This year, we’re offering our first ever Japanese Plastering Workshop. Instructor Kyle Holzheuter will lead us for 6 days of in-depth, hands-on instruction utilizing clay and lime plaster. Japan has an incredibly rich tradition of using clay and lime plasters and an amazing culture of craftsmanship dedicated to these humble yet extraordinary natural materials. Over the course of 6 days, we’ll cover both base coat and finish coat applications. Beginner plasterers who want to take a deep dive and experienced plasters who want to level up their craft are welcome to join us for this exclusive workshop
Japanese Plastering Workshop Details
- Workshop Dates: August 30 – September 4, 2025
- Location: South Slope Farm, Berea, Kentucky (map)
- Costs and Discounts:
$1580 Early Bird Discount (register 30+ days in advance)
$1780 Regular Registration (register less than 30 days in advance) - All-inclusive: Workshop includes camping accommodations, and 3 delicious home-cooked meals a day
- Instruction by professional plasterer, Kyle Holzheuter of Okayama, Japan
- Natural building tour — get an up-close look at a variety of natural building methods during your stay, including clay-straw, natural plasters, & more
Food and Dining
This is an all-inclusive workshop experience. We provide all meals during the class. The lovingly prepared meals will consist of hearty organic dishes featuring local ingredients from our powerhouse chef, April. You won’t go hungry with us! In fact, many participants remark that the food is one of the best parts of our workshops. We do our best to accommodate dietary restrictions and food allergies. (We’ll follow up after registration to make sure we have your preferences on file.)
Lodging and Accommodations During Your Stay
All accommodations are included in the cost of the workshop. Here is what you can expect during your stay:
- Ample camping space close to indoor facilities
- Access to composting toilets
- Heated outdoor shower facilities
- Wi-fi available on-site
- Library with large collection of Japanese architecture & natural building titles
- Easy 15 minute drive into town for any town needs you might have
Please note that we cannot accommodate pets during this workshop.
About the Workshop Location
The Japanese Carpentry Workshop is located 15 minutes outside of Berea, Kentucky (view map) at South Slope Farm in the gorgeous Clear Creek Valley. Located on 28 acres of hillside pasture and woods, our farm sits in the middle of a rural community with many folks dedicated to art, music, community building, permaculture, and sustainable food. We are pleased to be surrounded many friends and neighbors who want to live creative, intentional lives.
Berea is a small town in central Kentucky, home to an active population of craftspeople, artists, woodworkers, musicians, social activists, and homesteaders. Berea has a longstanding tradition of diversity, social justice, environmental responsibility, and community service. The historic Berea College is the first interracial and coeducational college in the South, and its influence on the town remains to this day.
Workshop Schedule
Students must arrive the afternoon prior to the official workshop start date. For example, students should arrive between 4:00-6:00 on June 8 for the June 9-14 workshop. We’ll start with a leisurely dinner and introductions around 6:30 p.m. The workshop will end around 4:00 p.m. on the final day. Please factor this in to your travel plans!
Our daily schedule will follow the same general structure each day:
- 7:00 A.M.: Breakfast
- 8:00 A.M.: Begin morning work session
- 12:00 P.M.: Lunch break
- 1:00 P.M.: Afternoon work session
- 5:00 P.M.: Pre-dinner free time, shower, relax
- 6:30 P.M.: Dinner
- 8:00 P.M.: Evening presentation or activity
Japanese Plastering — A Rare Hands-On Opportunity
We’re incredibly pleased to team up with Kyle Holzheuter of Okayama, Japan for our 2025 Japanese Plastering Workshop. Kyle is a well of knowledge when it comes to traditional Japanese plastering materials, techniques, tools, and culture. Kyle works as a builder, researcher, and educator specializing in natural building materials and sustainable systems such as light rice husk lime insulation, natural plasters, and energy efficiency. He is a graduate of the Kyoto Plastering Institute and the first westerner in Japan to pass the highest level Japanese National Plastering Exam.
Additionally, Kyle has a PhD in Bioresource Sciences from Nihon University where he researched the hygrothermal environment of straw bale walls and building practices to control moisture. In 2017, Kyle founded Permaculture Center Kamimomi, a Permaculture demonstration and education site in Okayama, Japan. Permaculture Center Kamimomi regularly hosts natural building courses such as Japanese Timber Framing and Joinery and Japanese Plastering.
6 Incredible Days of Natural Plaster Training
- Base coat clay plasters on a variety of substrates (clay-straw, wood lath, bamboo lattice)
- Brown coat clay plaster mixing and application
- Fine clay finishes using local clay and manure
- Shikkui — mixing and applying a fine lime finish plaster
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Otsu — mixing and applying a clay/lime finish plaster
- Proper troweling techniques with traditional Japanese steel trowels
- Creating sculptural plaster details
- Lots and lots of hands-on time and opportunities for feedback
