スクエア･ワン

April 9-11 traveled to Asahikawa, Hokkaido to meet with Toby, Maiko, Noda-san, Jinnouchi-san and Takigami-san regarding the finish coat for Square One. Noda-san brought samples he produced using Tosa-shikkui (土佐漆喰). The sample on the left is the finish coat of Tosa-shikkui. The sample on the right shows the layers leading up to the finish coat. Tosa-shikkui is a traditional lime plaster from Kochi Prefecture, famous for its typhoons and the Tosa-shikkui that withstands them. Its yellow color comes from straw fibers mixed with the lime.
More photos and details can be found on Toby's blog.

Square One's interior finish plaster

October 24-27 applied the finish interior plaster to "Square One", Toby and Maiko's straw bale home in Higashikawa, Hokkaido. Please see Toby's blog for photos. I also collected data from Square One, and appear briefly in this video that Toby shot:
video update
After finishing work on the 27th, Stefan and I celebrated by taking a short hike and then a long soak in a hot springs in Biei (美瑛). Stefan, alias "The Great Ballini", lead the straw bale building and earth plastering segment of the construction process.

Square One ストローベイル

September 23-27, I was in Higashikawa Town of Asahikawa City in Hokkaido, the island farthest north of Japan's four main islands. I was working on Toby and Maiko's straw bale home, "Square One". In August, I installed sensors in the north wall. Below are photos of the boxes housing the dataloggers before and after the first coat of plaster.

旭川市 北海道

The interstitial temperature and relative humidity sensors are installed and recording data at Maiko and Toby's home in Higashikawa. Additional photos and updates on construction can be found on Toby's blog:
http://maikotobybomber.blogspot.com/
Had dinner at Mr. Jinnouchi's straw bale home on August 16th. Mr. Jinnouchi runs a NPO involved with forestry in Hokkaido.
Returned to Fujisawa on August 17th.

Straw Bale in Asahikawa, Hokkaido

On August 7th, I flew to Asahikawa, Hokkaido to help with the construction of Maiko and Toby Weymiller's straw bale home <http://maikotobybomber.blogspot.com>. Construction and plastering of the straw bale walls is being lead by Stefan Bell, a jack of all trades and master of many, including juggling <http://web.mac.com/thegreatballini/iWeb/theGreatBallini-English%20Homepage/Juggling%20%26%20Building%20Houses.html>. Stefan built straw bale homes in the south west for eight years, including the home featured in the book/DVD "Building with Awareness" <http://www.buildingwithawareness.com/>.

Cutting straw bales with chain saws to fit around structural members.

I installed nine interstitial temperature and relative humidity sensors in the north wall of the Maiko and Toby's straw bale house. Three sensors were installed in the lowest course of bales on top of the stem wall, three at mid-height, and three in the top course of bales. Each set of three consists of a sensor near the interior, one in the middle of the bale, and one near the exterior.

On August 8th there was a traditional Shinto purification ceremony for the home. Three videos are available on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbEAkP5R-rw&feature=related

Straw bale alter

After the ceremony, there was mochi-maki. Mochi is glutinous rice pounded into a dough, eaten sweet or savory. Maki means to scatter. During Mochi-maki, mochi are thrown to a crowd of people below.

Flute music recorded at a Shinto shrine in Asahikawa on August 11th at 7am

On August 12th Stefan and I visited Yonezawa Brick Company (米澤煉瓦株式会社）in Ebetsu City, Hokkaido. The purpose of our visit was to obtain clay for Maiko and Toby's straw bale home.

Brick Kiln

Today, August 13th, we'll experiment with the clay to see if it will be suitable for plastering straw bales.