Climbing 20 Meters to Harvest Cypress Bark Without Damaging the Tree

In Japan’s deep mountain forests, skilled craftsmen known as motokawashi climb more than 20 meters up living cypress trees to harvest their bark — without harming the tree. This centuries-old technique, called Hiwada-buki, supplies the refined roofing material used in temples and shrines across Japan. Balancing strength, precision, and deep respect for nature, the motokawashi carefully peel only the outer bark, leaving the living layers beneath untouched. Through this delicate process, both the craft and the trees continue to live on — a harmony between human skill and the natural world. ✨ Discover the quiet mastery and philosophy behind one of Japan’s most unique traditional building techniques. Chapters: 0:05 Introduction – What is Hiwada-buki (cypress bark roofing) and The Motokawashi: (Cypress Bark Harvesters)? 1:54 Learn about the properties of cypress 4:30 Harvesting Tools 5:55 Cypress bark harvesting 12:50 Harvesting Cypress Bark (Working at Heights) 15:50 Stacking the cypress bark 17:11 Binding tools 18:16 Bundling the cypress bark #JapaneseCraftsmanship #TraditionalArchitecture #HiwadaBuki