Four seasons to make a Japanese carpentry school

When I first visited Somakosha May of 2025, I was shown a kominka that had been gifted to the school for use as a schoolhouse. The building was in disrepair, but it would be restored over the next year, and two small timber-frame dorms would accompany it. In a few short weeks, the first classes will be hosted in these buildings. Just about now, a little more than a year after I first saw the structure, the doors will be hung, and the last details are being finished as the plaster dries.

I have little doubt that studying Japanese carpentry in buildings born from the craft itself will be an experience of a lifetime. Classes for 2027 were also just listed.

As someone who has worked as a journalist for over half his life, I see many parallels between craft woodworking and reporting. In the old days, there were extensive assignments to document stories over months or years, with unlimited budgets. These days, projects like this are scarce or impossible to find or fund. There are fewer and fewer opportunities to practice deeper, more thoughtful versions of what today passes for the norm. It's unfortunate, but any craftsperson should understand the value of deeply reported stories, as much as they understand the value of buildings made of natural materials, cut by hand.

To watch this project unfold over four seasons was impossible, save for the generosity of Somakosha, who invited and made space for me on their staff. And to the New York Times, who bought my old company, allowing me to fund this project.