Wood is a truly remarkable material. Some work with it by carving bits away, while others coat it with layers of lacquer or paint. The artisan Kensuke Uchida takes a dramatic, perhaps counterintuitive approach to woodworking: he blasts its surface with a blowtorch. His aim is not to set it aflame but to instead protect it, while bringing out its innate beauty in a unique way, using a traditional Japanese method called yakigiri.

In this workshop, guests visit the century-old Iwamoto Kiyoshi Studio to see this wood-finishing technique in action, then try charring a paulownia wood tray for themselves under the guidance of an expert. After the wood’s surface has been blackened by the flame, guests use a buffing machine to reveal the layer just beneath, creating a surface finish that helps strengthen the wood against the elements while beautifully emphasizing its natural grain. Finally, fire plays one more key role, as guests use a red-hot branding iron to press a design into the surface, creating a one-of-a-kind souvenir through this traditional Japanese woodworking technique.