Visiting and Staying at the School
The Wabi Sabi School for Japanese Craft is located at our homestead in Mercer, Maine, which is also home to Never Stop Building LLC and the annual Maine Japanese Woodworking Festival. What began years ago as a small gathering of woodworkers has steadily grown. Over time, that work expanded into a broader educational mission, which became the school.
Workshops, classes, and festival events take place in and around a late-1800s farmhouse, timber frame structures, shop buildings, and open land in central Maine. The property is active and developing, with new buildings and spaces coming online as the school grows. It is a working homestead, workshop campus, and family home that continues to evolve year by year.
Participants are welcome to camp on the property with a tent or RV at no charge. During registration checkout you will be asked if you plan to camp, and you should indicate that there. Please see the FAQ for additional details regarding camping logistics. For those who prefer off-site accommodations, nearby options include local campgrounds such as Hinkley Cove, cottages at Bear Spring Camps, and short-term rentals through Airbnb.
30 Minutes From
Waterville, ME
35 Minutes From
Augusta, ME
75 Minutes From
Portland, ME
Revitalize the Body and Settle the Mind
Those acts of daily ritual should be celebrated. We hope you’ll end your day with an invigorating sit shower before settling in to our hot soaking tub.
Bathrooms
For smaller workshops you’ll have access to a bathroom inside the house. For larger workshops and festivals, we provide plenty of portable toilets.
Bathing
Rejuvenate in our Japanese style outdoor shower and then enjoy nature in the soaking tub. Please bring biodegradable bath products and towels.
Camping
We have many flat, grassy acres on which to place your tent or park your RV. Currently we do not have RV power / water hookups. Please bring extra padding and tarps to keep your tent dry.
Connecting
With spotty cellular service we gladly offer a guest wifi network “Wabi Sabi.” We also offer electric vehicle charging onsite.
Driving
From I-95 Northbound, Take exit 112B to merge onto ME-11 N/ME-27 N/ME-8 N/Civic Center Dr/New Belgrade Rd toward Augusta/Belgrade
Turn right onto ME-225 E
Turn left onto Mercer Rd
Turn right to stay on Mercer Rd
Continue onto Rome Rd Follow 1.1 Miles to 772 Rome Road
772 Rome Road
Mercer, ME 04957
Flying and Bussing
To fly internationally or domestically you will first need to arrive at a primary airport, and then take secondary transportation to the property or to a closer city for pick up. Possible itineraries:
Boston (BOS) + 3 Hour Rental Car Drive
Boston (BOS) + 3 Hour Concord Coach Line Bus to Waterville/Colby College + Pickup
Boston (BOS) + 3 Hour Concord Coach Line Bus to Augusta + Pickup
Boston (BOS) + 50 Minute Cape Air Flight to Augusta (AUG) + Pickup
Portland (PWM) + 1.5 Hour Rental Car Drive
Portland (PWM) + Cab/Uber to Concord Coach Portland Maine + 1 Hour Concord Coach Line Bus to Augusta + Pickup
Portland (PWM) + Cab/Uber to Concord Coach Portland Maine + 70 Minute Concord Coach Line Bus to Waterville/Colby College + Pickup
It is recommended that you cross check your incoming flight with bus schedules to ensure you arrive early enough in the day to catch the bus at passenger pickup in BOS or taking a cab/uber to the transportation hub in PWM.
Coming Soon:
The Micro Minka
The school is building a set of traditional micro-minka cabins on the property. These small timber structures will provide simple, quiet accommodations for students during workshops and housing for apprentices and work-study participants. Built with the same methods we teach, they are part of the campus steadily taking shape.