If you're going to live in the countryside rather than the city, you want to do things that you can only do there. We hear this sentiment surprisingly often. In particular, many people want to get involved in primary industries such as agriculture, fishing, and forestry, but it's difficult to create opportunities for that. The coastal area of Miyagi Prefecture, where Roopt has properties, has many areas where primary industries are thriving, and there are people who provide content that makes each industry feel more accessible.
This time, we'll introduce the activities of Yuma Mori, who runs the "Weekend Forester Training Academy" in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, with the aim of "making forestry more accessible and increasing the number of people involved in forestry." They offer a chainsaw experience program for people who are interested in forestry but have never even touched a chainsaw, and I, a complete novice myself, also tried it out. I hope that after reading this article, you'll think, "I want to try using a chainsaw too!"
As the representative of Momonowa LLC, Mr. Mori's business focuses on training "weekend foresters"—people who enjoy forestry on weekends while holding down a full-time job. He says that "the process of cutting down trees and designing forest spaces while imagining what it will be like 100 years from now is very creative," and his goal is to convey its appeal and increase the number of people involved in forestry. A key feature of his program is that it offers options tailored to individual needs, from the half-day chainsaw experience featured here to the "Weekend Forester Training Course" which provides individualized instruction over several months.
Weekend Forestry Training School Website:https://myuman.wixsite.com/sansuigoschool/home
From here, I will introduce the chainsaw experience program that I also participated in. *Another person also participated on the same day, and most of the people in the photos are that person.
Instead of the common "watch and learn!" approach in the world of craftsmen, Mr. Mori makes it a point to thoroughly verbalize and quantify each technique before teaching it to others. Even for someone like me, who has absolutely no experience with forestry or chainsaws, he gave a careful lecture and advice that I could understand immediately just by listening.
First, they explained the current state of forestry and protective gear. The protective gear is designed to take into account all the risks involved when handling a chainsaw, and that explanation alone was eye-opening. For example, even if the chainsaw blade gets caught in the protective gear, the fibers of the blade and the gear are designed to intertwine and stop the chainsaw's movement.
Next, he taught me about chainsaws themselves. He explained everything theoretically, from their structure to how they work, so I immediately understood how in-depth they are.
Apparently, the length and spacing of each tooth in the chain have a purpose, and even a slight difference can drastically change how the tree is cut and how it falls. I think I now understand a little bit why some people are so captivated by this delicate process that they decide to take up forestry.
After a lecture on the basics of using a chainsaw, it was finally time to experience cutting wood with a chainsaw! We repeated the process of "turning on the chainsaw's power to start the engine, rotating the chain blade to cut the wood, and then stopping the rotation and turning off the power."
The blade rotated faster than I expected, and the chainsaw itself was heavy, so I was able to cut wood easily without much effort. However, it was difficult to cut straight (at the angle I wanted), and often the cut surface was uneven even when I thought I had cut straight. This is where a delicate sense of touch is needed, rather than just theory.
A cat also came to visit along the way.
From there, it was all about practice. We cut the wood straight and at an angle to check the cross-section, changed our body positioning and the angle of the chainsaw, and tried again and again, cutting over and over again. It was a fun time, like practicing for a sport.
Finally, a commemorative photo was taken. All three of them have bright smiles on their faces, which I think conveys how much fun they had with the chainsaw experience.
This time, we introduced the chainsaw experience program offered by Mr. Mori.
Opportunities to easily get hands-on experience with chainsaws, a fundamental technique in forestry, are rare. This program, which not only offers a hands-on experience but also teaches various knowledge, is highly recommended for anyone with even a slight interest in forestry. Furthermore, I felt that it is an activity that is as aggressive as a sport and as creative as an art form, so I hope that more people will become "weekend foresters" who enjoy it as a life's work rather than a job.
Mr. Mori's "Weekend Forestry Training Program" is held all year round, so if you're interested, please contact Mr. Mori!
Weekend Forestry Training School Website:https://myuman.wixsite.com/sansuigoschool/home
As mentioned earlier, the coastal areas of Miyagi Prefecture are thriving primary industries, and many young people are active not only in fishing and agriculture, but also in other fields such as Mr. Mori, whom we introduced this time. I feel that there are many opportunities to get involved in primary industries in this region, with various programs being offered and events being held that allow people to feel closer to the industries. If you are interested in agriculture, fishing, or forestry, please take a trip to Miyagi using Roopt.
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