Join us for a weekend of inspiration, education, and community as we gather to celebrate traditional Japanese woodworking.
Our annual festival, held midsummer in central Maine, brings together the best of the Japanese woodworking community along with beginner and seasoned woodworkers to share experience, learn from tool and technique demonstrations and workshops, and compete in a contest to pull the thinnest shaving from a Japanese hand plane.
“It’s hard to imagine a more enthusiastic, passionate, and friendly crowd than the Maine Japanese Woodworking Festival. The atmosphere is upbeat and the workshop speakers are top-notch. For traditional purists to woodworking geeks to aspiring artisans and everyone in between, you won’t leave uninspired.”
Jim Blauvelt discusses the fundamental interactions of the components of a Japanese hand plane.
Yann Giguère leads a seminar on straight line layout for irregular timbers. Much of the festival consists of focused instruction, exposing attendees to a broad spectrum of techniques.
“The first annual Maine KEZ was an absolute blast! The feeling of community was sweet and strong. In everyone I met there was such passion and intense presence. So happy to be all together. I could not have been happier to give my blessing and full support to what is becoming a pilgrimage worthy Festival!”
“Good things are happening in Mercer, Maine. I was lucky to be able to attend the event in summer 2023. Reunited with old friends and made new friends. Amazing atmosphere at events, lots to learn and share. Will do it again in a heart beat for sure.”
Legendary kanna expert and tool vendor Andrew Ren checks his plane body for flatness. The practice tent is buzzing with shavings, adjustments, and tweaks ahead of the competition.
Never Stop Building apprentice Morgan Donn leads the group in a timber frame raising of his final project, a small shrine he designed, layed out and cut. The festival spans many woodworking disciplines from timber framing to furniture crafting and everything in between.
“Going to the festival opened my eyes. I’m not alone, we are all trying, we are all still learning, even the best of us at the event with 10 , 20 even 40 years of carpentry experience walked away feeling like we learned something and made new friendships that will probably last a lifetime. The amount of emotional highs I experienced can’t be put into a single sentence but I can summarize to just a single word: community.”
“Last year’s inaugural Maine KEZ was an amazing experience. I enjoyed a weekend of hewing, sawing, assembling, adzing, sharpening, planing; as well as discussing, learning and sharing all about Japanese woodworking. Jason and Lauren have done a great job stepping up to host this woodworker’s pilgrimage. It is reunion for old friends and a chance to meet interesting new people too. I will try hard to attend every year!”
Attendees wield the hewing axe, masakari, and adze, chouna, to transform logs into timbers as would have been done throughout the history of Japanese building. Everyone can take a chance to try a tool.
Before the advent of modern wood milling machinery, breaking down a large log was a time consuming and labor intensive process. The attendees work as a team with large hammers to slowly open up a crack in a log, inserting more and more wedges until with a great pop, the log is split in two.
2023 winner Jamie Iishi pulls his kanna across a specially prepared timber of Alaskan yellow cedar. Thinner than a human hair, the shaving represents years of dedicated practice. Our friendly competition of course includes prizes and bragging rights!
Accomplished woodworker and blacksmith, Jim Blauvelt, checks the edge of a plane blade for flatness. Every detail matters when tuning a Japanese hand plane for top performance.
“Being at the festival was life changing for me. I got to meet so many friends in the community for the first time, and saw old friends again. It fed my spirits for months after. I can’t wait to go again and every year after.”
“As a newcomer to the community, I was overwhelmed with the level of talent and generosity during my experience at the festival. The share of knowledge and hands-on guidance was invaluable to advancing my furniture craft, and I can now confidently pick up a kanna over sandpaper for that final finish.”
Jeff Bearce leads a discussion on the use of traditional tools in a modern production process. Our festival embraces the best of old and new to always further the craft of woodworking.
“...There is an obvious need for venues in the east, where there are a fair number of experienced practitioners and a great many people of every range of ability who are eager to share time to exchange ideas and expand their knowledge and understanding. Jason, his wife Lauren and their daughter Aurora are establishing a true home base for these kind of activities. This is a great gift to all of us who wish to foster and promote the work and I am deeply grateful...”
Yann leading a demonstration of hewing with the masakari. The proper technique results in a pleasantly scalloped and shiney surface to the timbers, providing a wonderful contrast to smooth and rectilinear timbers. Some Japanese tools, though rare and hard to find, are on offer for everyone to try.
Hosts Jason, Lauren and little Aurora in a rare moment of calm amid the exuberant festivities.
After an action packed day, attendees unwind with a yaki-niku Japanese style bbq and a huge bonfire.
Location and Accommodations
As always the Maine Japanese Woodworking festival is held on location at the Never Stop Building homestead.
Spring and Summer Workshops
Leading up to the festival we offer a full range of classes and workshops included amazing opportunities with guest instructors!
