Regular Meeting (2026/9/12)

Contents

A Demonstration of Sugita-Style Saw Woodworking for Beginners ：Ms. Moroi

Ms. Kusakabe, a new member of our club, attended the exchange meeting held the month after the August 2026 DIY Home Center Show, in which we also exhibited. She was one of the people who had come to the DIY Show to watch Ms. Moroi’s demonstration. And, as it turns out, she was also a classmate of her from high school.

Out of consideration for the fact that content that’s too difficult for first-timers—as is often the case—might cause people to stop coming even after making the effort to attend, the presentation that day became the “Kusakabe Special.”

Ms. Moroi carefully and engagingly demonstrated the beginner-friendly aspects of Sugita’s Woodworking Method. Ms. Kusakabe seemed captivated by the Sugita method as she eagerly filmed the demonstration.

Explaining the Benefits of Western Planes: Mr. Umemura

Mr. Umemura gave an easy-to-understand explanation of Western-style planes. Since many members of our club use Western planes, the presentation—offered from a Japanese perspective on Western planes—was very refreshing and insightful not only for newcomer Ms. Kusakabe but for everyone else as well.

Listening to it, I was reminded of a previous presentation by Mr. Ueda, who discussed Japanese planes in great detail before concluding that they were too difficult to handle and that he had given up using them.

Leather Craft Workshop: Ms. Takahashi / Ms. Terauchi

After the presentation, a leather craft workshop was held. Members Takahashi and Terauchi have a background in leathercraft. The assignment was to hand-sew the leather handles on a bag. The session was both inspiring and educational, covering details such as the need to punch an equal number of holes on both sides for threading, and tips on how to thread the needle through the holes from both sides simultaneously with two needles without pricking your fingers. I hoped that the participants would not only take part in the workshop but also someday create pieces that incorporate leather into their woodworking.