@OKUYAMATO NARA 奥大和 奈良

Utilizing materials emerged during forest road construction, avoiding waste and using them with care

ーーCan you tell us about morinobi LLC?

Yasui：Our company’s mission is “Nurturing forests, protecting water and building the future.” Our vision is “Connecting forests and people”. We are centered around forestry and design, developing five projects: Forest making projects, Manufacturing projects, Human resource development projects, Placemaking projects, and Energy projects. Japanese forestry involves taking down trees from steep mountains, a task that is incredibly challenging due to the heavy and large trees. However, there are no roads in the mountains. Therefore, while creating roads and forests where timber can be transported, we also use these roads to connect forests and people, and to safely bring children into the forests. As we maintain the mountains, we also engage in product creation using the materials we find.

ーーWhat kind of items do you produce?

Yasui：We make Cedar Ball DIY Kits using cedar leaves that come from creating these paths. A cedar ball is a spherical object made by radially inserting cedar leaves around a core. Its origin traces back to the Omiwa Shrine in Nara Prefecture, known for celebrating the sake deity. Traditionally, cedar balls were hung under the eaves of sake shops to mark the completion of new sake. They vary in size, usually about 30cm in diameter, but can be as large as 1 meter. We’ve made our DIY kits with 12cm diameter cedar balls, making them more accessible and a part of everyday life. In the past, cedar leaves were used for kindling or making cedar balls, utilizing every part of the mountain’s resources, not just the timber. Today, while timber is used as a resource, leaves are often left unused, returning to the mountain. Inspired by this, we focused on cedar balls, aiming to use the forest’s gifts more carefully and without waste, as our ancestors did.

ーーThe idea of making cedar balls more accessible is quite innovative.

Yasui：While cedar balls have been around, they are traditionally quite expensive due to the labor and time involved. However, with a DIY kit, this issue is resolved, and more importantly, making something yourself creates a special attachment. Nowadays, most of the wood around us is imported, and with water flowing effortlessly from taps, we live in a society where it’s easy to disconnect from nature and forests. But we believe it’s important to live with an awareness of this connection. Through our cedar balls, we want people to feel closer to the forests and the link between forests and their daily lives.

Kawano：We’ve made cedar ball DIY kits with families with elementary school children, younger generations, and even local senior citizen groups. Regardless of age, everyone enjoys making them together, or some prefer to make them quietly on their own. The joy of creating something yourself is a unique experience, and we think it’s more fulfilling than just buying a finished product at a high price.

Striving for a world where those sincerely engaged in forestry and forests can live with peace of mind

ーーCould you tell us about how you both became involved in forest creation?

Yasui：”I had been working in forestry for about 15 years before coming to Shimokitayama Village, but I felt contradictions. The national policy emphasizes efficiency to sustain forestry as a declining industry. However, using large machinery for forestry on Japan’s steep, rainy mountains was burdensome for the environment. I moved here as a member of the regional revitalization cooperation team, with the hope of participating in small-scale forestry aligned with natural principles and supporting such forestry systems.

Kawano：I’ve always been in the design field and wanted to live in the countryside. A friend moved here first, and visiting seasonally, I was amazed by the natural beauty. I moved here as a regional revitalization cooperation team member a year before Yasui, after attending a self-logging forestry training. Working in the mountains, I realized the dangers and various challenges of forestry. As an outsider, I’ve been able to openly question and suggest improvements to established practices. Slowly changing what has been accepted as normal, we hope to make things better.

ーーWhat possibilities do you see in working together?

Kawano：I think it’s interesting that we can transform various blessings from the forest into valuable things and directly produce outputs from the field. I also venture into the mountains, and Yasui meticulously checks designs. Completing everything from start to finish might be our strength as a team.

ーーFinally, could you share what you both aim to focus on and accomplish in the future?

Yasui：Forestry is extremely dangerous, with the risk of injury or death ten times higher than the average across all industries. Despite its value, the income is very low. We aim to create a world where those sincerely engaged in forestry and forests can live comfortably and securely.

Kawano：We value consistently doing small tasks with care. Even if our team grows, we want to continue this approach. Also, we want to keep pursuing what we find interesting without hesitation.