First edition 2016.06.19
2nd edition 2020.05.19
3rd edition 2023.10.03

How to make a reed boat
製作の手引き 霞ヶ浦流

It is not certain whether the people who lived on the shores of Lake
Kasumigaura used reed boats. However, since ancient times, reeds have beenused for thatched roofs and reed blinds, removing substances that cause
pollution from the lake water, and maintained reed beds serve as spawning
grounds and habitats for living things, supporting the richness of the lake. We
decided to create a reed boat, thinking of the countless reed boats floating on
the lake, as a stepping stone to creating a life that lives alongside the lake.
This guide was created based on the experience of building reed boats on ourown, with reference to the documents listed below. We would like to express
our gratitude to my predecessors.
http://kamuna.net/
http://kamuna.net/?page_id=10
http://www.greenproject.net/modules/wfsection/article.php?articleid=61
http://www.lcv.ne.jp/~ytashiro/ashibune.pdf
NPO Kasumigaura Academy

Step １
Reed cutting

Belongings-work gloves-boots-sickle (a sawshaped blade forrice harvesting isbest)-stringHarvest 30 reedbundles with adiameter of about
20 cm.

How to tie
Clove hitch is good
About 2mPrecautions
when cutting

You can temporarily
secure it . Use thintwine.
Look online andpractice clove hitch.

Cut above thewater level. If you
cut below, water
may enter thecavity and cause
the roots to die.

If it is a fully grown reed bed, 5m x
5m will be enough for one boat.
It takes 1 to 2 hours for 4 adults tocomplete the work.

2Step 2
KorasonMake one korasonfrom two bundlesof reeds. You canmake 15 corazons.

Belongings

5mwork gloves
tape measuresicklestring

How to tie
1mTighten it temporarily
with a clove hitch andthen tie the final knot
to keep it together
firmly.
Use thin twine.

Scatter the reeds in the shapeof a fan. At this time, sprinkle
it on the front and back as well.
Be careful not to make thetotal length too long. Whenyou have finished scattering,tie the outer reeds around theinner reeds.
4 people worked for 1 hour.3

Step 3
ChorisoMake 1 choriso
from 6 korasons.
Makes 2 choriso.

Belongings
work gloves
sicklestringHow to tie

Tighten it temporarily
with a clove hitch andthen tie the final knot
to keep it together
firmly.
Use thin twine.

Korason is on the right.
Choriso in the center. The
one on the left is about tobe tied up and made into
choriso.

In this way, you will
have 2 chorisos and 3
korasons.
4 people worked for 15 minutes.
4

Step 4Main body
Belongings

Make it wider. If thechoriso rests on the table,
it will be difficult to thread
the rope through it.

Tie 2 choriso and 1
korason with a spiralrope.

work gloves
sicklestringnail puller 4 piecesbat (stick) 2 pieces
4 stand (beer case, etc.)
2 pipes or square
timbers over 3m long

How to tie

Tighten from thecenter.
Tie it up tightly
anyway.
Use thick jute rope.

Be careful not tospace the ropes toowidely. Keep it within
30cm.

It is easier to move thecoil of rope through it.

Continue to next pagetake this andgo through it.

5Step 4
Main body (continued)
Top view

Tie it up while
lifting the bow.

Side view

Tie and secure thebent position. If
you don't tie it up
tightly, it will go
straight back.

It is difficult forchildren to bind
Choriso andKorason tightly.
Adults should dotheir best.
Tap the choriso lightly
with a stick to close thegaps between the reedsand tighten.
You can hook a string to the nailpuller and pull it hard.
6

Step 5Main body (Wave protection)

Attach korason to
the top of themain body toprotect it fromwaves.

Using a nailpuller, you
can lift apiece ofstring tocreate a gap
in which you
can pass
anotherstring.

How to tie
Tie it up tightly
anyway.

You can tie 2
choriso and 3
korazon together atthe ends.

Use thick juterope.

Up to this point, 4 adults worked for 1 hour.

7

Step 6
VoyageIt floats properly.

Belongings
paddleLife jacket

In some cases,for safety
reasons, a string
may be tied tothe stern so thatit can be pulledback in case ofan emergency.

8

Step 7After the journey

The photo shows the reedboat being dried in
preparation for making
roasted sweet potatoes.
If you have the space, youcan display it, compost it,
and do a lot more with it.

9Step 8
Application

The one introduced so far isa reed boat shaped like Lake
Titicaca type.
There are many other typesof reed boats that can beconsidered.
Build your own unique andinnovative reed boat.
The one on the left is a SUPshaped reed boat inspiredby the reed boats ofsouthern Peru.

Disassemble the reedbundles of 6, 3, and 1
pieces and put them
together to make a
triangular pyramid-shaped
choriso.

Make three of these andcombine them into one.

10

Step 9Contact

The goal of our activities at
Kasumigaura Academy is to restore therich ecosystem and the activities that
depend on it, and to realize a local
community where people can feelenriched.

KIKUCHI Akio, NPO Kasumigaura Academy
e-mail： kasumigaura.academy followed by @gmail.com
Kasumigaura Academy Homepage
https://k-acad.com/11