Spring 2025 Chainsaw and Brush Cutter Seminar in Kanagawa Prefecture

 

For some of you interested in obtaining “certificate” for operating chainsaws and brush cutters in Japan, here is info about next seminars in Kanagawa Prefecture. In my post January 18, 2019, I told you in Japan anybody who use chainsaws without the certificate, if something happens during the operation, does not have any legal protection nor insurance coverage which should be very important in such emergency. Or, if you want to use your chainsaw skill as a volunteer, or oh yes as a pro, the chances are you won’t be accepted for the post. I strongly recommend obtaining the certificate if you plan to use chainsaw in this country. For brush cutters, the law is not so strict but recently accident with the machine is becoming common. It would be wise to attend the seminar and learn a proper usage. One caveat: all the training for these tools is done only in Japanese in Japan. I don’t know if it is OK to attend these sessions with translators. You can ask about it, I guess. Good luck.

I. Chainsaw Usage Seminar

March 17, 18, 2025

@ Room Kitsutsuki of Ikoi-no-mori Forest, Odawara City

https://www.ikoi-odawara.com/

You have to sit for both days to obtain the certificate. Here is a photocopy of the notice of the seminar.

I translate the contents below.

<Curriculum>

March 17, 8:45-18:30

4 hours about for forestry work

2 hours about chainsaw work

2 hours about hand-arm syndrome and prevention

1 hour about Japanese law regarding forestry and chainsaw usage

March 18, 8:30-18:15

5 hours practical training about logging method

2 hours practical training about chainsaw method

2 hours practical training about inspection and maintenance of chainsaw

<Note>

1. Attendance Voucher will be sent before the seminar. Make it sure you bring the voucher with you.

2. Before attending the course, you have to complete registration each day at the entrance of the room.

3. No shop or restaurant for the venue. Please bring your stationery and lunch.

4. In the seminar room, you have to wear room shoes. No street shoes allowed. Please bring your own room shoes.

5. Wear clothes comfortable to move around. Especially for the second day, long sleeve shirts and long pants are MUST.

<Fee>

23000 yen (including textbook, certificate, tax)

<How to apply>

1. First, you must call 045-261-3731 to notify your plan to attend the seminar, then,

2. Fax/email filled-in application form to

FAX: 045-251-4891
Email: kanagawa@kenmokuren.com

3. Pay Fee to

Bank of Yokohama, Isezakicho Branch 横浜銀行伊勢佐木町支店
Savings Account # 普通預金口座 0135824
Account Holder Name口座名　Forestry and Timber Manufacturing Safety and Health Association Kanagawa Branch 林業・木材製造業労働災害防止協会　神奈川県支部

4. Send the documents by post. The package must include

a. the original filled application form
b. a copy of transfer statement of fee payment
c. One ID photo of you; 3cm*2.5cm, no cap/hat, the background is in plain color; please write your full name in the back of the photo

to

Forestry and Timber Manufacturing Safety and Health Association Kanagawa Branch
Attn: Takahashi
9-149 Chojamachi, Naka Ward, Yokohama 231-0033

231-0033 横浜市中区長者町9-149 林業・木材製造業労働災害防止協会　神奈川県支部
担当　高橋

The venue of the seminar, Ikoi-no-Mori Forest is in

4294-1 Kuno, Odawara,
神奈川県小田原市久野4294-1
https://www.ikoi-odawara.com/
TEL 0465-32-0094
MAIL ikoi-mori@odawara-jigyo-kyokai.jp

It can be accessed
1. By car: parking at Ikoi-no-Mori BBQ site
2. By public transportation:
Take Hakone-Tozan-Bus from #3 stop of West Exit of Odawara Station, destination Ikoi-no-Mori. Ride the bus to the terminal stop. Timetable is here.

Here is the application form.

Let me translate the required info from this doc. From the top and down,

1. Company/Organization name, only when you apply for the seminar as a member of an organization. If you attend the course as an individual, please skip this.
2. Postal code of your contact address
3. Your contact address
4. Your name, or PIC if you attend the course as a member of an organization.
5. Phone number during business hours
6. FAX number (if any)
7. Email address

Then the below boxes are names of attendee. If it's only you, write down your (from the left box to the right)

Full Name
Date of birth
Current address with phone number 

These are the info for your certificate legally endorsing you are complying Japanese law for the usage of chainsaw.

Next, about a Safety Training Seminar for the usage of brush cutter. The detail is in this doc.

Let me translate.

<The date and venue>

February 18, 2025
9:30-16:30
@ 1st Floor, Seminar Room
Kanagawa Natural Environment Conservation Center 神奈川県自然環境保全センター

657 Nanasawa, Atsugi City, 243-0121
〒243－0121　厚木市七沢657 Phone: 046-248-0323

Oh yes. It’s the place I frequently mention at the end of my post.

<Curriculum>

Mechanism of brush cutter
Usage of brush cutter
Inspection and maintenance of brush cutter
About hand-arm syndrome and prevention
Japanese law regarding brush cutter
Practical training about brush cutter method

<Note>

1. Attendance Voucher will be sent before the seminar. Make it sure you bring the voucher with you.
2. Before attending the course, you have to complete registration at the room entrance.
3. No shop or restaurant nearby. Please bring your stationery and lunch.
4. Wear clothes comfortable to move around. Long sleeve shirts and long pants are MUST.

<Fee>

13000 yen (including textbook, certificate, tax)

<How to apply>

It’s completely same for chainsaw seminar. Anyway,

1. First, you must call 045-261-3731 to notify your plan to attend the seminar, then,

2. Fax/email filled-in application form to

FAX: 045-251-4891
Email: kanagawa@kenmokuren.com

3. Pay Fee to

Bank of Yokohama, Isezakicho Branch 横浜銀行伊勢佐木町支店
Savings Account # 普通預金口座 0135824
Account Holder Name口座名　Forestry and Timber Manufacturing Safety and Health Association Kanagawa Branch 林業・木材製造業労働災害防止協会　神奈川県支部

4. Send the documents by post. The package must include

a. the original filled application form
b. a copy of transfer statement of fee payment
c. One ID photo of you; 3cm*2.5cm, no cap/hat, the background is in plain color; please write your full name in the back of the photo

to

Forestry and Timber Manufacturing Safety and Health Association Kanagawa Branch

Attn: Takahashi

9-149 Chojamachi, Naka Ward, Yokohama 231-0033

231-0033 横浜市中区長者町9-149 林業・木材製造業労働災害防止協会　神奈川県支部
担当　高橋

To go to Kanagawa Natural Environment Conservation Center 神奈川県自然環境保全センター, please see my post on March 15, 2019. And here is the application form.

It’s the same application form for chainsaw session.
Anyway, the seat is limited, first-come-first served. Especially chainsaw seminar is quick to be full. If you plan to use chainsaw legally in Japan, better to think about the seminar. Good luck for your learning 2025!

Chainsaws, or gender

Telling you the truth, until I joined the Lovers of Niiharu Citizen Forest, I was not sure how to use saw, sickle, hatchet, etc. Last month, I have passed the first anniversary as a member of Lovers organization. I can now say something about the usage of them with a swelling chest with pride … er, as a first-year student, actually. There are several senior Lovers members who are carpenters or have business in landscaping. Pros. The environment in Niiharu Lovers is ideal to learn how to use the tools with instructions from professionals, free of charge ;-) So, I tell you for sure Japanese hand-saw can cut the object when we pull. Also, I learned Japanese believe Euro-American tool does the job when they push … Oh, what a wonderful contrast to ponder cultural differences … By the way, I don’t know if this Japanese understanding for westerners is true. (Are they?) The other day, the chairman of Niiharu Lovers, Mr. Ohkawa, taught us why Japanese hand saw operates like this, together with the mechanics of blades. I was impressed. Behind the tool, there is a robust idea of designers whose knowledge has been transmitted for hundreds of years. Gosh.

To cut a tree in a safe manner,
the first strike for a socket should be horizontal.
The other day, an instructor used a level
to show us forest instructor trainees
the ideal angle for horizontal position. 

A-hem.
This is how I thinned a forest.
(“I did it, I did it, I did it!”)

Here is what I have learned from the lesson. First, a blade of a saw is not a single row of blades, but practically 2 parallel rows. Two blades face each other and make one set for operation. Second, 2 rows are made of one steel. The edge of steel is cut jugged, then each ridge is ever-so slightly bent outwards in alternate directions. It creates a tiny valley between 2 ridges whose function is to scrape out crumbs when the saw cut material. Third, a ridge of a saw has 3 blades, 2 for each side, and one at the tip. The blades of the tips are sloped in a uniform angle, which determines the timing when the saw cut. Japanese saw has tips facing to the top of a saw. This direction is for the tool to cut when we pull, and I guess western saws have the blades of tips facing to the handle. (… Do they?) Fourth, when we saw wood, the tips first hold the material, then the blades of two rows cut into the object simultaneously. It means an opening is in fact made of two parallel slits. As we saw deeper, some crumbs of two slits fall between the two rows of blades and the valley structure pushes them out. Clever! Fifth, for Japanese saw, the slits are made when we pull. During the pushing, the tip blades are practically sharpened. So do the blades of the side ridges. When we use only a part of the saw, the used parts are sharpened and their steel wears down, but the rest will be left untouched. Eventually, the blades of a saw lose straight line and it becomes difficult to maneuver. That’s why it is important to use the entire blades always. A-ha.

The blades of my saw

The 2 blades have a structure like this.

The mechanics of sawing

When we sharpen a saw, we have to have 7 steps for one ridge. Sharpen 2 slopes of a ridge; deepen the valleys of both sides to recover the wear-down; adjust the distance of 2 ridges when they open too wide; sharpen the tip; and finally keep even the height of all the ridges. … Sounds difficult. Hence, normally we use disposable hand saw blades. Mr. Ohkawa said, “The same thing cannot be said for chainsaws as their blades are not cheap. Though, the design of chainsaw blades is same as hand saws. We just use special measure for improving blades of chainsaw thoroughly after every use.” My mainly-male seniors told us the job is not so popular. “You know, when we know there are beers after this sharpening things, we unconsciously cut corners of the tedious stuff … look, this part of blades has a strange angle. Ha, ha, ha.” Mr. Ohkawa was not so happy. “Blades cost money, and our organization is not so rich. Damaged blades call us sooner for replacement. We have to be careful about this.” The students of Mr. Ohkawa’s lesson this time happened to be 2 ladies, Ms. F and I. We practiced the filing of chainsaw blades, one by one, in silence.  We found it a fun! Ms. F rejoiced to see the result of her labor. “Naomi, look! They are shining! I’m sure they can operate very well.”

7 stages of blade sharpening for a saw. We push a file always against the blades.

Both have parallel blades structure.

Attaching a measure to improve blades of a chainsaw

All the blades of a chainsaw
should be sharpened in 45 degree.

We have also learned the basic procedure for operating chainsaws. A machine has 2 tanks: one for gas (or actually a blend of 25 parts of gas and 1 part of engine oil), another is for chain oil. When chain oil does not come out smoothly, the saw easily heats up and the machine stops. It’s important to check the injection of chain oil before cutting. After starting the engine, open the choke valve completely and let the engine to turn fully AND continuously. “Don’t rev it up discontinuously as you do for motorbikes. The power of chainsaw engine is not so big, and stop-go roars could stall it. Besides, it wastes gas more.” Hmmmmm. “Then, listen, it’s important. Chainsaw is to cut woods easily. You don’t have to push the blades on woods, but simply touch it by situating the safety cover of the machine along the curvature of a wood.”

The proper positioning for chainsaw

We gingerly proceeded to the practice. Squeezing the handle, we opened the choke valve to rev up the engine.

BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

A wood was cut just like tofu … To sum-up our experience, a word from Ms. F would be the most exact.

“Ecstasy!”

Ready,

Go!

… It’s a common saying that operating chainsaw can change a person’s character … One of my new year’s resolutions for 2017 is preparation for chainsaw license. In Japan, unless you hold the license, no accident with chainsaw will be covered by insurance. In a worst case scenario, it can lead to a criminal investigation. Naomi is a good girl.

By the way, do you know Jason had never used a chainsaw even when it was Friday the 13^th?

If you find a problem in Niiharu Forest, please make a contact with

Office for the Park Greeneries in the North 北部公園緑地事務所

Yokohama Municipal Government Creative Environment Policy Bureau 横浜市環境創造局

Phone: 045-311-2016 (I guess in Japanese only)

FAX: 045-316-8420 (I hope there is somebody who can read English …)

Niiharu Administrative Office / Satoyama Exchange Center 新治管理事務所・里山交流センター

Phone: 045-931-4947

Fax: 045-937-0898

Email: info@niiharu.jp

http://www.niiharu.jp/