木材製造 木材製造
What 木材製造 do
An English description is being prepared. Japanese description:
製材の工程は、製材工場等の規模、使用する丸太、木取り、製品の内容によって異なるが、一般に材木製造の仕事は、その内容によって「土場（どば）作業」、「送材車ハンドルマン」、「腹押（はらおし）」、「はな（先）取」、「選別格付」、「のこ目立（めたて）」などに大別される。工場での自動化が進み、一人でいくつかの工程を受け持つことも多くなっている。
作業の流れは、まず、「土場作業」で入荷した丸太を木の種類や太さ、長さ、品質によって仕分けし、クレーンやフォークリフトを使って、貯木場に積みそろえる。次に、「送材車ハンドルマン」が丸太を台車にのせ、装置を操作して、帯のこで縦に丸太を大割りする。
大割りされた木材はさらに、機械のこを使って板や角材に切り分け（小割り）し、決められた寸法に仕上げる。このテーブル式機械を使用して小割りする工程では、一般的に、機械のこの片側から材料を送り込む「腹押」、のこ挽きされてくる材料を受け取る「はな取」の工程がある。最後に、製品を寸法、使い道、品等別に検査、仕分けする「選別格付」の工程がある。この他に、のこの調整やのこ歯の研磨を行う「のこ目立」の仕事が必要である。「のこ目立」は、様々な種類の木材をどの機械で、どのように能率よく挽き、材木にするかを考慮しながら目立てを行うため、熟練した技能が要求される。
また、製品を乾燥装置に入れて人工的に乾燥する、「蒸気式乾燥機」「除湿式乾燥機」「減圧式乾燥機」を用いて、品質を均質にしてから出荷する場合も増えている。
◇ よく使う道具、機材、情報技術等
製材機械、クレーン、フォークリフト、台車、帯のこ、テーブル式機械、蒸気式乾燥機、除湿式乾燥機、減圧式乾燥機、作業中の保護具（耳せん、防じんマスク、ヘルメット、ゴーグル、グローブ、安全靴等）
Employment type of workers
木材製造 salary
The average annual pay for 木材製造 in Japan is ¥4.34M (≈ $27,611; Basic Survey on Wage Structure (2025), national). The estimated median is ¥4.04M, the typical range is ¥3.09M–¥7.16M and the top 10% earn about ¥6.22M.
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The distribution is estimated from Japan's national wage statistics, including pay differences by age.
Pay by ageest.
Estimated from the average pay and average age (44.9) using the age-wage curve of the Basic Survey on Wage Structure.
Pay by experienceest.
Pay by employment typeest.
The average hourly wage of ¥1,999 is 1.7× Japan's national average minimum wage of ¥1,177 (fiscal 2026). Minimum wage by prefecture →
Japanese pay is shown in yen (¥5.57M = 5.57 million yen ≈ 557万円). Dollar figures use the current rate of 157.25 yen per dollar and are for reference only; purchasing power differs.
Pay over time
| Year | Average pay | Employment | Openings ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ¥3.94M | — | — |
| 2022 | ¥4.16M | — | — |
| 2023 | ¥4.21M | — | 1.96x |
| 2024 | ¥4.09M | — | 1.78x |
| 2025 | ¥4.34M | — | 1.67x |
Projected pay for 木材製造 (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today ¥4.34M → in 3 years ¥4.68M → in 5 years ¥4.93M → in 10 years ¥5.59M (10-year range ¥4.81M–¥6.49M). The model assumes pay growth of +2.6% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (the job-openings-to-applicants ratio), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for 木材製造
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace 木材製造? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using the MHLW job tag survey on work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for 木材製造
A ratio above 1.0 means there are more job openings than applicants (a labor shortage). The 5- and 10-year figures are estimates from the openings ratio, wage momentum and AI replacement risk.
The same job in the United States
| 木材製造 Japan | Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | ¥4.34M ≈ $27,611 | $42,770 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | ¥5.59M | $56,700 |
| Outlook score | 52 | 40 |
| AI replacement risk | 47% Moderate | 35% Low |
| Workers | — | 41K |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for 木材製造
Key skills
Skill levels from the MHLW job tag worker survey.
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Licenses and certifications (Japan)
- 木材加工用機械作業主任者
- １級機械木工技能士 National license
- ２級機械木工技能士 National license
- 木材乾燥士
- 木材接着士
- 木材切削士
Related qualifications listed on job tag (names in Japanese). Some are mandatory, others recommended.
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience, licenses)
How to become 木材製造
The typical path in Japan is shown by the education, training and experience of current workers above and in the Japanese guidance below. A detailed English guide for this occupation is being prepared.
Guidance from job tag (Japanese)
関連資格として、厚生労働省が定める技能検定の「機械木工技能士」や公益社団法人 日本木材加工技術協会が認定する「木材乾燥士」「木材接着士」「木材切削士」などがある。
材木製造の仕事は、一日中立ち作業で、しかも機械を使う作業が多いため、一定の体力と機敏な動作、作業を安全に行う注意力が求められる。
また、材木製造は、各工程で２～３人の班を編成して行う場合が多く協調性も求められる。さらに、製材機械は自動化のために色々な装置が加わり、複雑になっていく傾向にあるため、機械を扱う場合は、機械や電気、油圧・空圧機構などについて興味を持てる人であることが望ましい。
Career path and how to earn more as 木材製造
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by experience is shown in the Pay section.