[Student Voice] From Forest to Architecture: An International Student’s Volunteering Experience with WAVOC
Doctoral Student (D2), Department of Architecture, Graduate School of Creative Science and Engineering / Li-Ting, XU
My current research focuses on the history of Taiwanese hinoki cypress used in pre-war Japanese shrine architecture. Through this research, I have become interested in the production process of timber. This interest led me to participate in the WAVOC volunteer activities in the autumn of 2025 to observe this process in the forest.
Building a Trail in Kogesawa Forest, Ura-Takao ：
On 14 September 2025, I took part in a volunteer activity in the Takao Forest. The weather was fine, and we worked together to maintain a short section of the footpath. One person held a sharpened wooden stake while another used a mallet to drive it into the ground until it was securely anchored. It required precise coordination of force and angle, and we took turns using the mallet. Once the stakes were set, we cleared the stones from the center, laid a timber crossbeam across them, and packed soil underneath to stabilize it. In this way, we completed a step on the trail, allowing hikers to climb the slope more easily.
Standing in a thinning area also left a strong impression on me. I saw a planted forest spread across the slope, where some of the felled trees still lay on the ground after thinning so that the remaining trees could continue to grow larger. The trees were not especially thick, but they grew remarkably straight. Since hinoki cypress is known as a slow-growing species with fine-grained timber, I was glad to gain a physical sense of what a fifty- or sixty-year-old tree actually looks like in diameter.
The highlight of the day was hearing the forest rangers, who taught us about the current condition of forests and the basic principles of forest management. We were able to examine the tree rings firsthand and hear stories of earlier generations, when they would trek into the mountains for hours carrying water and food. Through the activity, I was able to gain a small sense of the difficulties faced by those who maintained these mountain forests.
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Learning about Water Source Forest Conservation in Okutama ：
On 11 October 2025, I joined the Tamagawa Water Source Forest Team volunteer activity. The day began in a log cabin, where staff from the Tokyo Waterworks Bureau explained how the forest had shifted from development to conservation over the past century, reminding me of pre-war documents I had read that describe similar government-led inspections and decision-making processes.
We were then introduced to the principles of pruning before heading into the forest for practical training. As we drove deeper into the mountains, mist drifted among the trees, and occasionally the reservoir came into view. It began to rain, and we only had time for some climbing practice. Wearing spiked climbing boots, I found it challenging to move along the trunk. The key, I learned, was to shift my center of gravity, alternating between support and movement.
Learning that young branches must be pruned early to produce knot-free timber gave me a newfound respect for the delicate skills and craftsmanship involved in forestry. Looking at the wood samples, I was also able to observe how knots form, which reminded me of shrine construction specifications that carefully instruct how such imperfections should be concealed. The preference for beautiful, knot-free timber not only reflects architectural aesthetics, but also naturally drives the grading system and economic value of timber. Before joining these activities, forest management had felt like a distant world to me, but being on-site made me realize how deeply these landscapes are connected to the built environment and the world we inhabit.
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Through Two Activities ：
These two days in the forest taught me to see timber not simply as a resource, but as a living tree tended by patient hands long before it becomes a pillar in a shrine. This kind of embodied knowledge is a gift that archives alone cannot provide. I hope more students, especially international students who feel a sense of distance from unfamiliar environments, will have the opportunity to find their own mountains to enter.
I would like to sincerely thank the forest rangers in Takao and the members of the Tamagawa Water Source Forest Team for their guidance and for sharing their knowledge and experiences with me.
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