pm
Adam Miller will present on his recent work reassembling a traditional Japanese building brought to the United States from Japan, along with his work with Kominka North America.
Traditional Japanese Pit Forge
Pierre Nadau
@ The Blacksmith Shop
4:00pm - 5:30pm
Pierre will fire up and tend a traditional Japanese charcoal pit forge and demonstrate traditional forging techniques.
The One Man Tea House
Brian Holcombe
@ The Teaching Tent
4:00pm - 5:30pm
Brian will present on his joinery process and the construction of a tea house timber frame structure, including how he built it as a one-person shop effort.
@ The Dining Tent and Fire Circle
6:00pm - 12:00am
Join us for the annual cookout, sake toast, fireworks, and dance party. We work hard, and we play hard.
Barbeque Bonfire Celebration
Day Three - Sunday, July 26, 2026Festival & Competition
Morning talk followed by traditional log splitting, hewing, and wood preparation demonstration for all. An afternoon featuring a planing and joinery competition!
@ The Garden Shed
Check-In Opens
7:30am
@ The Teaching Tent
7:00am - 8:00am (8:00pm - 9:00pm JST)
Live from Japan: Mochizuki
Shigetaka Mochizuki
Joining us remotely from Japan, architect and master carpenter Shigetaka Mochizuki will present on his work and design process and answer questions from the audience.
Mind, Body and Spirit Reflection and Centering
Yann Giguere
@ The Fire Circle
8:30am
Join Yann to reflect on the previous days practice and share observations.
Log to Board: Making Wood
Morgan Donn
@ The Hewing Grounds
9:30am - 12:00pm
Put those timber tools to use. This session is a chance to work through the process of turning a log into usable boards with hand tools, with room to test your skills using maebiki, masakari, chona, and other timber framing tools. We’ll use snap lines and sight lines to work toward trued, dimensional lumber from a whole tree.
Hand Plane Shaving Competition Qualification
@ The Planing Tent
9:30am - 12:30pm
During this period, contestants are eligible to submit a plane shaving to the judges for measuring. We’ll rank shavings by thinness, with approximately 10 finalists and 5 master finalists advancing to the afternoon competition.
What to Bring: Your Japanese handplane, sharpening stones, tuning tools
@ Food Truck and Dining Tent
11:00am - 1:00pm
Food Truck Lunch
Kezuokai: Hand Plane Shaving Competition Finals and Awards
@ The Saw Mill Shrine
1:00pm - 3:00pm
There will be a special planing board prepared flat and true by one of the judges. Before each turn, finalists can have the surface refreshed by a judge or use up to 3 minutes to prep it themselves. Each finalist can take up to three final shavings — use it or lose it, only your last shaving submitted can be judged. Shavings will be measured at three points with a calibrated micrometer, averaged, and assessed for consistency, width, and quality. Winners for First, Second, and Third place will be announced and awarded prizes.
New this year: speed with precision. Cutting joinery quickly and accurately is how the job gets done, so let’s see who can lay out and cut a joint the fastest. There will be a prize.
Smoking Joints: Joinery Competition
@ The Hewing Grounds
3:30pm - 5:00pm