Yamaichi - A Japanese Lumberyard - Part 1 - Air Dried Wood is Better

Yamaichi - A Japanese Lumberyard - Part 1 - Air Dried Wood is Better - February 2022
In this video, we visit the Yamaichi Lumberyard where we get a chance to see and learn more about a wood drying process that was developed by the CEO and President of Yamaichi Lumberyard, Mr. Kumagai, in Kagawa, Shikoku, Japan.
There is no secret that naturally dried wood is superior in quality, beauty, and environmental friendliness, however, it takes a long time and a lot of space to provide natural dried wood at a large scale. At Yamaichi in Kagawa, Japan, Mr. Kumagai, developed a system where his company can simulate and expedite natural drying process using a combination of forced warm air and the commonly understood greenhouse effect. In this video, you will get a chance to see his inventions from the initial prototype to the new mass drying system he created.
We originally visited the Yamaichi Lumberyard earlier in the month (February 2022) and immediately liked the place because it is different from most lumberyards that we have been to. Mr. Kumagai has taken on the Yamaichi Lumberyard and has tried to provide Japan with a concept he called Kitokuras which means "Living With Wood." He believes that once society understands the health benefits of wood the mindset for how the public once to live will change. He has created a ecosystem at the Yamaichi facility where people can visit and escape and learn about wood. One the property is a cafe and restaurant, furniture show room, event spaces, warehouses for public use, a future campsite, water features, and large scale wood processing operation with the included natural dried wood as an option to home builders.
Special Thanks to:
Mr. Kumagai (President and CEO)
The Yamaichi Lumberyard (www.yamaichi-mokuzai.com/)
Kitokuras (kitokuras.jp/)
#woodworking #japanesewoodworking #carpentrylife
Videographers and Editing:
Kaori / Garrett
Equipment Used:
Olympus OMD EM-1 Mark iii (4k)
Olympus OMD EM-5 Mark iii (4k)
Rode VideoMicro (Audio)
Rode VideoMic NTG (Audio)
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[@Ste2023]

What a fount of knowledge that gentleman has got .... I'd love you to interview him ..more .. please. He knows about woods and how to treat them . Get him on again

[@Ste2023]

interview him please 🙏

[@benzgo9322]

こんなすごい、日本人がいるんですね。 木と言っても、深いのがよく分かりました。 ヤッパリ、自然木が最高

[@JayCWhiteCloud]

You should spend as much time with this brilliant man as possible...!!! He has a wealth and depth of knowledge that is priceless...If you do see him again, let him know that there are still some of us that still don't use plywood for exactly the reasons he shared with you...we also still relief kerfing ( (背割り "Sewari," うめき "Umeki".) and focusing the "checking" 干割れ - "Hiware") in the wood (it really isn't a crack which is a different thing in wood and very bad...!!!...which is the point he was correctly making about why kiln-dried lumber is so bad most often... Thanks so much for another great and informative video...!!!

[@rhaataja]

When we were in Japan in 2019 we rented a campervan for 10 days and just went from one michi-no-eki to another from Kyoto to Yamanashi then Shirahama. It would be amazing if we could stay at the campsite he mentions in the second part and have some time to really take in this amazing lumber yard. Thank you for showing it to us so well!

[@Peekingduck]

This was very cool, thanks for sharing this !

[@dinewalton]

Which is the most profitable hardwood you can grow in Japan? Jindai Sugi? Kōyamaki? Kiri? or something else?

[@zukiw1546]

That's so interesting about cedar

[@cliffhall8620]

Great stuff!! Love watching the Vlogs! If you’re ever in Nagano, look for Sakai Tategu Kogei, and check out the kumiko art works coming out of that place.

[@sawboneiomc8809]

I would have like to seen actually the lumber produced.

[@daveg5183]

👍

[@sincerelyyours7538]

Thank you! I've been searching for a real lumber yard in Japan where I can buy real wood, not endless varieties of Lauan plywood which is all I can find in the DIY home centers. Unfortunately, Shikoku is a bit too far from my home in Shizuoka to travel for buying wood. Mr. Kumagai doesn't have a store up here does he?

[@thecarpentrylife]

Unfortunately they don't have a store up here. Try google with “材木屋　静岡”, you can find some cool stores, or at least you can see local options. Good luck!

[@sincerelyyours7538]

Thank you, that's useful information. Seems all the lumber yards are located about an hour away from me in a direction I seldom travel so that explains why I couldn't find them.

[@RA-II]

What is the cost of a traditional Japanese home 3 bedroom 2 bathroom

[@thecarpentrylife]

It depends on the design and preferences. It's hard to tell.