Learning from the Forest: Education programs, field research visits, and residencies in Hida, Japan

Founded in 2015 by Hida City and two private-sector companies, Hidakuma Inc. (株式会社飛騨の森でクマは踊る)  works from the resources of Hida’s broadleaf forests to support the local economy, forest culture and creative practice. Through FabCafe Hida and “Mori no Ha” (森の端, “Office at the Edge of the Forest”), Hidakuma creates opportunities for companies, educational institutions and creators to engage with local forestry, wood processing, digital fabrication and regional communities. Its programs invite participants to learn from the forests, histories and everyday life of Hida, and to use those encounters as a starting point for rethinking their work, teams and future actions.

Credit: Hidakuma

University of Buffalo, School of Architecture and Planning

FabCafe Tokyo and FabCafe Hida planned and implemented a study abroad program for the University of Buffalo, School of Architecture and Planning in 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023. The study abroad program provided a valuable opportunity for participants to explore Tokyo’s latest design trends, learn about the Hida region’s unique history of carpentry and craft, and prototype architectural solutions to address the challenges currently facing the local wood manufacturing industry.

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  • Buffalo University students explore speculative geometrical designs at FabCafe
    
  • University at Buffalo Architecture students apply AR technology to wood manufacturing with FabCafe Tokyo and FabCafe Hida

Smart Craft Studio is a three-week design camp based at FabCafe Hida and organized by Hidakuma and Loftwork,. This program brings together participants from around the world by educating through a program that highlights traditional kumiki joinery, contemporary woodworking, and digital fabrication to explore new creative possibilities through craft and design.

Participating schools have included: National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Shih Chien University, the University of Toronto, Parsons School of Design, Institute of Advanced Media Arts and Sciences, and Tokyo University of the Arts.

Hozuki Lantern Project is an interactive device created through Smart Craft Studio 2016 to connect Hida’s elderly residents with visitors seeking local cultural experiences. Inspired by the hozuki lanterns seen in the region, it combines Hida washi paper, digital fabrication, and traditional craftsmanship, and was selected as a finalist for the YouFab Global Creative Awards 2016.

FabCafe partnered with David Benjamin, the Founding Principal of The Living and Associate Professor at Columbia GSAPP, to organize a field research tour through rural Japan for Columbia University students. Through this tour, FabCafe Hida demonstrated its importance in activating its local setting, setting community connections, and connecting regional knowledge to their collaborative design program centered on site-based learning, exchange, and sustainability. This offered students a truly unique opportunity to draw on inspiration through local ways of living and circular ecosystem practices.

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  A Rural Japan Field Research Program with Columbia GSAPP

Regenerative Design Studio is a program developed by Loftwork Taiwan and FabCafe Taipei for National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) in Taiwan. The program invites students to rethink the role of designers in creating a more sustainable wood manufacturing supply chain. Through a field-based learning experience in Hida, students gain first-hand insight into the region’s forestry practices and cultural relationship with wood. This unique opportunity helps them expand their understanding of forests as natural resources. Rather than viewing wood as a standardized material, the studio encourages a deeper engagement with wood manufacturing, traditional craftsmanship, and wood in its most natural state.

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  Web of Resilience: An Immersive Journey with the Regenerative Design Studio

Hidakuma and FabCafe Hida tailor each program to the goals of the participating group. Programs can include forest tours, visits to FabCafe Hida and Mori no Ha, conversations with local partners, lectures, workshops, product development, prototyping, and focused sessions for business development or team building. By spending time in Hida and engaging directly with the people, materials, and landscapes that define the region, participants often return with fresh perspectives and new directions for their work.

Offsite programs overview and sample schedule

※ The fee includes planning and coordination, accommodation, on-site support, and workshop design and facilitation. 

※ Transportation costs and interpretation fees are not included.

Hidakuma’s process design, starting from the forest

The Hidakuma lecture included in the program introduces a range of initiatives based on the goals, interests and questions of each participating group. Through experimental and distinctive case studies, participants can find hints and ideas for their own future activities.

FabCafe Hida is a digital fabrication cafe with accommodation, serving as a base for corporate training and residential programs. The space is set up for a wide range of uses: cafe gatherings, overnight stays, workshops, post-fieldwork briefings, and hands-on making with fab machines and a wood workshop. Groups can also share meals featuring Hida’s local cuisine, and community exchange events with local residents can be arranged on request.

FabCafe Hida website
https://fabcafe.com/jp/hida/