Our Latest and Greatest

Today marked many firsts for Dalkeith Men's Shed: our first big event, our first international online conference, and - hopefully - our first step toward building a strong working relationship with our shedder brothers in Japan.

Following Duncan’s visit to Pokke Kotan back in March, we extended an invitation to the Japanese Consulate in Edinburgh. We were delighted to learn they’d soon be visiting us - and we knew we had to do our best to make a day of it.

Braving the peak Friday rush hour traffic, the consulate arrived at One Dalkeith around 1:30 p.m. After some quick introductions from the committee, we moved through to the conference room, where another special guest was already waiting. 

Inside The Circle 

We were joined via video call by Professor Chihiro Sugimoto, who had kindly taken time from his evening to speak with us about his work at Pokke Kotan. It may have been a bright and breezy afternoon for us, but for Chihiro, it was already 9:30 p.m. Through the course of our conversation, we learned about the various interest groups the men of Sapporo have formed - walking, fishing, cooking, brain training, and more.

After a short chat with the consulate, we said our goodbyes to Chihiro and moved on to a presentation from our Vice-Chairman, Duncan Seymour.

Duncan delivered an in-depth talk, walking us through his journey across Japan and sharing his experiences meeting the shedders of Pokke Kotan. He spoke movingly of the warm welcome he received and the sense of camaraderie they shared. 

Building Bridges

Next up was our Outreach and Logistics Officer, Ronnie Tappentan, who expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the consulate for taking the time to visit. He then proudly presented Mr Masataka Abe with a certificate naming him an honorary member of Dalkeith Men's Shed. Welcome to the club, Mr Abe - we hope you like chocolate digestives! 

Then came a lovely surprise: Mr Abe, Cultural Consul of Japan, took the floor to share his reflections on the day’s events and Duncan’s connection with the Japanese sheds. He spoke with joy about seeing links forming between Japan and Scotland through groups like ours and Pokke Kotan. Like us, he looked to the future, sharing hopes that there will soon be more to celebrate as we build on the foundations laid over the past few months. 

A shared vision

Mr Abe then introduced a clip from the Japanese TV programme Ichioshi!!, where we were delighted to see a familiar face - Pokke Kotan’s own Chihiro! It seems the Men's Shed movement in Japan is slowly gaining momentum and turning heads. With only three known sheds across the country, we believe many more potential shedders are simply waiting for the opportunity to have a Pokke Kotan of their own.

(To watch the video with English captions, click “Watch on YouTube” and enable auto-generated subtitles.)

Craft, Community and Connection 

To wrap up the event, we guided our guests over to two display tables: one showcasing the keepsakes and gifts Duncan received during his time in Japan, and another filled with recent projects created by our own members.

We ended the day with a tour of our workshop and a final stop at One Dalkeith’s Corner Shop Collective, where items made by the Men's Shed and the wider community are sold. Soon after, we waved off the consulate with sincere thanks for their time - and for the thoughtful gifts they left us.

A Sweet Farewell

Back inside, before the tidy-up began, we took a moment to open the lovely gift bag we had received. Inside were a box of Pocky - a beloved Japanese chocolate biscuit snack - and several packs of Sanko no Sarada Sen, a light, salty Japanese cracker. It seemed the perfect moment for a quick snack before packing up and heading home.

A Moment to Remember

As the workshop lights dimmed and the last crumbs of cracker were brushed away, it was clear that this visit had been about more than formalities or photo ops. It was a shared step toward something lasting - a sense that small, local communities can play a role on a global stage simply by being open, curious, and kind. 

The friendships kindled today may have started with soft drinks and empire biscuits, but who knows where they’ll lead next.

In the days and weeks that followed we were delighted to receive a fair bit of buzz about our big day: An article from the Japanese Consulate themselves, a piece from Midlothian View and we were even found ourselves on That's TV Edinburgh.