Journeymen

A 900-year old German tradition is still alive.

We are traveling apprentice-craftsmen on the "Walz" . We are happy to start a traditional journey to become master craftsmen.

In the Middle Ages (the 14th - the 17th century) it was necessary to go on a 3-year journey to become a qualified Master. There was an ancient rule you had to go 50 kilomrters from your home. This is is still true, but not necessary to become a Master. We do this in our own interest.

When we prepare for the "Walz" we have to wear the "Kluft" (traditional outfit) : trousers, vest, jacket, shirt, and hat every day. Depending on the profession, the colors of the outfit change. Wood workers (carpenters and joiners) wear black. Stone workers (stonemasons and brick layers) wear grey. Metal workers (blacksmiths and goldsmiths) wear blue.We wrap all our clothes in a 80×80 cm wrapping cloth called "Charly". The last part of our outfit is a wooden walking stick called "Stenz" which is made of natural twisted wood which we find by ourselves in the forest.

We journeymen don't make this trip to obtain economic advantages at the places we visit. we just want to get acquainted with the practices of work and way of living of other people in other countries, and thus improve our knowledge about our profession and expand our living experiences.

In this way we travel from city to city, from country to country and work in many places to learn and earn money for our traveling.We learn to stand on our own 2 feets, but we are happy to have some local support.

We decided to come to Japan, because we hear a lot about traditional Japanese wood and stonework. After a short journey around Mt. Fuji we have just stopped in Kamakura at Khaju Art Space to do a project for the local people.

Adrian Berger
Roland Kindlimann
Rene Breuer

*They made up wonderful workshops during Khaju Spring Festival

What's BEE?

Greetings from the BEE (Bicycle for Everyone’s Earth) team!
We’re a team of earthly friendly cyclists who traverse the length of Japan every summer to spread environmental wisdom. This all-volunteer group of international cyclists promotes an ecologically friendly lifestyle in our two month journey across Japan starting from Wakkanai in the northern island of Hokkaido and ending in Kagoshima in the southern island of Kyushu. And we do more just ride our bikes: We practice what we preach by living a low-impact lifestyle during the ride and we also conduct various environmental awareness events with NPOs and schools.

For this year’s ride, the BEE team is seeking volunteers to ensure continued success.
If you have any interest in the BEE lifestyle, or would like to know more about the ride itself or the events, or would simply like to know how you can be a better steward for our earth, contact the BEE team today to ask about volunteer opportunities. Other than participating as a cyclist, there are many other ways to volunteer such as event planning and identifying accommodations for the route. Note that if you want to participate in the ride, you don’t have to ride the entire two months.

You can decide to ride with us for just an hour, or a day, or a week – whatever your schedule permits. With our mix of international backgrounds and environmental conscientiousness, we can promise you an unforgettable and meaningful experience. We hope to hear from you soon!

YAMAMOTO Munetaka ( rider in ' BEEJapan2007' , also Khaju Volunteer staff)

News and Messages

Khaju Art Space publish Khaju Newsletter 4 times a year season by season.
We select some essays and translate them into English.
We hope this page becomes an opportunity for you to touch Japanese general thinking, our philosophy and activities about local art scene in Kamakura city.

Also we write up the latest news and information time by time in this page.

We always welcome your inquiries and opinions. Send your voice here.