Kinoya Mokulate Review｜The true value of a self-made keyboard with the warmth of wood like fine furniture.

This is “something more than a keyboard” in the form of a keyboard, which is a joy to own.

Mokulate is a self-made keyboard kit marketed by Kinoya and designed, produced and sold by Nobuki Inoue ( @black_trooper ).

Constructed with a 3DP printer and real natural wood, the 40% left-right split keyboard with wireless connectivity has a magical appeal that makes it more than a keyboard, but a joy to own.

Each wooden enclosure is finished by hand, and no two are alike, making each one you own a one-of-a-kind gem.

This article will tell you about the appeal of Mokulate.

Mokulate is a self-purchased product.
Kinoya and GreenEchoes Studio, which operates Greenkeys, have no conflict of interest.
In addition, Kinoya’s intentions are not reflected in any way with respect to this review.

This page contains advertisements. Products and links provided by manufacturers may be included, but will be fairly verified and clearly disclosed in accordance with our editorial policy.

Price, sales format, and availability

• Availability: ★☆☆☆☆ (lucky if available)
• Price: 33,000 yen (including tax)
• Sales form: Irregular shipment
• Resale schedule: irregular (limited availability due to personal production)
• Available at: https://kinoya.booth.pm/items/7752191

Mokulate Specifications Overview

Mokulate is a wireless split keyboard kit featuring a luxurious top case carved from solid natural wood.

The design uses a Tadpole mount that absorbs the impact of keystrokes and creates a unique keystroke feel.

By housing the microcontroller (XIAO nRF52840) and battery (AAA batteries) all inside the case, digital elements are eliminated from the exterior, resulting in a simple and beautiful design with only the warmth of wood.

(data) item	Contents
Product name	Mokulate
Sales and Planning	Kinoya
design	Nobuki Inoue
category	Split 40% Keyboard Kit (Separate Left & Right / Wireless)
array (programming, programing)	Orthogonal (grid array) 48 keys in total (24 keys each for left and right)
key switch	Low profile switch supported Kailh Choc V2 recommended
sales format	Homebrew keyboard kit (soldering required, no pre-assembled kit)
PCB / MCU	Seeed Studio XIAO nRF52840 x 2 (hot-swappable / soldering sockets, etc. required)
firmware	ZMK Firmware
keymap change	Supported Supports GUI method (ZMK Studio)
access method	Wireless connection (ZMK Firmware)
Driving method	AAA batteries x 2
Key pitch spacing (on board)	19.05mm (standard pitch)
Commercial keycap (18mm square)	support
mount(ing) system	Tadpole Mount (gasket mount construction with tadpole)
Case Material	Top: Solid natural wood (machined) Bottom: 3D printed (PLA)
Tilt Tenting	With tinting mechanism (designed to give a natural angle to the wrist) Without tilt
Price	33,000 yen (tax included)
Product page	BOOTH – Kinoya GitHub – Mokulate

This product is a DIY kit that requires self-assembly (including soldering).
*Switches, keycaps, microcontrollers, and batteries must be provided separately.

See the Build Guide for required items and assembly instructions.

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Review Environment

The review environment is as follows

• Connection environment: macOS
• Switch used: Lofree x Kailh Pulse Tactile
• Layout: 40% left-right split orthogonal (keys used follow 30% QAZ layout)
• Primary use: content writing (typing Japanese)

Evaluation of keystroke feel and keystroke sound

Keyswitch used: Lofree x Kailh Pulse Tactile

Mokulate Attraction

Let me quickly introduce the charms I found when I actually used Mokulate.

The one and only wooden keyboard, a unique experience of ownership.

The most attractive thing about Mokulate is the satisfaction of “owning” a one-of-a-kind wooden keyboard.

In addition, the fact that we dare not sell “finished products” allows us to feel a sense of fulfillment that includes the experience of assembling and using the product from scratch yourself, making it “your own thing” that you will love.

The wooden case is carved from walnut, a natural solid wood, and has a unique grain, which can be aged by caring for it with beeswax.

I think “keyboards that age with you”, is the best.

Accurate as a product of the homebrew keyboard genre.

Mokulate was found to be quite accurate for a product in the homebrew keyboard genre.

As for the cutting of the wooden top case, the modeling of the bottom case using PLA is truly amazing.

I am amazed at how much trial and error it takes to print so beautifully, and I admire the fact that this product is based on unimaginable prototypes.

Safety-conscious “complete wireless operation” is possible.

Mokulate is a homebrew keyboard that uses the Seeed Studio XIAO nRF52840, which has been increasingly adopted in the recent homebrew keyboard community.

This microcomputer has been certified for technical compliance and can be used with confidence in Japan.

In addition, I felt that the product was very well thought out not only in terms of taking into consideration the risks associated with batteries, which are becoming increasingly common these days, such as the use of AAA batteries instead of lithium-ion batteries, but also in terms of electrical appliance safety considerations.

Sequence flexibility is quite high.

Mokulate is a left-right split 40% layout keyboard with an orthogonal layout (grid arrangement) with one-handed 6×4 keys.

The major advantage of an orthogonal layout would be the flexibility of the layout.

When the keyboard has less than 60% of the number of keys compared to a full-size keyboard, the number of keys is physically insufficient for typing all keys. Therefore, it is common to place keys on a “back layer” and provide functions equivalent to a full-size keyboard by pressing and operating “layer keys”.

This means that there is a great deal of individual variation regarding which keys to bring to the back layer and where to place them, requiring a more flexible key layout.

In this sense, the grid layout is really reasonable, and the fact that it can target a wide range of users, from a conventional 40% layout with modifier keys such as Shift on the little finger to a 30% layout with the modifier keys’ role concentrated on the thumb keys, is a major attraction.

Areas of concern for Mokulate

I will pick up on many of the areas that bothered me a little, but only at the level of “bothered”.

Please refer to the following information when making a purchase.

Reversible substrate, therefore not symmetrical

Mokulate is probably a “reversible board”.

In other words, the board design is supposed to be configured so that the pattern is placed on the front and back, and it does not matter whether it is used on the left or right side.

In this case, the left and right sides are not symmetrical, but are inverted.

Although it is an area that only those who care about it will care about, some may feel more comfortable if the microcontroller is located in the same area on both sides.

We were also concerned about the reversed orientation of the keyswitches on the left and right sides.

Rubber feet are not included and must be provided if necessary

The updated version may come with rubber feet, which is being checked.

Mokulate does not come with rubber feet.

Those who wish to stabilize the unit as they type need to procure separately.

Soldering required

Mokulate is not a finished product.

Soldering is required, and if it is difficult to solder by yourself, you need to use a soldering service such as “Coconara”.

Also note that key switches and key caps must be procured separately, and that the kit is not completed simply by purchasing the kit.

Availability is not that good.

Mokulate wooden cases are produced by private individuals.

Because of the existence of a manual finishing process after machine cutting, it is not possible to produce large quantities at a time.

Therefore, depending on the popularity of the product, there may be a waiting list.

No reproduction of wood grain, one of a kind.

Mokulate wooden cases are “one of a kind” for better or worse.

It is physically impossible to fulfill the “I want that wood grain case” part of the product page, so you must agree before you buy.

Not an industrial product.

Mokulate is only a “homemade keyboard kit” produced by an individual, and while it is highly accurate as a DIY kit, it is not the same as a perfectly uniform industrial product.

It should be noted that the 3DP printer used is a 3DP printer and is not expected to achieve the level of perfection of an industrial product.

Uses M1.7 screws, so a small screwdriver is required

Many home-built keyboard kits use “M2.0” size screws, even if they are small, but the screws used in Mokulate are of a smaller diameter, the “M1.7” standard.

When it comes to screws of this standard, you cannot turn them unless you have a “precision screwdriver kit (#0),” which is used to turn screws such as eyeglasses, instead of a “screwdriver kit” sold at 100 yen stores.

Purchase them if necessary, as they may not be available in the average home.

Looking forward to ZMK Studio updates.

Mokulate supports “ZMK Studio,” which can be set up in GUI (visually, not in code) to make keymap changes easier for beginners.

However, the current version of ZMK Studio has a UI that is still immature and makes it difficult to change keymaps.

Expect this to be updated in the future.

Excuse me for the side note, it has been improved in PR#159, so you might want to use the preview version of that. There might be some glitches, so you’re on your own: https://t.co/F4trPIsAMS pic.twitter.com/JzZ16CQ1DN

– kot (@kot149_) January 18, 2026

Usage takes some getting used to.

In addition to the left-right split, Mokulate is an “orthogonal layout keyboard,” which differs from the usual horizontal shift.

In addition, since there are fewer keys than usual, sufficient proficiency will be required to use them in practice.

[Photos] Mokulate Review

Now let’s take a look at the actual Mokulate.

Let’s start with size.

It is small, about 150mm wide by 150mm long by about 100mm wide on one hand.

The top case is natural wood (probably walnut).

Tenting angle is approximately 3.3 degrees, with no forward or backward tilt.

The height of the center portion of the case is approximately 24 mm, and the height of the edges is approximately 14 mm.

Let’s also look at the bottom case.

The bottom case is made of 3DP (PLA).

The structure is relatively simple, with the bottom case side screwed to the top case.

What was surprising was this battery case cover, which I was astonished at how perfectly it fit, so much so that I could not believe it was made with 3DP.

The specifications are completely wireless (left-right connection and PC-to-PC connection) using XIAO nrf52840 on the left and right sides, with one AAA battery built into each side.

The microcontroller is covered with a cover, and the bottom case is placed over the top, so the cover will not come off in this state.

This microcontroller cover is also designed to make the reset switch easier to press, and can be clicked by pressing the depression on the left side.

This is what it looks like when the bottom case is removed.

The socket is a Kailh choc socket, and the wood has a hole for an M1.7 screw.

It is good to be able to clearly distinguish between the screws for fitting the bottom case and the screws for fitting the bottom case, so that there is no confusion.

Spacers were inserted at the ends of the case to accommodate shrinkage of the wood.

The board has just been removed.

Two on-off switch leads extend from the board toward the bottom case.

The switch plate is also made of PLA and is approximately 2 mm thick, which is thicker than the usual plate for choc switches (approximately 1.2 mm-1.5 mm).

The switch plates are also incredibly beautifully sculpted.

Mokulate has a gasket-mounted structure using a tadpole. The tadpole, inserted from below against the switch plate, fits into the top frame, and the top and bottom are sandwiched so that the switch plate seems to float inside the case.

Let’s assemble it.

Lofree x Kailh Pulse was chosen as the keyswitch for this project.

The 2mm plate was used without any problem.

As described below, the left and right switches are reversed due to the reversible PCB.

Finally, a keycap is attached to complete the process.

In this case, Jezail Funder LAK keycap was used.

In this case, as a 30% QAZ layout, we use unmarked keys for keys that are not used.

In the product introduction image, LAK’s black unmarked was used, but gray is also quite addictive.

It is also a very mysterious keyboard that changes its expression depending on the color and material of the desk mat on which the keyboard is placed.

summary

This is my review of Mokulate.

Although 3DP case keyboards have become mainstream in the home-built keyboard industry, wooden case keyboards are rare and have a unique appeal.

Although the assembly using solder and firmware baking are somewhat high hurdles for beginners to purchase this product, it can be said that the appeal of this product outweighs these hurdles.

If you are interested, please take a look at the product page as well.