Good evening. Takashi Yanase (the creator of Anpanman) is from Kami City, Kochi Prefecture, so I went to the magnolia tree park in Kami City, his hometown.
Yanase's poems convey his humble nature and his desire to care for those around him, even if they hurt him. I wonder if Anpanman was born from such a strong heart. "What was I born for, and what do I live for...?"
This month marks the 17th year of Nakayoshi Library. I will continue to focus on my family, employees, customers, business partners, and others around me rather than on myself, and do my best this year to do work that makes everyone happy.
Drying the materials for the toy
Now we move to Kameiwa in Nankoku City, where today is the day to stack the battens that will be used to make toys for the next few months.
We received a lot of logs that we purchased at the market and had cut into boards at the sawmill.
The seven types of wood we purchased today are cherry, magnolia, zelkova, mulberry, amplexicaule, chestnut, and Japanese kaya. We will also use magnolia, which was loved by Takashi Yanase.
Freshly cut wood contains a lot of moisture.
It's very heavy.
As you know, trees cannot be used immediately after being cut down, so they are left to dry in the sun for at least six months (in the case of natural drying).
To achieve this, the boards are arranged, and battens are placed between the pieces to allow air to flow, which prevents the growth of mold and results in materials that are less likely to warp or become distorted.
The trick is to stack the planks evenly like this. Even small planks containing moisture can be quite heavy. And when they are stacked in layers, they become extremely heavy.
In order to distribute the weight evenly, whether the material can be used or not depends on how carefully the crosspieces are stacked (this is a very important process).
The top is made of magnolia wood and the bottom is made of chestnut wood, but the position of the crosspiece is off by about the width of a fist. It is surprisingly difficult to align them perfectly.
The process of cutting boards into toy shapes with a jigsaw and creating products is very enjoyable to watch, and it is a highlight for craftsmen. However, the procurement and management of materials is the most important part of woodworking.
This material is cut from logs, carefully arranged, and then six months later it is finally ready to use.
This is a scene of boards drying in the sun, something you don't usually see.
This is why we check every step of the process ourselves.
We are confident that we can provide safety and security to our customers.
I realized that it takes a long time from felling a tree to making a single 3,000 yen teether.
Once you understand this, the meaning of the price will become much deeper.
Well, there are two more days left. I'll do my best at the physical work I haven't done in a while. See you soon!
