Dear friends,

I’m at a turning point in my life, and a very beautiful opportunity has opened up.

* If this campaign goes beyond the target, additional contributions will be used to purchase tools and supplies from my teacher. This will allow me to keep refining my skills with high-quality tools and carry this craft forward well beyond the apprenticeship

I’ve been accepted into a one-month woodworking apprenticeship in Japan, where I’ll learn a traditional joinery technique that has long been used in the Way of Tea to make chests, storage boxes, and cabinets for teaware. Only four apprentices are chosen, and after applying and going through two interviews, I was honored to be accepted.

This apprenticeship is such a unique opportunity — not only will I learn a rare craft that compliments my life as a lover of tea, but it’s also a chance to deepen my path as a woodworker and shape the direction of my livelihood moving forward.

To make this possible, I need to raise $6,500 USD by the end of September to cover the program fee, flights, and basic living expenses.

Any contribution, no matter the size, will bring me closer to this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Even sharing this page with others means a lot.

Thank you from the bottom of my tea bowl and edge of my chisel for supporting me in taking this next step.

Raising a bowl,

Shen Su (聖素)