December 3, 2016

As a part of the 10th anniversary commemorative events, Kyoto Model Forest Association hosted a field tour of forestry and KYO-KUKSA, Hinoki Cypress mug cups. First, participants from non-forestry sectors headed for a logging site in Ayabe city, where they heard a lecture on trends in timber supply and demand, delivered by Mr. Kazuya Ito, the local owner-manager of a forestry company. After arrival at the site, the participants watched the logging with a chainsaw, a first-time experience for most.

They finished the tour by making mug cups on site. A Kuksa is a traditionally hand-carved cup made from birch burl and used in Finland. While listening to Mr. Ito speak about the legend in Finland, which says “The person who is given a Kuksa becomes happy,” the participants worked on their own mug cups, making a KYO-Kukusa from the Hinoki Cypress produced in Kyoto.