Budo Sansho

Budo sansho as a career

JAPANESE
BudoSansho+XDesigning life in mountain villages

The possibilities of budo sansho + forestry

Forestry is increasingly appealing more
to the younger generations.

Takegami Mokuzai Co., Ltd.
CEO

Mitsuaki Takeue
As the CEO of Takegami Mokuzai Co., Ltd., a company with a 70-year history of manufacturing logs, Mitsuaki is actively promoting the modernization of the forestry industry by incorporating IT and introducing high-performance machinery to improve work efficiency. In recent years, he has also been involved in forest management projects.

Interview date:22020.6.30・9.1

1

70 years of protecting Japan’s forestry industry

Our company was founded in Aridagawa, which lies in one of the most forested regions in Japan, as a manufacturer of scaffolding logs used for temporary construction materials.
For 70 years, we have been a part of Japan’s lumber industry from the early days when lumber was transported downstream from the mountains, and survived through the lowering demand in lumber materials during the period of rapid economic boom of Japan.

At present, we have 13 staff members who are engaged in forestry business, including the production of lumber materials. One member of our staff moved from Yokohama after graduating from high school to pursue a career in forestry.

We offer a wide variety of field experience, from maintenance of forests by planting or logging trees, to clearing trees near temples, shrines, and other cultural historic sites.
In addition, we put a lot of effort into providing support to acquire qualifications related to mountain forestry, so you can plan long term for the future.

*What is thinning?
Thinning is the process of removing smaller trees to promote growth of stronger trees. Rather than leaving the trees as compost, we collect and sell the resources to buyers. Thinning allows to control and prevent the overcrowding of trees leading to stronger forests.

Rising Expectations for Young People in the Forestry Industry

When you think of forestry, you may think hard work, but modernization and automation have progressed greatly, and we are actively introducing advanced technology to the field.

For instance, we are using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in our daily work to accurately grasp the size and location of forests, and we are also taking part in a demonstration experiment in Wakayama Prefecture to visualize forests using drones.

Younger employees are highly adaptable to systemization, and I sense a strong desire to evolve the forestry industry into one of the key industries in Japan. The company is also putting a lot of effort into its education and training system in an effort to positively nurture the next generation.

Forestry and budo sansho
go well together.

I think there is a very good chance that the forestry business will fit into the budo sansho + X. While the seasonal nature of the work may affect employment, there are employees in the past who have effectively managed to handle wearing two different hats by making sure the work does not conflict with the sansho harvest season.

Both forestry and budo sansho are well established industries in Aridagawa, so many locals have the understanding, and are considered respectable work in the region.

There are also advantages in terms of the tools of the trade. While pruning sansho trees and weeding the farm, you will be heavily using the chainsaw and a mower. Forestry involves thinning, limbing, and undercutting, so there is a possibility that the skills acquired will be helpful in both professions.

Protecting the Environment & Our Future through Our Work

We are involved as part of the infrastructure business to protect the mountains and trees for hundreds of years, so that people and nature can coexist in harmony for generations.

The forestry industry, which requires a lot of commitment, can be described as manufacturing work to protect nature.

In order for forests to maintain their natural functions, proper felling is essential for creating the forest of the future and Protecting the future environment and lifestyles I think this is the most appealing aspect of forestry work.

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