JEPE

Japanese Earthen Plaster Exchange (JEPE) is an educational organization aiming to make “earthen plasters” a household term.  Our ambition is based on the premise that modern lifestyles are removed from the comforting, healing balance of nature, and earthen plasters offer a simple, beautiful, and effective solution.   Though hardly recognizable as mud walls, Japan’s earthen walls can be seen today in nearly every popular tourist attraction, be it palace, temple, or garden.  They are beautiful, clean, and refined.  JEPE provides opportunities to learn how these enduring walls are created.

Japan’s earthen plasterers have a tremendous depth of knowledge about their craft.  Modern perception about what a mud wall looks like causes us to overlook the true nature of their lasting earthen structures.  Transcending misperception, together with understanding the benefits of using earth for building, makes this plentiful building material feasible, even desirable. By studying and mimicking aspects of Japan’s living tradition, we can foster a culture choosing to build with earth.

Thus bringing the outdoors in, we look forward to creating and refinishing buildings so they nurture us; giving us comfort in the present, and providing us a graceful path into the future.

And, Our training serves to further the authenticity of Japanese Gardens.  People across the country enjoy these serene spaces.  Japanese gardens are gaining recognition as true healing spaces, not only for our harried 21st century life, but also for patients recovering from chemotherapy.  They are serving to ease the effects of PTSD, autism, Alzheimers, and more.  At present, gardens in this country lack the earthen surfaces which are, traditionally, defining characteristics of their structures.  This could be easily changed, further deepening the garden experience.  Read on about studies of these healing gardens, here.