Updated by "Forest Circular Economy" Editorial Board on July 24, 2025, 10:58 AM JST
Editorial Board, Forest Circular Economy
Forestcircularity-editor
We aim to realize "Vision 2050: Japan Shines, Forest Circular Economy" promoted by the Platinum Forest Industry Initiative. We will disseminate ideas and initiatives to promote biomass chemistry, realize woody and lumbery communities, and encourage innovation in the forestry industry in order to fully utilize forest resources to decarbonize the economy, strengthen economic security, and create local communities.
Although most people may think of deep mountainous regions when they hear the word "forestry," there are actually vast forests spread across the Kanto region as well. On Instagram, you can see the brave women working with chainsaws and their daily lives as they experience the harshness and beauty of nature, giving you a closer look at the world of forestry. The world of forestry is close to them. This article introduces five Instagram accounts of women in the Kanto area* who are active in the forestry industry, and looks at the real faces of these women who walk alongside the forests.
The "Forestry Women's Group @ Tochigi" is a women's forestry group led by students at Utsunomiya University, and on Instagram they carefully share scenes of work in the mountains, such as weed cutting and tree planting, as well as woodworking workshops, training sessions, and other learning and connections that go beyond the boundaries of forestry as a career. The site also includes a woodworking workshop and a training course.
There is also a wealth of unique activities that take advantage of nature's bounty, such as making pizza using acorns and dyeing plants and trees, that appeal to people of all genders and ages. The way they interact with local children in nature conveys their desire to pass on the beauty of nature to the next generation.
This account is filled with the wish to "create a place where women in the forestry industry can connect, learn, and grow" and is filled with messages that make us look forward to the future of these women living with the forest.
Chichibu Yamahime" is a group of women interested in forestry in the Chichibu area of Saitama Prefecture. The workshops include making key chains with resin hardened plants, providing an opportunity for even small children and women to experience the blessings of the forest in a casual way.
One of the most noteworthy activities is the maintenance of paths leading to school in the mountains. The forestry girls' strong desire to contribute to the community can be seen in the way they maintain the paths, which are overgrown with plants and trees as tall as adults, to make them safe to walk on.
In addition, in order to expand the scope of their activities, they are challenging crowdfunding, and information about this is also posted in the account. The account has an atmosphere in which anyone can easily participate as a gateway to the forestry industry, and you can get in touch with the efforts to connect the community, nature, and people.
Based in Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Hyogo Oyashin Kaihatsu Co. and the company's Instagram profile features many images of women working vigorously in the field of forestry.
It is particularly impressive to watch them struggle against large trees on steep slopes where ordinary people would fall down, wearing helmets and work clothes. The sight of her with a chainsaw in her hands as she tackles the logging shows that there are no limits to what a woman can do in the forestry industry.
Many before and afters of the work are also presented, giving a real sense of the significance of the work and the sense of accomplishment. This account is filled with the proud daily lives of professionals who protect forests.
The Instagram page of Forestry Japan, based in Ichikai-cho, Haga-gun, Tochigi Prefecture, provides realistic images of women in the forestry industry who have ventured into the field and continue to take on daily challenges. The serious expressions on their faces as they face the trees with chainsaws in their hands and the way they accomplish their work, sometimes struggling, convey both the harshness and satisfaction of the work.
One of the unique features of this account is the large number of realistic videos. In addition to the powerful images, the videos carefully describe the key points and outlines of the work, and are sure to be a learning experience for those interested in the forestry industry.
In addition, activities to promote the appeal of forestry through marches and festivals are also introduced in this account, which brings the work in nature closer to home.
Kaori, who lives in Chiba Prefecture, generously shares her diverse activities on Instagram, including forestry, farming, DIY, cooking, and surfing. The image of her working on a steep mountain slope with a chainsaw against a large tree reminds viewers of the harshness of the forestry industry. Still, the captions spell out words such as, "The air in the clean and well-maintained mountain feels good~" and "Concentrating for three hours, I just cut all the cedar and bamboo I could cut with a hand saw! These captions show that Kaori truly enjoys spending time with nature from the bottom of her heart.
In addition to forestry posts, the photos are filled with the charm of nature and life, such as beaches, forests, seasonal flowers, and delicious-looking food. This is an account with such warmth that just looking at it makes you want to get in touch with nature.
*Note
The "Kanto area" in this article refers to the 11 prefectures of Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Niigata, Yamanashi, and Shizuoka, according to the Forestry Agency's block classification.
See also:Forest Service Link: Forestry Agency
