Wood Carving?
A few months ago, while rummaging through my wood collection (isn’t owning a wood collection an amazing flex in 2026?), I came across the crude pencil outline of a spoon sketched onto a solid block of mahogany—a project I'd clearly left long enough for the dust to settle.
Quite literally.
Along with it emerged some carving tools, which had also managed to lose themselves beneath a pile of other things. With the wood and tools reunited, all that remained was someone to do the negotiating with my tendency to procrastinate.
A good dose of determination was required through the following self talk:
‘This block of wood is going to be made into a spoon and I don’t care how long it takes!’
Thus, I began whittling away, hoping that this hard lump of former tree might become something worthy of a place on my kitchen wall.
The end result
To my surprise, I actually followed through and what happened? A wooden spoon happened! Crude but usable, rough around the edges but distinctly characteristic. In some ways, a bit like myself (This is where you may laugh/agree).
During the process, I realized that wood carving was something I really wanted to take up again.
I say again because I did spend some time in my father’s workshop growing up. Well, we all did, me and my brothers. Wood working was all around us as children.
One of the rocking horses my father made. A real horse saddle and real horse hair were used for the tail.
Anyway, that’s enough prelude for now. On a recent trip to the Japanese post town of Kumagawa Juku(more on that in another article) I happened to meet a master woodcarver whom I had been meaning to reach out to for a while.
He told me that he was running a wood workshop twice a month and if I would like to attend.
I immediately signed up without even asking the dates, times or even the cost. Details were not so important to me at this point as I felt the situation too serendipitous to ignore. And thus, I found myself sitting in a wood workshop yesterday morning faced with a new challenge.
Humble Beginnings
In the first class, budding wood carvers must learn to carve out a sphere from a stick of wood. For some, this may seem a rather simplistic en-devour. However, you must remember that Rome wasn’t carved in a day.
In fact I think it took something like 1000 years.
Above left/right: Nino-san makes some final touches to a wooden katana
Center: Providing some instructions of how to finalize my wooden sphere
If historical references aren’t your cup of matcha, reflect on this:
You don’t run a marathon without tying your shoelaces first.
It won’t end very well.
About the Experience
It was both informative and relaxing. You could even say somewhat meditative. Nino-san and his apprentice overlooked while offering the occasional piece of advice but didn’t hover over us pointing out every mistake.
This style vibes with me greatly as I actually enjoy messing up sometimes and seeing if I can get myself out of it.
Often I can’t but it is fun nonetheless.
Keiko-san’s rather epic project
During the initial introductory five minutes, and much to my surprise, the other participant of the workshop took out a large slab of wood of complex design. She would later inform me that it depicts the Buddhist image of Tennyo (天女).
A female goddess found throughout ancient Japanese art, textiles, architecture, theater, and even in festivals. I was very much inspired and asked if I could take a picture.
Keiko’s Chisels - She means business.
Success! A kind of sphere.
While I could go on and on about the experience, I have a hungry cat to attend to. In any case, whether my wooden ball turned out perfect or not is besides the point. What is important is that I seem to have
set the ball rolling...
(you don’t need to laugh here).