CHEN MINSHENG

Well done, everyone!

From December 20 to 21, 2025, I participated in ベップ竹CLUB, a project focused on bamboo-related activities in Beppu.

This year, we worked together to make a large Star Dome out of bamboo.

It was more difficult than last year’s activity, but I found it very interesting. Actually, two weeks before that, there was also an activity where participants went to a bamboo forest and cut bamboo, but I could not join because I had to take the JLPT.

I was very disappointed.

However, I really enjoyed these two days.

On the morning of Saturday, December 20, we went to the only bamboo processing workshop in Beppu and started our work.

First, we carried and lined up the bamboo that had been cut by the students who joined the previous activity.

Since the two ends of each bamboo piece were different in thickness, lining them up in the same direction made the next step easier.

Next, we split the cylindrical bamboo lengthwise.

We split the thick bamboo into six pieces and the thinner bamboo into five pieces. For this step, we used a round tool. Inside the tool, there were five or six blades, which allowed us to split the bamboo into five or six equal parts. We aligned the center of the tool with the center of the bamboo, then used a hammer to push the tool slightly into the bamboo. After that, we split the bamboo all the way through, in a motion that felt almost like striking a New Year’s Eve temple bell.

In this step, two people held the tool, while two or three others held the bamboo. In total, four or five people worked together to strike the bamboo against the wall. Each time we struck it, the tool went deeper into the bamboo. However, after hitting it two or three times, the tool sometimes moved downward because of gravity. To keep it centered, we continued while rotating the bamboo.

As the split section became longer, we covered that part with a blanket before holding it, so that we would not hurt our hands. After the bamboo was fully split, we used a knife to smooth the cut edges and remove the nodes.

After the lunch break, we made the calculations needed to build the Star Dome. Then we measured the bamboo, drew lines on it, and drilled holes where the bamboo pieces would overlap.

However, after measuring, we found that there were some errors. When we measured from one end, the length of the final section often did not match the calculated number. Since even a one-centimeter mistake could prevent us from making a neat Star Dome, we decided to measure again from the opposite direction and drill the holes between the two lines.

At the end of the first day, we loaded the processed bamboo onto the truck, and the day’s work was finished.

On the morning of the second day, it rained, and the cloudy weather continued. I wondered what would happen to our Star Dome building activity in the afternoon.

Around 9:30 a.m., the truck carrying the bamboo arrived at APU, and we unloaded the bamboo. After that, we went to a classroom and made a model of the Star Dome using plastic bands. The bamboo pieces used to make the Star Dome were divided into three types: base pieces, frame pieces, and extra pieces.

Because the way of weaving the bamboo was a little difficult, we made a model first so that we could clearly understand how to build the dome. The actual dome was about six meters in diameter, so while working on it, we could only see a small part of the whole structure at a time. For this reason, it was important to memorize the structure before starting the actual work.

At first, I was confused about which bamboo piece should go over or under when they crossed. However, as I practiced assembling the model with my friends, we discovered a rule. The rule was that whenever one bamboo piece crossed another, the order should always be “over, under, over, under.” If two neighboring crossings were both over or both under, it meant that the structure was wrong.

After practicing many times, I was able to understand the structure of the dome clearly.

After that, I explained it to the members who still did not fully understand, and this also helped strengthen my own memory. I think the same is true when we study. If we teach something we have just learned to a friend who is studying the same thing, we can understand it more deeply.

The afternoon was the highlight of this activity. When we went outside to build the Star Dome, the sun came out. We assembled the actual Star Dome on the grass of the campus. Thanks to everyone’s hard work in the morning, when we made the model and tried hard to memorize the dome’s structure, the assembly went smoothly. When I saw the large completed dome, I thought, “We are amazing.”

This dome will also be installed on campus for about four months and is planned to welcome new students.

I feel very proud of that. I am truly grateful to everyone in the club.

From this year’s Bamboo Club activities, I learned not only how to make a Star Dome, but also the importance of precision in craftsmanship and effective ways of learning. I also improved my ability to collaborate with others. If I have time, I would like to continue participating in next year’s activities as well.