So happy to announce that we have finally posted a website and official mailing list for the Japanese Woodworking community of New York City.

Please take a few minutes and take a look at our new webpage:

japanesewoodworkingnyc.org

Please share this website with anyone you know who may be interested in joining our community and let us know if you have any questions or feedback. At the bottom of this newsletter, you will find further options to manage your subscription.

Community. It's not just a TV show anymore....

The New York City Japanese Woodworking Monthly Meetup was born out of the classes Will teaches, the different already-existing woodworking communities in NYC, and the incredible Japanese woodworking communities in places like Upstate New York, Maine, and Kezurou-kai USA. They are a key part of a long and growing interest in Japanese woodworking in the U.S.   

Japanese Woodworking NYC is a space for anyone interested in starting, continuing, or deepening their knowledge and practice of Japanese woodworking. You do not need a background or experience with woodworking or Japan to be a part of this space, to use the resources within, and to connect with others here.

For those interested we have regular classes on Japanese woodworking tools and techniques, a free monthly meetup, and.....coming soon.......

A FREAKING JAPANESE WOODWORKING TOOL SHOP RIGHT HERE IN BROOKLYN!

Opening June 21st 2024 at BBFL (300 7th Street Brooklyn, NY), NIHONSAN will sell a wide range of Japanese hand tools, hardware, wall finishes, and more. We will also host Japanese woodworking classes and events. I am ridiculously excited and feel more than a little trepidation about this endeavor, and so we  hope to see you there!

Unlike Will, with his deep thinking, measured and intentional action, and innate ability to look at all sides of a problem and explain the solution so anyone can understand it (and I mean literally innate, he is the progeny of not one but two life-long teachers), I am the product of two wonderful hippie Buddhists and have ADHD, lived in Japan for 5 years, and have held numerous jobs alongside a 28 year career in the non-profit world trying to prevent gender-based violence.

While there are numerous ways that Will and I differ from and compliment each other (4:00 is not cookie time, anytime is cookie time if you have cookies, obviously), there are some ways we are practically the same. And one key way is in the value we place on community.

And so we are more than thrilled to connect with you, answer questions, point you towards resources, help on projects, or just chat the day away about what grits to sharpen your hand plane blades to. Our goal is to create a space for everyone who is interested. Sound like fun? Then join us!

-Joe Samalin
info@nihonsantools.com

I've long known that I'm an extrovert. I draw my energy from social activity. I've also learned along the way that the best way to recharge your social batteries is by finding recreation in introverted activities. The hobby of woodworking with Japanese hand tools became for me the perfect antidote to my extroverted nature. It's good exercise for both the body and the brain, and I found it very satisfying and (usually) relaxing. It's also something you can do on your own, for hours and hours. For me, it was the perfect way to come to balance.

Then, I got laid off, started my woodworking business, and another imbalance was revealed. Wild horses couldn't drag me away from my kanna, but it can get a little lonely sometimes. Last summer, I attended the Maine Japanese Woodworking Festival, and I began to realize how much I missed that social activity. I came home, teamed up with Joe Samalin, who helped me get started teaching classes, and together we organized the first, monthly NYC Japanese Woodworker's Meetup... and the community continues to grow. 

With each of my monthly woodworking classes, a tiny community can also form, as was the case with the group who took the May session of "Build Your Toolbox." This past weekend, a subset of this group got together for a "build party" to finish the toolboxes they had started in class. The casual get-together was organized and hosted by Jim Snow, a meetup regular, in his basement. I had to swing by, so I jumped on my bike and went to say hello.

Laura Sifuentez, Jim Snow, & Joe Williams gather in Jim's basement for build party.

I found Jim, Laura and Joe all working happily on their projects together, everybody at a different stage of the process, sharing glue, clamps, and encouragement. I was happy to offer some guidance where I could, assist with some first-aid ("9 out of 10 fingers prefer sharp tools"), but mostly I just shared with them how pleased I was to find this community doing its thing.

I think we can all agree that Woodworking can be a great recreational activity, and with the traditional Japanese tools and methods, it can be a particularly effective escape from the hustle of our busy lives. An escape many of us can even find in our tiny city apartments. But, while it can be an introverted activity, it doesn't have to be a lonely pursuit—especially not here in NYC.

Looking forward to the next meetup!

-Will O'Connor
will@makegoodwood.com