Summer 2025 Newsletter: Zen & Japanese Carpentry

By Eric Birkeland Sensei

In February, 10 people came together from all over—from New York to Australia—to participate in a Zen & Japanese Woodworking workshop at the Dojo.

Over the course of two weeks, participants went from learning the basics of how to set up and use their tools to completing a timber frame for a small pottery shed. The shed came together on site at the base of Diamond Head with the team wielding oversized mallets and striking in unison to bring the structure together without the use of nails or screws.

In July, three local dojo members flew to Maine to participate in a larger timber framing project for the construction of a two-story blacksmith's workshop. Japanese carpentry continues to be practiced at the Dojo, with classes twice a week.