Nihonsan offers a range of classes for beginners to professionals. Our instructors also offer private custom individual or group classes as well. See whats available below, and contact us with any questions. Sliding scale prices are available based on financial need.
Introduction to Kumiko
Kumiko is a specific subset of Japanese woodworking, and a lot of fun for beginners and professionals alike. It involves creating artistic panels out of smaller stock. The only tool you will need is a Japanese chisel, which will be available if necessary for the class, or students can bring their own. Students will make an asa-no-ha or stylized hemp leaf pattern, one of the more important and common patterns.
4 hour class, single session.
Nihonsan Tools & Hardware
300 7th Street BBFL Building, Lower Level, Brooklyn, US
Sharpening Japanese Hand Tools
Join this comprehensive introduction to sharpening Japanese hand tools (planes, chisels, knives). This three hour hands-on course will teach participants how to sharpen and maintain your tools using Japanese water stones. Students should bring at least one tool to sharpen during class.
3 hour class, single session.
Nihonsan Tools & Hardware
300 7th Street BBFL Building, Lower Level, Brooklyn, US
Build Your Toolbox - Intro to Japanese Woodworking
This 2-session, 14-hour class offers participants a deep-dive introduction to the rudiments of hand-tool woodworking with Japanese tools, including saws, chisels, planes, and more. In this class, you will learn how to use, sharpen, and maintain these tools and develop good work methodology. The class will culminate in building your own toolbox for your new tools.
2 sessions, 7 hours per session.
Nihonsan Tools & Hardware
300 7th Street BBFL Building, Lower Level, Brooklyn, US
Intro to Yakisugi (Japanese Fire Finishing)
Join us for this 2 hour class introducing participants to yakisugi (lit. burnt cedar board) - a Japanese woodworking finishing technique using fire to burn wood to create a durable and beautiful finish on your projects. This class will present the history of yakisugi use, the basics of applying fire to your project, and how to clean and maintain or protect your work. Students are welcome to bring a small project or wood they want to try yakisugi on if there is time! No woodworking experience necessary, all levels welcome.
Cost includes materials used during class.
Single session, 2 hours.
Hinoki Bath Stool
This one day course will introduce you to the basics of Japanese joinery, or sashimono. With an intense focus on cutting accurate joints that are aesthetic and structurally sound, students will build their own Japanese bath stools using wedged wood tenons (don't worry, you will soon know what those are!) and other joints as well. Practice measuring and marking, cutting and chopping, until you are left with a beautiful and 100% usable piece of furniture to take with you.
No tools are needed for this class, although you are welcome to bring your own if you are interested. Feel free to contact us for a tool list.
Kintsugi (Ceramic Repair) Workshop
Always wanted to know more about kintsugi - the Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics with lacquer and gold or other metal powders? Here is your chance! This demo will give you a basic knowledge of Kintsugi, including:
An overview of kintsugi materials and tools
A demonstration of each kintsugi procedure
The chance to apply golden brass powder to broken ceramics
A discussion on appreciating the beauty of impermanence
Join us for a fun and informative time!
Kintsugi (Ceramic Repair) Small Group Hands-On Workshop
Always wanted to know more about kintsugi - the Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics with lacquer and gold or other metal powders? Here is your chance! This 2.5 hour workshop will give you a basic knowledge of Kintsugi, including:
An overview of kintsugi materials and tools
A demonstration of each kintsugi procedure
The chance to get your hands dirty actually doing kintsugi
A discussion on appreciating the beauty of impermanence
Join us for a fun and informative time!
Free Monthly Japanese Woodworking Meetup!
Join us the second Thursday of every month for our free Japanese Woodworking Meetup! Meet other folks interested in Japanese Woodworking, professional woodworkers, hobbyists, our instructors, and more. Feel free to bring pics of your latest projects, tools you want sharpen or need help with, and all your woodworking questions. Open to everyone.
Design: Stools & Benches
This single-session 4hr workshop is oriented towards hand-tool woodworkers, looking to design and plan their next project. This session will focus on apartment-sized benches and stools, for sitting or standing.
Single session, 4 hours.
Nihonsan Tools & Hardware
300 7th Street BBFL Building, Lower Level, Brooklyn, US
Basic Dovetail Joinery
This single-session 3hr class introduces the participants to dovetail joinery with Japanese tools, including saws & chisels. In this hands-on class, you will learn how to layout and mark these joints, as well as cut and fit them. This course does require knowledge and experience with basic hand-tool woodworking fundamentals, similar to those learned in the "Build Your Toolbox" course. If you are unsure you meet the requirements, please reach out to classes@makegoodwood.com for guidance before registering.
Some task-specialized tools will be available, but participants will be expected to bring their own basic tools, including chisels, saws, and tools for layout & marking.
Cost includes materials used during class.
Single session, 3 hours.
Design: Accessory Tables
This single-session 4hr workshop is oriented towards hand-tool woodworkers, looking to design and plan their next project. This session will focus on apartment-sized accessory tables, including side tables, coffee tables, nightstands, etc… For the more advanced or ambitious, this project can also incorporate a drawer component. The class will meet in-person in Brooklyn.
Single session, 4 hours.
Nihonsan Tools & Hardware
300 7th Street BBFL Building, Lower Level, Brooklyn, US
Design: Benches
This single-session 4hr workshop is oriented towards hand-tool woodworkers, looking to design and plan their next project. This session will focus on apartment-sized benches and stools, for sitting or standing. The class will meet in-person in Brooklyn.
Single session, 4 hours.
Nihonsan Tools & Hardware
300 7th Street BBFL Building, Lower Level, Brooklyn, US
Mortise and Tenon Joinery
This single-session 3hr class introduces the participants to mortise and tenon joinery with Japanese tools, including saws & chisels. In this hands-on class, you will learn how to layout and mark these joints, as well as cut and fit them. Classes will meet in-person in Brooklyn. This course does require knowledge and experience with basic hand-tool woodworking fundamentals, similar to those learned in the "Build Your Toolbox" course. If you are unsure you meet the requirements, please reach out to classes@makegoodwood.com for guidance before registering.
Some task-specialized tools will be available, but participants will be expected to bring their own basic tools, including chisels, saws, and tools for layout & marking.
Cost includes materials used during class.
Single session, 3 hours.
Simple Staked Joinery
This single-session, 4hr class introduces the participants to the concept and practice of round mortise and tenon joinery. In this hands-on class, you will learn how to use hand-braces, augur bits, tapered reamers and tenoning tools to add legs to a simple three-legged stool. Classes will meet in-person in Brooklyn. This course does require knowledge and experience with basic hand-tool woodworking fundamentals, similar to those learned in the "Build Your Toolbox" course. If you are unsure you meet the requirements, please reach out to classes@makegoodwood.com for guidance before registering.
Some task-specialized tools will be available, but participants will be expected to bring their own basic tools, including a handplane, saws, mallet, and tools for layout & marking.
Cost includes materials used during class.
Single session, 4 hours.
Design: Boxes
This single-session 4hr workshop is oriented towards hand-tool woodworkers, looking to design and plan their next project. This project will focus on small and medium sized boxes of all kinds, made using different of joinery and hardware. The class will meet in-person in Brooklyn.
Cost includes materials used during class.
Single session, 4 hours.
Design: Bookshelves
This single-session 4hr workshop is oriented towards hand-tool woodworkers, looking to design and plan their next project. The focus of this session will be apartment-sized shelves and bookcases (and similar-type furniture, i.e. shoe racks, etc.) in both free-standing and wall-mounted formats. The class will meet in-person in Brooklyn.
Cost includes materials used during class.
Single session, 4 hours.
Intro to Japanese Handsaws
Join us to learn how to set-up, maintain, and use Japanese pull saws. Participants will learn how to measure and mark their work and use pull saws to make cross-cuts, rip cuts, and more. Students are encouraged to bring their own saw to class, or can purchase one at the beginning of class - a number of saws will be available to use during class as well. No prior woodworking experience necessary, all levels welcome.
Cost includes materials used during class.
Single session, 2 hours.
Our Instructors
Will O’Connor, Head Woodworking Instructor
Make Good Traditional Handcrafts
Will has been an avid woodworker and advocate for Japanese tools and methods for the past decade. Apart from running his own one-man woodworking business and teaching classes in the Japanese woodworking tradition, he also plays guitar and sings in an acoustic cover band.
Nolan Hatfield, Woodworking Instructor
My journey in woodworking started with finding inspiration from the source, a love affair with trees, which led me to a career in furniture making. I trained with Fischer furniture, one of the finest studios in New York, while also training and studying traditional Japanese Sashimono woodworking nights and weekends. I truly found that feeling I was searching for in Japanese craft, and it’s been an obsession ever since. With over a decade of experience in fine furniture and architectural woodcraft using traditional Japanese tools, my goal is to now share this same experience with others.
Contact Us
Questions? Comments? Feedback? Complaints? Please let us know, and we will do our best to meet your needs and make things better!