Every year in March in Agematsu, the special woodcrafting school in town (called 技術専門校, gijutsu senmonkou) holds it’s festival to celebrate the school year. The school is known throughout Japan and offers a one year course. During the school year, the students work on their final piece of furniture to be displayed and then put up for auction at the end of the year. In a short time, the students make world class furniture showcasing at times classic design that has been perfected or new and unique designs that they have thought of.

The auctions have a set price and the bids that go into it give the winner the right to buy the furniture. The quality is so good and the prices are very cheap so the festival draws people from far and wide. At this years auction I tried for two pieces of furniture but unfortunately wasn’t picked. Some of my English conversation students are enrolled at the school so coming out to support them was most important. Seeing some of my English conversation students from last year was really special too.

Along with the furniture display and auction, there is a corner to experience using the plane to shave the wood, other woodcrafting experience corners as well as a shop area featuring local vendor goods.

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先週の土曜日（３月５日）は上松町の技術専門校という家具などの訓練をされる学校が例年の技能祭を行った。この専門校は日本中に知られているし、国のあちこちから１年間の勉強をするために上松に来るわけです。生徒たちが一年間の勉強を通して１つや２つの主な作品を作り、３月にある技能祭に作品を展示して、最終的にオークションで売る。普通のオークションと違って、訓練生なので値段が確定され、投票して当たった人がその作品を買う権利をもらう。作った作品は非常に上質であり、値段もとても安くて、いろんな所からはるばる技能祭へ買いにくる。ちなみに僕が２つの家具に投票したんだが当たらなかった。残念！でも英会話に通っている訓練生の応援しにきたわけで、それは一番大切だったこと。

展示とオークション以外体験コーナ（かんななど）と地域の店が設定されて、やることは盛りだくさんです。去年の入ってくれた技専の生徒もいて、久しぶりに会うことは本当にうれしかった。