Founded in 1907, Kurashiki Mokuzai Co., Ltd. is a company that continues to bring wood into everyday life through home construction and the manufacture of wooden furniture.
As a local lumberyard rooted in the community, it often welcomes people who enjoy DIY and come to buy materials. The “DIY Offcut Market,” hosted by Kurashiki Mokuzai Co., Ltd., is an event recommended not only for DIY enthusiasts but also for beginners interested in trying DIY.
The event will offer wood offcuts starting at around 50 yen, a fill-a-bag-with-offcuts sale, and DIY kits that anyone can easily make.
We went to find out what the event is like.
The information provided was current when this article was published in April 2025. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is the “DIY Offcut Market”?
The “DIY Offcut Market” will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2025, on the grounds of Kurashiki Mokuzai Co., Ltd.
The event’s main attraction is the sale of wood offcuts starting at around 50 yen. There will be a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and types of wood, offering offcuts at great prices that only a lumber company can provide.
There will also be wooden toys and craft kits for children, as well as the chance to tour the warehouse on the “Treasure Timber Factory Tour,” among other activities. It’s an event that will delight anyone interested in wood.
Kurashiki Mokuzai Co., Ltd. has held events on its grounds in the past, but they were temporarily suspended as part of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Since these events had drawn large crowds of local residents, the company received many requests to bring them back, and this DIY Offcut Market was planned in response.
The theme of the DIY Offcut Market is the SDG “Responsible Consumption and Production.”
By reusing wood offcuts generated during the manufacture of buildings and furniture for DIY projects and other purposes, the event also helps protect the global environment.
We spoke with Sugimoto Hiromi of Kurashiki Mokuzai Co., Ltd. about the event’s highlights and the thinking behind its planning.
Interview with the organizer
How did you come up with the idea for the DIY Offcut Market?
Sugimoto
Before the pandemic, we held an annual event called the “Living and Wood Fair” for local residents.
The event was suspended for a while during the pandemic, but customers told us, “We’d like you to hold some kind of event.” So we planned the DIY Offcut Market as an event that would give back to the local community.
However, we didn’t want it to be a festival-like event. We wanted it to be environmentally friendly from an SDG perspective, so we decided to sell offcuts to reduce wood waste. As a result, unlike the “Living and Wood Fair,” this will be a smaller event without wooden play equipment, woodworking workshops, or food trucks.
We hope that reusing resources such as offcuts will give people an opportunity to discover the joy of making things.
What will be the main attraction of this event?
Sugimoto
The main attraction is the sale of offcuts.
These are offcuts generated when building houses or making furniture. We’ll have a wide variety of wood types, including hinoki cypress, Japanese cedar, and Douglas fir.
People trying DIY for the first time may not know which type of wood to choose. We can explain the characteristics of different woods and offer some simple advice, so please feel free to ask our staff.
We’ll also have a fill-a-bag-with-offcuts sale for 550 yen (tax included) on the day.
People usually buy wood at places like home improvement stores, but we’d be happy if this event encouraged you to consider lumberyards like ours as well.
There will be all kinds of wooden items for sale, too. Are there any products you’d particularly recommend?
Sugimoto
There are about three products I’d personally recommend.
First, there’s the “DIY Kit Wood,” made from Japanese cedar.
Only the wooden boards are sold, but they can be assembled using just glue, so I’d recommend them to DIY beginners. The wood is lightweight and easy to carry, so I think it’s easy for women to work with, too.
The first major challenge in DIY is cutting wood straight. Having boards that are already cut to size makes it much easier to get started with DIY.
If you plan to sit on it or put heavy items on it, you’ll need to assemble it securely using nails or screws.
The “Kids’ Craft Kit,” a big hit with children, is also recommended. It comes with small wooden pieces and a base board.
The wooden pieces come in all kinds of shapes, so children can use their imagination as they play, and they can also enjoy assembling them with masking tape and other materials.
We’ll also be selling a fill-a-bag-with-hinoki balls deal for 220 yen (tax included), so please come and take a look.
Hinoki has a strong fragrance, and it gives off a particularly lovely scent when wet. We hope you’ll enjoy its soothing aroma by putting the balls in your bath or rolling them around in your hands.
I’m also curious about the “Treasure Timber Factory Tour.” What are the highlights?
Sugimoto
The tour includes a visit to the “Itagura,” where single slabs sourced from across Japan are stored, as well as a tour of decorative materials essential to traditional Japanese architecture that are not usually open to the public.
We’ll show you tokobashira and ranma, which are becoming increasingly rare to see today.
Tokobashira and ranma are wooden fittings used in traditional Japanese rooms, and they have become rare in recent years. Many have distinctive appearances, so we hope you’ll come and see them up close.
What are the benefits and appeal of “wood in everyday life”?
Sugimoto
Above all, it’s the feeling of warmth from a natural material. Even in a stark, impersonal space, a little wood can make it feel more welcoming, and I think its lovely, gentle fragrance is another appealing quality.
Also, each piece of wood has different knots and coloring, which gives it the appeal of being one of a kind.
I hope this event will also be an opportunity for people to discover the qualities of wood.
Who would you recommend this event to?
Sugimoto
We’d love to welcome not only people who enjoy DIY, but also those who think, “I can’t do DIY, but I’m interested in wood!” or “I’d love to have something made of wood!”
DIY may sound daunting, but even placing a single piece of lumber in a room can add an accent to your interior.
We also offer wooden accessories and toys, custom-made solid wood furniture, and displays and sales of Scandinavian furniture, so we hope people of all ages and genders will feel welcome to stop by.
Finally, do you have a message for our readers?
Sugimoto
I hope the DIY Offcut Market will be one opportunity to think about the Earth and the environment.
As part of our efforts to reduce waste, “ondo plus” will also have a booth this time. “ondo plus” sells items dyed using discarded vegetables and coffee grounds, so I’d be happy if you took an interest in both wood waste and food waste.
I’d also like people to know that when buying lumber, Kurashiki Mokuzai Co., Ltd. is another option besides home improvement stores. I hope we can make this a place where people who enjoy DIY and wood can gather.
If you enjoy DIY or are interested in wood, please come by!
From the Writer
The writer has never done any DIY, but the items available at the DIY Scrap Wood Market made them want to pick up a DIY kit that can be assembled with just glue, or hinoki cypress balls that could come in handy in everyday life. The DIY Scrap Wood Market may inspire new people to take an interest in DIY.
Simply buying something helps reduce wood waste, so if you enjoy DIY, be sure to find some special materials for your next project.
Directions to the venue are posted on the Instagram account of Kuramoku’s Wooden Showroom.
The DIY Scrap Wood Market is filled with the warmth of wood. Why not pay it a visit this weekend?
DIY Scrap Wood Market Information
| Name | DIY Scrap Wood Market |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, April 26, 2025 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. |
| Location | 1000-1 Nakashima, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Admission (tax included) | Free |
| Website | Kurashiki Mokuzai Co., Ltd. |
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