What is Mokuiku (“Growing with Trees”)?
Have you ever heard the term “mokuiku (“growing with trees”)”? The term was invented in Hokkaido in 2004. It incorporates the meaning of maintaining Japan’s forests and feeling an affinity for trees, and fostering a sense of abundance in children by deepening their understanding of culture and giving them the experience of touching trees as a formative experience.
With 70% of the country covered in forests, Japan ranks among the most forested nations in the world. It is an initiative that also incorporates the hope that children will use trees, plant trees, think together about the Japan’s long-held tree culture, understand it, and grow to be responsible for forests in the future.
Mokuiku at Tokyo Mokkoujou Arts & Crafts Furnishings
At Tokyo Mokkoujou Arts & Crafts Furnishings, we engage in many activities that convey the attraction of trees. One of those activities is especially directed at having children learn even more about trees and grow to love them. It is the woodworking class, a mokuiku activity of Tokyo Mokkoujou Arts & Crafts Furnishings
The important focus of these activities is on having children discover how trees can be used as a raw material and experience the sense that “woodworking is fun!”
Business Topics ：New Mokuiku Activities, Handing Down to Next Generation
Tokyo Mokkoujou Arts & Crafts Furnishings’ Largest Mokuiku Activity
Our largest mokuiku activity is the Summer Parent-Child Woodworking Class held at Tokyo Mokkoujou Arts & Crafts Furnishings since 2006. Participants include mainly the families of Shimizu employees as well as parents and elementary school-aged children from architect offices and customers. They are invited to Tokyo Mokkoujou Arts & Crafts Furnishings every year.
Nationwide Activities
We offer site tours at each Shimizu job site nationwide and exhibit at local festivals as part of the activities we engage in to make a social contribution.
Local Communities and Mokuiku
We have been conducting mokuiku activities for children from local kindergartens at Tokyo Mokkoujou Arts and Crafts Furnishings since 2015.
The oldest children in the kindergarten come to Tokyo Mokkoujo every Friday and take on the challenge of various projects. As the year progresses, they take on progressively more difficult challenges, and learn about craftsmanship and trees.
