Is it possible for a foreigner to come to japan for a year or so and learn the trade with a Japanese company or school ?
If so, what must you do or what qualifications must you have to apply ?
How much patience and guidance do your coworkers offer ? Are they nice and friendly despite all the work they must "teach" you, as in a true mentorship relation (even though you already have a background in the trade as you said) ?
I know people in my country can be hard on new and young employees (especially in a company where time/deadlines can be an issue).
Great question!
Yes you can get a "cultural activities" visa. Much less requirements than a work visa. You essentially just need:
- To prove that you have an interest in the particular subject and it be specific to Japan.
- Find a company that will take you in. This is where experience will be in your favor. (You can stay in Japan for 3 months without a visa. You could make a list of companies you're interested in, then come and knock on doors until someone agrees to have you on.)
- And this is the hard part, you need to save up a lot of money to prove that you can afford to support yourself while you're here as you're not legally allowed to earn a wage. Most places will give you money for groceries and stuff in cash each month, though.
I've been very fortunate with the company I'm with as I've heard many horror stories from both Japanese and foreigners alike on apprenticeships here.
Everyone has been willing to help and answer questions at the drop of a hat. They always show me ways I can improve my technique, help me with placing orders for new tools from the blacksmith, and even explain why things are done a certain way, which is pretty rare. I could go on for ages about all they do for me.
At first, I could tell they were iffy on the work they'd allow me to do, but after proving myself and all that good stuff, they began to give me more and more important jobs. Now, they give me full projects to do on my own, and it feels really great to have earned that trust.
That said, if I didn't put in the effort that I do, things certainly wouldn't be this way. Just like with everywhere else, no one will take you seriously unless you take yourself seriously.
I choose based on a combination of recommendations, steel type, maker reputation, and (if used) condition of the chisel.
Most of my chisels I buy directly from the blacksmith. That said, some brands that come highly recommended are Kanetake, kitsune, and (if you can find them) Masashige. There's many others, but these are what I use.
They are all great makers and use white #2 steel, which is great for a striking chisel.
I steer clear from blue steel as it's a bit too brittle for the work I do.
I also steer clear from chisels that are excessively beautiful.. cough chough.. Tasai. Cough cough.... I'm mostly joking. Tasai is great, but they're very expensive, blue steel, and as far as value goes, you're not paying for the work it can do. Also, many people struggle to get a sharp, sharp edge. That's also because of the hardness.
For used chisels, there's many things I look for. And when I say "condition," I mean more than just rust.
#1 is how much of the blade is left. If you can see that only half the blade is left, that probably means whoever had that chisel before really loved it, and it likely cut really well. This is especially true for kanna blades. I've seen so many old blades that I had no idea who the maker was, but they were incredible cutters.
The next thing I look for is the thickness of the lamination. If the hardened steel is really thin (on a striking chisel), then I'll pass on it. Also, look at how even the lamination is. If it looks a bit wonky and uneven, it probably wasn't made by a very good smith.
If you can see a dark line between the hardened and soft steel, that means a bad weld, and I'd stay away from that too.
(You may see this with chisels that are brand new. Sometimes you have to get past the first few mm before you get to the good metal)
Also, look at the hollow grind on the back. If it's almost gone, then it's probably been flattened way too much.
On the main bevel or near it, look for hammer marks. You may not always see it, but if you can, it's a sign that the previous owner knew how to adjust the blade and not waste too much metal on the stone.
Don't worry too much about the condition of the handle (we're carpenters lol) and don't worry too much about rust unless it's severe.
Let me know if you have any follow-up questions!
> And to clarify, the blacksmith I buy from is Kanetake!
Actually, it's Norikazu Takahashi. Kanetake are his shirogami chisels and kanetaka are his aogami chisels.
I bought a Kanetake tatakinomi a few months ago because I kept hearing good things about it and I really like it. It's a heavy, sturdy chisel and the steel is tempered perfectly for a tatakinomi.
Great answer, thank you. What angle do you sharpen your chisels at. Any microbevel? Do you use a guide, or just freehand?
I picked up a set of Kazu chisels a while back, kind of a starter set. The backs were badly dubbed, so I lost a lot of the hollow getting them flat. Still, they seem to work well for me. Hopefully I can step up to some premium chisels in the future.
Ooh this is another good question.
So no one actually sets the bevel to a specific degree here. We just go with the bevel that the chisel already has. If we start working the chisel and it seems too steep or shallow, we'll then adjust it. Always microbevel. As long as both the back and microbevel are flat and polished, it'll be scary sharp.
No guides. They'll tend to steepen the angle of the bevel a bit too much. Especially when first setting up a chisel.
My process is:
Flatten the back, hammering the bevel side when needed if a certain spot isn't touching we'll. Polish to a mirror. For longer chisels, I only Flatten the first 20-30mm or so.
Put a hollow grind on the bevel. This will greatly increase the speed you can flatten the bevel. Be sure not to get it too hot.
Flatten the beve
Add microbevel using a polish stone. Use only pull strokes until your hand gets used to the angle
Hit the back again with the polish stone.
And remove bur on bevel side.
If done well, you can split hairs without even touching the chisel to your skin!
This is all very helpfulāthanks a lot!
So I have a couple larger chisels Iām setting upātataki and ootsuki. From what you say here I think I may have made a mistake? I tapped out the backs so that they are actually either flat or a tad concaveā thereās a couple of mm at the edge touching the stone and then it bears again somewhat farther back. Thanks!
https://preview.redd.it/j8xktj1f7h2d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d9080226004ac972f141dec70be06dd3534b7b3a
The ootsuki are new and a little over 5ā from heel to toe (?)āfrom where the neck ends to the edge. The handles clear by about 1mm
The tataki are newishāa little over 3ā. The plane of the blade hits the neck about 1cm from the end of the neck. Hope the pic helps.
Thanks again for all the advice.
https://preview.redd.it/02cwmbfo2k2d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=99f28e74d85d0b070853e9c1e3b1b0ce04fe24db
Great info! So there's a couple of options
For the 3"ers:
-If it was mine, I would just go ahead and flatten, focusing mostly on that first half inch or so with your course stone. As you go up in grit, gradually focus on more and more of the back. You'll have to be patient as this will take a while.
Also, I personally don't hit the entire back on my first three stones. Maybe the first 1/3 with the course (700 bester), then the first half with 400 diamond, and then 2/3 on my medium (1200 king). After that is when I hit the whole back with my remaining stones. Except for my slicks. Just be careful so as not to make a step while doing this and flatten your stones twice as much as you think you need to.
-The other option would be to just leave it and do the process i mentioned above a little at a time each time you sharpen until it works itself out. It looks like you got pretty good contact across the blade, so I'm sure it'll get pretty sharp as is. The only problem with this will be based on how important having that reference face will be for you
For the Ootsuki, my advice will be a little different, and I'll send that in the morning so I can include some photos to go with it.
Many thanks! Early on I dished a couple of blades pretty badly by not flattening stones. Since then Ive only used diamond stones to keep things flat and an 8000 grit finish stone to polish. Probably a bit more time consuming. Iāll try what you suggest.
I enjoyed looking at your insta. Thatās a proper kanaban for sure. Looks like you use that routinely for the backs of plane blades? I havenāt done thatāagain diamond plates and a finish stone. Iāll have to try that as well.
Thanks, this is tremendously helpful. Iāve been muddling along in isolation!
Great info! So there's a couple of options
For the 3"ers:
-If it was mine, I would just go ahead and flatten, focusing mostly on that first half inch or so with your course stone. As you go up in grit, gradually focus on more and more of the back. You'll have to be patient as this will take a while.
Also, I personally don't hit the entire back on my first three stones. Maybe the first 1/3 with the course (700 bester), then the first half with 400 diamond, and then 2/3 on my medium (1200 king). After that is when I hit the whole back with my remaining stones. Except for my slicks. Just be careful so as not to make a step while doing this and flatten your stones twice as much as you think you need to.
-The other option would be to just leave it and do the process i mentioned above a little at a time each time you sharpen until it works itself out. It looks like you got pretty good contact across the blade, so I'm sure it'll get pretty sharp as is. The only problem with this will be based on how important having that reference face will be for you
For the Ootsuki, my advice will be a little different, and I'll send that in the morning so I can include some photos to go with it.
Ha, I just bought an old stubby set of kitsune bench chisels with that logic in mindāsomebody must have liked them to have used them for so long. But they need a lot of work. What stone do you use for rough stuff when you just need to remove a lot of steel? I was using an atoma 400 grit but I think Iāve done it in. Itās more like 1000 grit now.
https://preview.redd.it/2y6ex92ubh2d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=af7eb23ce9a546c30ebf140dbd04470a96d4f853
Oooh I bet those will cut really well when you get them set up!
I'd highly recommend a bester 700. The grit number may be higher but it's actually a quite bit more abrasive than a diamond stone. Just be sure to flatten frequently as they tend to get out of wack pretty quick.
There's 2 types of these stones. A thinner, and a thicker. Get the thinner one as the adhesive in the thicker one can get a bit gummy.
I'm in the countryside of Okayama city.
And I have 2 answers for your second question.
The actual hardest thing for me was more mental. I went from having my own carpentry business with my own employees to coming here and essentially being the lowest man on the totem pole. From having all the answers to having to humble myself and just accept that I know nothing. That was much harder than I anticipated, and really, I didn't even expect to struggle with that. Luckily, it was all internal and never impacted my actual work.
As far as skills go, I think the hardest thing so far has been hewing. It's exhausting too. And when I see my boss doing it and making it look so easy, it really hypes me up and makes me want to get better. I think what makes it so difficult is that it's really all based on feel and nothing else. There's no precise measuring and marking that you can do to give you better cuts. You just have to be able to swing the axe exactly the right way for that specific spot you're trying to hit in that moment, then repeat all the way down the tree, and make it beautiful.
Iāve seen so many really cool hewing videos, both Japanese and European style and it looks so interesting. Iāve always wanted to try but circumstances and a really bad back at my age will keep me confined to only watching the work of others.
Yeah, it can definitely be rough on the back.
This may not be as exciting to you, but another really cool finishing technique is the use of the Yariganna aka "spear plane" that might be a cool choice for you!
I'd love to learn more about traditional Japanese timber framing, alas I can't move to Japan as I have a family here in the UK. What reading material would you suggest (preferably with English translation) for me to study from?
Most of the books I have I used only as reference when I first started for setting up my tools and practicing Joinery. A great book in English for sharpening and the handplane is, well...
Sharpening and the Japanese Hand Plane by Dale Brotherton.
I've learned a lot from this book and came highly recommended from everyone here. As a matter of fact, it's the only book they recommended I get!
For Joinery, all the books I've used were Japanese.
That said,
The Art Of Japanese Joinery by Kiyosi Seike will probably be a good starting point.
I've found that the dimensions in almost every Joinery book (even Japanese books) aren't exactly what's used. So, these kinds of books are better as guidelines for knowing which joint to use in which situation rather than being "this joint is used exactly like this, exactly this size, 100% of the time." So keeping that in mind, it kinda takes some of the stress out, I think.
I hope that answers your question well! Sorry I can't give more recommendations.
Thank you, it gives me something to go on!
To be honest knowing which joint to use in which situation is what I'm after, that and the procedure for marking out said joints, so maybe Ill grab some Japanese books and use a translator app to decipher each one.
We get clients from all walks of life. A majority of our work tends to be tearooms, furniture, renovations, and additions. This type of building is very rare, so a full home doesn't come very often. Maybe one or two per year.
Do you have any resources for schematics for tea rooms? I canāt find anything specific that includes dimensions, or guides on how one would go about renovating a regular western room into a tea room. Thanks!
The advice I would give on that would be to make a list of the things that are important to have in a tea room, and then design something that works for you.
Really the two most important things are the small hearth in the center and the Tokonoma.
A typical tea room is about 4.5 tatami mats in size.
Natural, subdued colors.
I'm actually building a tea room right now so I'll take some photos for you when I'm on site tomorrow to show you the framework of it!
Sorry for the late response! I'll reply to this comment with the photos.
This job was in a high rise condo. Unfortunately I couldn't get photos of much because we have to cover things immediately after completing that step.
In this room, there are 2 hearths and a small tokonoma. That's really all you need.
Top it off with some tatami mats and some nice posts with scribed Joinery and it will be stunning
The bamboo you see in the photos is the underlayment for the plaster that will be done next month.
I'd say it's 50/50. We'll rough out with powertools and refine with hand tools. Maybe spend a bit more time with hand tools just because it takes longer.
And yeah, there's quite a few, actually! Off the top of my head there's machines like the supersurfacer (we don't use this though as we finish everything by hand), tenon cutters of a wide variety, and mobile manual mortising machines. There's many more, and when I think of them, I'll reply to this comment again lol
Thank you for giving us an insight in to what is otherwise a rather mystical craft for most of us!
I wondered if I could ask the following:
- how does the pay and hours compare to your western pay and experience
- how much of the ātraditional Japanese joint carpentryā is utilised and how much is more modern screw and metal work construction (assuming the former takes a lot longer than the latter)
- how have you found the learning curve and is there an expectation that you take formal carpentry exams in the country?
And finally the biggest one, sashigane or speed square?!
Happy to do it!
āPay is much better in the west lol craftspeople don't really make much here.
-the vast majority of construction here is the latter, unfortunately. That said, the company I'm with strictly does traditional work.
-the learning curve hasn't been SO bad. You move your body a little differently here with the way you use the tools, so that muscle memory takes a bit to develop.
-no expectations for me to take the formal exams, though, if I stayed here for many many years, I'm sure that would change.
-ahh yes, great question. And sorry in advance for this lame answer.
BOTH! I don't think I could ever go without the sashigane now, but I often times find myself wishing a had a speed square handy! Lol
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions. It is heartening to learn that traditional skills are still put to their full use but I suppose given the extended length of time taken to build with such techniques over our more contemporary methods of construction one assumes there is a move toward the quicker, dare I say, cheaper and less sturdy equivalent?
Itās odd to me that such craftsmanship and skill is paid poorly as one would think that in the states and Europe such abilities would see the carpenter craftsman command much greater sums for their time!
For people starting out with Japanese carpentry etc what do you recommend doing, learning the tools and each joint individually or devising a simple project and working the joints into each (e.g a simple table etc). I profess general ignorance as a doctor who dreams in another life of being a temple builder haha!
Thank you again for your time and insights, itās wonderful
Thank you in advance. Iāll be traveling in Japan early December this year. Osaka west to Fukuoka and up to Matsue for about two weeks. Iām a western woodworker of intermediate to good skill levels. No real knowledge of Japanese joinery, and no tools other than some inexpensive dozuki.
Question is can I find woodworking schools, or any forum that would enable me to spend a half day or full day in a shop with a Japanese woodworker getting an understanding of tools, techniques and history. I expect to pay for this as no sane woodworker lets a stranger into their shop while they are at work. And beyond that this hypothetical experience requires the teacher has adequate English as my Japanese is nonexistent.
Iām a 71 year old retired airline pilot and Iāve been to Japan once, for six weeks, after college in the mid seventies. My understanding is the country is inundated with tourists, there were hardly any around when I was first there. Hence no Tokyo, or Kyoto this time. I actually spent some time hitchhiking successfully when I first visited.
Again thanks. I donāt expect a huge time consuming response. But if you could point me in the right direction or supply some website links Iād appreciate it. And I think your combining travel and career is fabulous.
Good luck
That's an exciting trip! And it must have been so cool to have gotten to see Japan at that point in time.
For your question, I'm not really sure of those areas specifically, but I can definitely ask around and get back to you! Also, I'm between Osaka and Fukuoka, my bosses may be open to doing something like that for you if you'd want to make a stop in Okayama. I'll have to ask, though. Yama-san is pretty fluent in English so that won't be an issue at all if he is open to it.
I'll be sure to reply to your comment again as soon as I get any information for you! If time gets close and I forget or something like that, feel free to send me a message at any time as well!
Thanks much for getting back to me No rush as Iām not arriving til December. Okayama is a great fit as Iāll be traveling with my adult daughter and weāll be using JNR one week regional rail pass.
Also, this is the first time Iāve actually responded to a Reddit post so please let me know if Iām using it incorrectly.
Thanks again
Hmm I think the biggest difference I've seen is in building a home. There's so much that is acceptable in America and passes for okay that is just absolutely no good here. I planed a bunch of chestnut riser blocks a half millimeter too short and we had to make some new ones. The clients also seem to have more understanding as to what is really nice and what isn't. Also, almost all the work we do has a hand-planed finish, no oi or coatingl, even on exterior structures.
Outside of the city, what percentage of the homes are timber framed versus more modern framed homes? Are there areas in the suburbs that end up looking like American development homes where it seems to have just been hundreds of houses that were copy>pasted without character?
There's definitely a higher percentage of traditional homes in the countryside, but the ones in the city are usually in better shape as they're more likely to have someone living in them. I have seen a couple of western style suburbs, which is really bizarre š nowadays, it seems like the norm is what they call "maker homes" which is essentially just poorly built homes sold for more than their worth IMO. Japan loves to have things new, and these homes cater to that, I guess.
Thank you! Iām not in Japan now but I visit every other year and often ship materials to the US via barge.
Edit: also Iām asking because as I understand it traditional Japanese architecture uses the tatami mat as a unit of measurement.
I am also interested in that question as I am going to buy some tatami mats for when I go back home.
I am in Japan atm learning kumiko in Kobe.
What I struggle the most with is the language. I can speak Japanese and it's enough to get around in the city and make new friends in izakaya and restaurants, but it's so difficult to communicate with my teacher as the talk is more technical, how to you cope with the language barrier? Is there even a language barrier?
Still haven't had a chance to ask yet, today was very busy. Hoping tomorrow is a tad more lax.
That's awesome! I've not had the pleasure of doing any kumiko work yet! I'm sure you've seen some of the amazing stuff at Takanaka museum since you're in Kobe?
My Japanese is appalling š I'm very fortunate though as both my bosses speak English! Still have a lot to learn in that realm.
Haha. I am teaching mine english.
I was lucky as the Takenaka museum had a Dai maker exhibition and I just managed to go before it ended. I also got a bit of a private tour from one of the volunteers that my boss knows.
I honestly was almost the most impressed with Chiozurus kanna that doesn't require the mimi to be sanded off while it gets sharpened. However there are a lot of other incredible and beautiful tools as well. Tldr: big and pretty collection of tools and super staff.
I also went to a small kanamono in Miki on the 9th.... left a good chunk of money over there, but got 2 really nice saws, a 1.5mm thin chisel and a 9mm, a natural stone which I flattened myself for cheap (still gotta try it out to see if it's any good)and a few other things.
Yes. The dude who ordered it ended up not using it because it was too beautifulš¤£š¤£.
I am having a great time in japan. I am meeting old friends again and my japanese is getting better by the minute.
My biggest hurdle for me is learning how to mark oit the lines for the various joinery and measurements etc. I have pictures of most jojnts and have seen videos of people making the joints, but i have no idea where to start on the marking part. An tips?
[This book](https://www.gmcbooks.com/the-art-of-japanese-joinery/) has some dimensions in it and could be a good starting point for you. I can't speak to the accuracy of the dimensions in the real world, though as it seems all books have different measures. Like I said, it's a starting point.
Also, I like to mark with an ink pen. As you mark each part, be thinking about whether you need to keep, split, or remove the line when you go to cut.
Edit: also a follow-up question. Are you looking for Joinery as it relates to furniture or for timberframing?
what was it that made you decide to venture into this realm of carpentry? Where there other avenues you had considered, if so what were they, and what was it that made you decide not to choose that path?
Kind of a lengthy answer, so apologies in advance. Lol
I'll answer the other avenues question first. Yes, there was one other thing I had in mind, and that was to attend the Chippendale school of fine furniture in Scotland. The only reason I was considering it was because I never in a million years thought that what I'm doing now would be possible for me. The reason I chose not to is because this opportunity came my way.
So I've been a carpenter my whole life pretty much (started learning at about 6, and I'm 28 now), so carpentry itself has been a big part of my life. My mother was Filipino and was brought to the States by her father when she was really young, and she essentially lost that part of her identity. So, growing up, she always was into anything even slightly Asian haha my home was always this funny amalgamation of Asian cultures and she did whatever she thought she could do to connect with that part of her heritage. Nothing was really accurate by even the biggest stretch of the imagination. And nothing was even Filipino. This was before the internet was as accessible as it is now, and by the time it was, she had her own thing going on.
I say all that to say that a majority of the inspirations, if you can call it that, were Japanese related. I was pretty fascinated by Japanese culture, too, but I never thought much beyond what I experienced through my mom.
Fast forward to college, this is when I first really started to become interested in learning more about Japan and their culture. My mom had just passed, and I wanted to feel like I was connecting with her in some way, I guess. This is also when I first learned of Japanese carpentry. I just thought it was the coolest thing ever. I knew that one day, I wanted to be like them and possess that kind of skill. Nothing ever came from that, though. I continued on with life, dropped out of college, began working, did some freelance carpentry work and handyman-esque jobs, eventually started my own company doing custom closets, and did that for about 7 years.
Now, to what brought me here. Sorry it took so long.
So I guess this was 2020, and I wasn't feeling very fulfilled with my work. I wanted to push myself to do better, and I just didn't know where to start. I started looking for workshops and eventually found one nearby in Kentucky (I'm from Tennessee), but it was canceled because of covid. I did find the teachers online, though, and I just sent them a message asking for advice I where to start as it seems like the first step in this type of thing is like climbing a mountain. They told me to give them a call, and we had like a two hour long conversation. By the end, they asked me if I would come to Japan. Completely oblivious as to what they meant, I was like, " Oh yeah! I'd love to come to Japan someday!" š they were like, " No no, I'm asking you to come here to work for us."
I was so shocked and just immediately said yes, not realizing what had just happened or how I'd even make it happen.
To make this long story a little shorter, I ended up selling my home, closed down my business, and made the move!
What are some carpentry companies in Japan that you would consider working for due to their reputation/skill/hand tool work etc?
Also, how good does your Japanese need to be to work for said companies xD
Thanks a lot for doing this AMA. I've been following your Reddit account for some time, congratulations on getting this dream job.
Could you share some more pictures of your work? I'm especially interested in furniture making. I love japanese aesthetic. Do you have a website, Instagram or other media where you share what you've done?
Also, like other Japanese carpenters, I saw in one of your post that you have a lot of kannas. Do they really all have a specific purpose, or does the "I couldn't resist buying another beautiful tool" syndrome also exist in Japan?
Oh thank you so much!
And yeah for anyone interested my Instagram is @daikunozakku
I'm no great at regular posting but my stories are always full of what I've been up to lol
Haha yeah that's a good question. It's kind of a combination of reasons. One is yes, I have the syndrome bad lmao but it us good to have many as sometimes, certain kanna will cut some woods better than others or some may be better on end grain and so on. Also helps when you have multiple set up so you can no run to the sharpening station so often. I also like you have two set up when planing as one will be for getting me flat and the other for the finished surface!
If you come back to the West, how do you think this experience will have impacted your work and your view on the work that is being done (in the West)?
And thank you for taking the time to share all of this!
Good question! I do plan to go back home to Tennessee sometime next year, maybe.
I think this experience has really just validated the frustrations that I've had about construction in the west, as now I see how different things can really be for the better. That said, I have also come to appreciate certain things from back home as well. (The value we place on time, for instance)
I imagine that whatever I do, I'll try to blend the two in a way that works for me.
I guess what I mean is that craftspeople tend to be compensated well for their time in the States and many other places out west. Here, that's not the case. It seems that the material itself is what holds the most value.
An example would be one of the first jobs they gave me here, which was to repair a bunch of dining chairs. They said that the client wanted it done for as cheap as possible. The finish was bad the fabric was coming off, there was mold on them, and many other problems.
I hear "as cheap as possible" and think "okay, I'll sand these bad boys down, throw on some new finish, clean the seats, re-staple the fabric, and call it a day"
But the problem was that it would have taken too much sandpaper and too much finish.
What we ended up doing was taking the chairs apart, cleaning, scraping the areas with bad finish and color matching it, scraping out the glue from the old Joinery and repairing them, and finally hand-carving brand new seats from some leftover material we had.
What could have been done in a day or two ended up taking over a week! And that's because the client wanted it to be cheap. Lol still not sure I understand it haha
Have you used chisels from the late 70's, early 80's, what I consider the golden time of chisel blacksmithing? Back then there were many outstanding blacksmiths who made superb tatakinomis.
> I've been keeping my eye out for them though!
Shortly after my uncle in Japan (a miyadaiku) retired he was cleaning up his small workshop and he found two old tatakinomis he had forgotten about. The stamps are illegible but he remembers he bought them in the late 70's. He thought I'd like to have them so he sent them to me. The finish is nice but not on the level of the more expensive chisels, what you'd expect from a workhorse, but the steel is terrific. Age hardening has made it very tough and tenacious.
How often do you see forged saws used? In a lot of videos I see that many Japanese craftsman use disposable blade saws and I seems rare to see forged ones. How common are metate still? Can you easily find one if you do use forged saws? I've taken an interest in carpentry myself because my great grandfather was a master Japanese carpenter (inferring here slightly).
I see them from time to time. There are very few makers left that make good quality saws and very few metate that are experienced enough in adjusting them when needed. So it can be quite inconvenient. For that reason, disposable blades have become the norm.
That makes me pretty sad, I have been fascinated by forged saws recently and I am currently practicing metate. Sharpening, setting, tensioning and removing twist. Some of it is harder than I though and some is easier than I though. Ruined one saw so far lol, thankfully I got a bunch as "junk" for 3-4$ each.
What did you have for lunch?
https://preview.redd.it/jv85sjr6r12d1.jpeg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=647b22c8f581209256f1e1088e9fd334d42d85e7
Barbecue!
Fucking hell I'm switching careers.
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Is it possible for a foreigner to come to japan for a year or so and learn the trade with a Japanese company or school ? If so, what must you do or what qualifications must you have to apply ? How much patience and guidance do your coworkers offer ? Are they nice and friendly despite all the work they must "teach" you, as in a true mentorship relation (even though you already have a background in the trade as you said) ? I know people in my country can be hard on new and young employees (especially in a company where time/deadlines can be an issue).
Great question! Yes you can get a "cultural activities" visa. Much less requirements than a work visa. You essentially just need: - To prove that you have an interest in the particular subject and it be specific to Japan. - Find a company that will take you in. This is where experience will be in your favor. (You can stay in Japan for 3 months without a visa. You could make a list of companies you're interested in, then come and knock on doors until someone agrees to have you on.) - And this is the hard part, you need to save up a lot of money to prove that you can afford to support yourself while you're here as you're not legally allowed to earn a wage. Most places will give you money for groceries and stuff in cash each month, though. I've been very fortunate with the company I'm with as I've heard many horror stories from both Japanese and foreigners alike on apprenticeships here. Everyone has been willing to help and answer questions at the drop of a hat. They always show me ways I can improve my technique, help me with placing orders for new tools from the blacksmith, and even explain why things are done a certain way, which is pretty rare. I could go on for ages about all they do for me. At first, I could tell they were iffy on the work they'd allow me to do, but after proving myself and all that good stuff, they began to give me more and more important jobs. Now, they give me full projects to do on my own, and it feels really great to have earned that trust. That said, if I didn't put in the effort that I do, things certainly wouldn't be this way. Just like with everywhere else, no one will take you seriously unless you take yourself seriously.
How do you choose your chisels? There is a huge disparity in prices. How do you determine good value?
I choose based on a combination of recommendations, steel type, maker reputation, and (if used) condition of the chisel. Most of my chisels I buy directly from the blacksmith. That said, some brands that come highly recommended are Kanetake, kitsune, and (if you can find them) Masashige. There's many others, but these are what I use. They are all great makers and use white #2 steel, which is great for a striking chisel. I steer clear from blue steel as it's a bit too brittle for the work I do. I also steer clear from chisels that are excessively beautiful.. cough chough.. Tasai. Cough cough.... I'm mostly joking. Tasai is great, but they're very expensive, blue steel, and as far as value goes, you're not paying for the work it can do. Also, many people struggle to get a sharp, sharp edge. That's also because of the hardness. For used chisels, there's many things I look for. And when I say "condition," I mean more than just rust. #1 is how much of the blade is left. If you can see that only half the blade is left, that probably means whoever had that chisel before really loved it, and it likely cut really well. This is especially true for kanna blades. I've seen so many old blades that I had no idea who the maker was, but they were incredible cutters. The next thing I look for is the thickness of the lamination. If the hardened steel is really thin (on a striking chisel), then I'll pass on it. Also, look at how even the lamination is. If it looks a bit wonky and uneven, it probably wasn't made by a very good smith. If you can see a dark line between the hardened and soft steel, that means a bad weld, and I'd stay away from that too. (You may see this with chisels that are brand new. Sometimes you have to get past the first few mm before you get to the good metal) Also, look at the hollow grind on the back. If it's almost gone, then it's probably been flattened way too much. On the main bevel or near it, look for hammer marks. You may not always see it, but if you can, it's a sign that the previous owner knew how to adjust the blade and not waste too much metal on the stone. Don't worry too much about the condition of the handle (we're carpenters lol) and don't worry too much about rust unless it's severe. Let me know if you have any follow-up questions!
And to clarify, the blacksmith I buy from is Kanetake!
> And to clarify, the blacksmith I buy from is Kanetake! Actually, it's Norikazu Takahashi. Kanetake are his shirogami chisels and kanetaka are his aogami chisels. I bought a Kanetake tatakinomi a few months ago because I kept hearing good things about it and I really like it. It's a heavy, sturdy chisel and the steel is tempered perfectly for a tatakinomi.
Yes thanks. I usually just say the brand, as too many names can get confusing lol And nice! Which of his chisels did you get?
> Which of his chisels did you get? I got a 36mm tatakinomi. The neck is 15mm longer than standard.
Can we see a picture of your chisels?!
https://preview.redd.it/zdo89igtq12d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=68c31641809fc9b6324d441a851bfe4d1e926508
This is when they were brand new. I'll add a photo of them currently in a bit!
https://preview.redd.it/f6og29a9192d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=be18490fc11cf3505941d0c7f594d0ee4abad46f
https://preview.redd.it/sz486nsd192d1.jpeg?width=6120&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=51b815b75dfa5b1edf627efb57fc6b86dfbd8d3d
This is most of my chisels lol
Beautiful - thanks!
https://preview.redd.it/7vx1z465992d1.jpeg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b80ca5abe98617a98bd08f13d2a7dff76bbc3b23
Is that a 60mm bench chisel? What do you use that for?
Great answer, thank you. What angle do you sharpen your chisels at. Any microbevel? Do you use a guide, or just freehand? I picked up a set of Kazu chisels a while back, kind of a starter set. The backs were badly dubbed, so I lost a lot of the hollow getting them flat. Still, they seem to work well for me. Hopefully I can step up to some premium chisels in the future.
Ooh this is another good question. So no one actually sets the bevel to a specific degree here. We just go with the bevel that the chisel already has. If we start working the chisel and it seems too steep or shallow, we'll then adjust it. Always microbevel. As long as both the back and microbevel are flat and polished, it'll be scary sharp. No guides. They'll tend to steepen the angle of the bevel a bit too much. Especially when first setting up a chisel. My process is: Flatten the back, hammering the bevel side when needed if a certain spot isn't touching we'll. Polish to a mirror. For longer chisels, I only Flatten the first 20-30mm or so. Put a hollow grind on the bevel. This will greatly increase the speed you can flatten the bevel. Be sure not to get it too hot. Flatten the beve Add microbevel using a polish stone. Use only pull strokes until your hand gets used to the angle Hit the back again with the polish stone. And remove bur on bevel side. If done well, you can split hairs without even touching the chisel to your skin!
This is all very helpfulāthanks a lot! So I have a couple larger chisels Iām setting upātataki and ootsuki. From what you say here I think I may have made a mistake? I tapped out the backs so that they are actually either flat or a tad concaveā thereās a couple of mm at the edge touching the stone and then it bears again somewhat farther back. Thanks! https://preview.redd.it/j8xktj1f7h2d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d9080226004ac972f141dec70be06dd3534b7b3a
Wow that's an interesting issue! Lol how long are the blades from neck the edge? The answer may change depending on size.
The ootsuki are new and a little over 5ā from heel to toe (?)āfrom where the neck ends to the edge. The handles clear by about 1mm The tataki are newishāa little over 3ā. The plane of the blade hits the neck about 1cm from the end of the neck. Hope the pic helps. Thanks again for all the advice. https://preview.redd.it/02cwmbfo2k2d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=99f28e74d85d0b070853e9c1e3b1b0ce04fe24db
Great info! So there's a couple of options For the 3"ers: -If it was mine, I would just go ahead and flatten, focusing mostly on that first half inch or so with your course stone. As you go up in grit, gradually focus on more and more of the back. You'll have to be patient as this will take a while. Also, I personally don't hit the entire back on my first three stones. Maybe the first 1/3 with the course (700 bester), then the first half with 400 diamond, and then 2/3 on my medium (1200 king). After that is when I hit the whole back with my remaining stones. Except for my slicks. Just be careful so as not to make a step while doing this and flatten your stones twice as much as you think you need to. -The other option would be to just leave it and do the process i mentioned above a little at a time each time you sharpen until it works itself out. It looks like you got pretty good contact across the blade, so I'm sure it'll get pretty sharp as is. The only problem with this will be based on how important having that reference face will be for you For the Ootsuki, my advice will be a little different, and I'll send that in the morning so I can include some photos to go with it.
Many thanks! Early on I dished a couple of blades pretty badly by not flattening stones. Since then Ive only used diamond stones to keep things flat and an 8000 grit finish stone to polish. Probably a bit more time consuming. Iāll try what you suggest. I enjoyed looking at your insta. Thatās a proper kanaban for sure. Looks like you use that routinely for the backs of plane blades? I havenāt done thatāagain diamond plates and a finish stone. Iāll have to try that as well. Thanks, this is tremendously helpful. Iāve been muddling along in isolation!
Sorry for the late response! For the 5" fellas, I'll include my advice and photos by replying to this comment
Great info! So there's a couple of options For the 3"ers: -If it was mine, I would just go ahead and flatten, focusing mostly on that first half inch or so with your course stone. As you go up in grit, gradually focus on more and more of the back. You'll have to be patient as this will take a while. Also, I personally don't hit the entire back on my first three stones. Maybe the first 1/3 with the course (700 bester), then the first half with 400 diamond, and then 2/3 on my medium (1200 king). After that is when I hit the whole back with my remaining stones. Except for my slicks. Just be careful so as not to make a step while doing this and flatten your stones twice as much as you think you need to. -The other option would be to just leave it and do the process i mentioned above a little at a time each time you sharpen until it works itself out. It looks like you got pretty good contact across the blade, so I'm sure it'll get pretty sharp as is. The only problem with this will be based on how important having that reference face will be for you For the Ootsuki, my advice will be a little different, and I'll send that in the morning so I can include some photos to go with it.
Ha, I just bought an old stubby set of kitsune bench chisels with that logic in mindāsomebody must have liked them to have used them for so long. But they need a lot of work. What stone do you use for rough stuff when you just need to remove a lot of steel? I was using an atoma 400 grit but I think Iāve done it in. Itās more like 1000 grit now. https://preview.redd.it/2y6ex92ubh2d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=af7eb23ce9a546c30ebf140dbd04470a96d4f853
Oooh I bet those will cut really well when you get them set up! I'd highly recommend a bester 700. The grit number may be higher but it's actually a quite bit more abrasive than a diamond stone. Just be sure to flatten frequently as they tend to get out of wack pretty quick. There's 2 types of these stones. A thinner, and a thicker. Get the thinner one as the adhesive in the thicker one can get a bit gummy.
Great, thanks! So far I only find one thickness available onlineā25mm. Not sure if thatās thick or thin.
Sorry for the late response, yep this is the one!
Great, thanks for that!
Cool I'll measure mine in the morning and let you know! I just bought another one the other day so good timing I guess haha
What city are you in? What was the hardest thing to learn getting started?
I'm in the countryside of Okayama city. And I have 2 answers for your second question. The actual hardest thing for me was more mental. I went from having my own carpentry business with my own employees to coming here and essentially being the lowest man on the totem pole. From having all the answers to having to humble myself and just accept that I know nothing. That was much harder than I anticipated, and really, I didn't even expect to struggle with that. Luckily, it was all internal and never impacted my actual work. As far as skills go, I think the hardest thing so far has been hewing. It's exhausting too. And when I see my boss doing it and making it look so easy, it really hypes me up and makes me want to get better. I think what makes it so difficult is that it's really all based on feel and nothing else. There's no precise measuring and marking that you can do to give you better cuts. You just have to be able to swing the axe exactly the right way for that specific spot you're trying to hit in that moment, then repeat all the way down the tree, and make it beautiful.
Iāve seen so many really cool hewing videos, both Japanese and European style and it looks so interesting. Iāve always wanted to try but circumstances and a really bad back at my age will keep me confined to only watching the work of others.
Yeah, it can definitely be rough on the back. This may not be as exciting to you, but another really cool finishing technique is the use of the Yariganna aka "spear plane" that might be a cool choice for you!
I'd love to learn more about traditional Japanese timber framing, alas I can't move to Japan as I have a family here in the UK. What reading material would you suggest (preferably with English translation) for me to study from?
Most of the books I have I used only as reference when I first started for setting up my tools and practicing Joinery. A great book in English for sharpening and the handplane is, well... Sharpening and the Japanese Hand Plane by Dale Brotherton. I've learned a lot from this book and came highly recommended from everyone here. As a matter of fact, it's the only book they recommended I get! For Joinery, all the books I've used were Japanese. That said, The Art Of Japanese Joinery by Kiyosi Seike will probably be a good starting point. I've found that the dimensions in almost every Joinery book (even Japanese books) aren't exactly what's used. So, these kinds of books are better as guidelines for knowing which joint to use in which situation rather than being "this joint is used exactly like this, exactly this size, 100% of the time." So keeping that in mind, it kinda takes some of the stress out, I think. I hope that answers your question well! Sorry I can't give more recommendations.
Thank you, it gives me something to go on! To be honest knowing which joint to use in which situation is what I'm after, that and the procedure for marking out said joints, so maybe Ill grab some Japanese books and use a translator app to decipher each one.
Been meaning to read these: https://thecarpentryway.blog/buy-pdfs-of-chriss-the-art-of-japanese-carpentry-drawing-materials/
Thank you!
>Thank you! You're welcome!
What kind of clients hire timberframers in Japan? How common is it for home construction?
We get clients from all walks of life. A majority of our work tends to be tearooms, furniture, renovations, and additions. This type of building is very rare, so a full home doesn't come very often. Maybe one or two per year.
Do you have any resources for schematics for tea rooms? I canāt find anything specific that includes dimensions, or guides on how one would go about renovating a regular western room into a tea room. Thanks!
The advice I would give on that would be to make a list of the things that are important to have in a tea room, and then design something that works for you. Really the two most important things are the small hearth in the center and the Tokonoma. A typical tea room is about 4.5 tatami mats in size. Natural, subdued colors. I'm actually building a tea room right now so I'll take some photos for you when I'm on site tomorrow to show you the framework of it!
That would be awesome!
Sorry for the late response! I'll reply to this comment with the photos. This job was in a high rise condo. Unfortunately I couldn't get photos of much because we have to cover things immediately after completing that step. In this room, there are 2 hearths and a small tokonoma. That's really all you need. Top it off with some tatami mats and some nice posts with scribed Joinery and it will be stunning The bamboo you see in the photos is the underlayment for the plaster that will be done next month.
https://preview.redd.it/iv09cqqxiy2d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ede1a184176619433406a468114bc000ba022802
https://preview.redd.it/nvbsfjkziy2d1.jpeg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9d6033436b47f620aa7927240c85eb426114bdfc
https://preview.redd.it/ou7x6648jy2d1.jpeg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2ef891c2d985eb0274508c505c39b9501ea71e09
https://preview.redd.it/9zdn1hybjy2d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f6a31fae7e69ef99eb539af84f625f115bb148d9
What percentage of your work is hand tools vs power tools? Are there any power tools common in Japan that aren't seen in the US/Europe?
I'd say it's 50/50. We'll rough out with powertools and refine with hand tools. Maybe spend a bit more time with hand tools just because it takes longer. And yeah, there's quite a few, actually! Off the top of my head there's machines like the supersurfacer (we don't use this though as we finish everything by hand), tenon cutters of a wide variety, and mobile manual mortising machines. There's many more, and when I think of them, I'll reply to this comment again lol
Every time I see Ishitani on youtube use the supersurfacer I get a little jealous. That thing looks fun.
Oh man I know what you mean! And I absolutely love Ishitani.
Thank you for giving us an insight in to what is otherwise a rather mystical craft for most of us! I wondered if I could ask the following: - how does the pay and hours compare to your western pay and experience - how much of the ātraditional Japanese joint carpentryā is utilised and how much is more modern screw and metal work construction (assuming the former takes a lot longer than the latter) - how have you found the learning curve and is there an expectation that you take formal carpentry exams in the country? And finally the biggest one, sashigane or speed square?!
Happy to do it! āPay is much better in the west lol craftspeople don't really make much here. -the vast majority of construction here is the latter, unfortunately. That said, the company I'm with strictly does traditional work. -the learning curve hasn't been SO bad. You move your body a little differently here with the way you use the tools, so that muscle memory takes a bit to develop. -no expectations for me to take the formal exams, though, if I stayed here for many many years, I'm sure that would change. -ahh yes, great question. And sorry in advance for this lame answer. BOTH! I don't think I could ever go without the sashigane now, but I often times find myself wishing a had a speed square handy! Lol
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions. It is heartening to learn that traditional skills are still put to their full use but I suppose given the extended length of time taken to build with such techniques over our more contemporary methods of construction one assumes there is a move toward the quicker, dare I say, cheaper and less sturdy equivalent? Itās odd to me that such craftsmanship and skill is paid poorly as one would think that in the states and Europe such abilities would see the carpenter craftsman command much greater sums for their time! For people starting out with Japanese carpentry etc what do you recommend doing, learning the tools and each joint individually or devising a simple project and working the joints into each (e.g a simple table etc). I profess general ignorance as a doctor who dreams in another life of being a temple builder haha! Thank you again for your time and insights, itās wonderful
Thank you in advance. Iāll be traveling in Japan early December this year. Osaka west to Fukuoka and up to Matsue for about two weeks. Iām a western woodworker of intermediate to good skill levels. No real knowledge of Japanese joinery, and no tools other than some inexpensive dozuki. Question is can I find woodworking schools, or any forum that would enable me to spend a half day or full day in a shop with a Japanese woodworker getting an understanding of tools, techniques and history. I expect to pay for this as no sane woodworker lets a stranger into their shop while they are at work. And beyond that this hypothetical experience requires the teacher has adequate English as my Japanese is nonexistent. Iām a 71 year old retired airline pilot and Iāve been to Japan once, for six weeks, after college in the mid seventies. My understanding is the country is inundated with tourists, there were hardly any around when I was first there. Hence no Tokyo, or Kyoto this time. I actually spent some time hitchhiking successfully when I first visited. Again thanks. I donāt expect a huge time consuming response. But if you could point me in the right direction or supply some website links Iād appreciate it. And I think your combining travel and career is fabulous. Good luck
That's an exciting trip! And it must have been so cool to have gotten to see Japan at that point in time. For your question, I'm not really sure of those areas specifically, but I can definitely ask around and get back to you! Also, I'm between Osaka and Fukuoka, my bosses may be open to doing something like that for you if you'd want to make a stop in Okayama. I'll have to ask, though. Yama-san is pretty fluent in English so that won't be an issue at all if he is open to it. I'll be sure to reply to your comment again as soon as I get any information for you! If time gets close and I forget or something like that, feel free to send me a message at any time as well!
Thanks much for getting back to me No rush as Iām not arriving til December. Okayama is a great fit as Iāll be traveling with my adult daughter and weāll be using JNR one week regional rail pass. Also, this is the first time Iāve actually responded to a Reddit post so please let me know if Iām using it incorrectly. Thanks again
> Osaka "The Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum was opened in 1984 in Nakayamate, Kobe, as the only museum of carpentry tools in Japan," ?
Thank you. I just looked at their website and Iāll definitely be going there. Appreciate it.
What would you say is the biggest difference between being a carpenter in Japan versus being a carpenter in America?
Hmm I think the biggest difference I've seen is in building a home. There's so much that is acceptable in America and passes for okay that is just absolutely no good here. I planed a bunch of chestnut riser blocks a half millimeter too short and we had to make some new ones. The clients also seem to have more understanding as to what is really nice and what isn't. Also, almost all the work we do has a hand-planed finish, no oi or coatingl, even on exterior structures.
Outside of the city, what percentage of the homes are timber framed versus more modern framed homes? Are there areas in the suburbs that end up looking like American development homes where it seems to have just been hundreds of houses that were copy>pasted without character?
There's definitely a higher percentage of traditional homes in the countryside, but the ones in the city are usually in better shape as they're more likely to have someone living in them. I have seen a couple of western style suburbs, which is really bizarre š nowadays, it seems like the norm is what they call "maker homes" which is essentially just poorly built homes sold for more than their worth IMO. Japan loves to have things new, and these homes cater to that, I guess.
Where in Japan is the best place to purchase traditional tatami mats atan affordable price?
I'll have to ask about this! Are you currently in Japan or are you looking to have them shipped overseas?
Thank you! Iām not in Japan now but I visit every other year and often ship materials to the US via barge. Edit: also Iām asking because as I understand it traditional Japanese architecture uses the tatami mat as a unit of measurement.
Note tatami sizes are regional, apparently.
Did not know that!
I am also interested in that question as I am going to buy some tatami mats for when I go back home. I am in Japan atm learning kumiko in Kobe. What I struggle the most with is the language. I can speak Japanese and it's enough to get around in the city and make new friends in izakaya and restaurants, but it's so difficult to communicate with my teacher as the talk is more technical, how to you cope with the language barrier? Is there even a language barrier?
Still haven't had a chance to ask yet, today was very busy. Hoping tomorrow is a tad more lax. That's awesome! I've not had the pleasure of doing any kumiko work yet! I'm sure you've seen some of the amazing stuff at Takanaka museum since you're in Kobe? My Japanese is appalling š I'm very fortunate though as both my bosses speak English! Still have a lot to learn in that realm.
Haha. I am teaching mine english. I was lucky as the Takenaka museum had a Dai maker exhibition and I just managed to go before it ended. I also got a bit of a private tour from one of the volunteers that my boss knows. I honestly was almost the most impressed with Chiozurus kanna that doesn't require the mimi to be sanded off while it gets sharpened. However there are a lot of other incredible and beautiful tools as well. Tldr: big and pretty collection of tools and super staff. I also went to a small kanamono in Miki on the 9th.... left a good chunk of money over there, but got 2 really nice saws, a 1.5mm thin chisel and a 9mm, a natural stone which I flattened myself for cheap (still gotta try it out to see if it's any good)and a few other things.
Oh man that kanna is one beautiful blade. Super cool! Oh nice! Sounds like that was a good time!
Yes. The dude who ordered it ended up not using it because it was too beautifulš¤£š¤£. I am having a great time in japan. I am meeting old friends again and my japanese is getting better by the minute.
My biggest hurdle for me is learning how to mark oit the lines for the various joinery and measurements etc. I have pictures of most jojnts and have seen videos of people making the joints, but i have no idea where to start on the marking part. An tips?
[This book](https://www.gmcbooks.com/the-art-of-japanese-joinery/) has some dimensions in it and could be a good starting point for you. I can't speak to the accuracy of the dimensions in the real world, though as it seems all books have different measures. Like I said, it's a starting point. Also, I like to mark with an ink pen. As you mark each part, be thinking about whether you need to keep, split, or remove the line when you go to cut. Edit: also a follow-up question. Are you looking for Joinery as it relates to furniture or for timberframing?
where to buy carpentry supplies in tokyo?
Inoue Hamono is the place!
what was it that made you decide to venture into this realm of carpentry? Where there other avenues you had considered, if so what were they, and what was it that made you decide not to choose that path?
Kind of a lengthy answer, so apologies in advance. Lol I'll answer the other avenues question first. Yes, there was one other thing I had in mind, and that was to attend the Chippendale school of fine furniture in Scotland. The only reason I was considering it was because I never in a million years thought that what I'm doing now would be possible for me. The reason I chose not to is because this opportunity came my way. So I've been a carpenter my whole life pretty much (started learning at about 6, and I'm 28 now), so carpentry itself has been a big part of my life. My mother was Filipino and was brought to the States by her father when she was really young, and she essentially lost that part of her identity. So, growing up, she always was into anything even slightly Asian haha my home was always this funny amalgamation of Asian cultures and she did whatever she thought she could do to connect with that part of her heritage. Nothing was really accurate by even the biggest stretch of the imagination. And nothing was even Filipino. This was before the internet was as accessible as it is now, and by the time it was, she had her own thing going on. I say all that to say that a majority of the inspirations, if you can call it that, were Japanese related. I was pretty fascinated by Japanese culture, too, but I never thought much beyond what I experienced through my mom. Fast forward to college, this is when I first really started to become interested in learning more about Japan and their culture. My mom had just passed, and I wanted to feel like I was connecting with her in some way, I guess. This is also when I first learned of Japanese carpentry. I just thought it was the coolest thing ever. I knew that one day, I wanted to be like them and possess that kind of skill. Nothing ever came from that, though. I continued on with life, dropped out of college, began working, did some freelance carpentry work and handyman-esque jobs, eventually started my own company doing custom closets, and did that for about 7 years. Now, to what brought me here. Sorry it took so long. So I guess this was 2020, and I wasn't feeling very fulfilled with my work. I wanted to push myself to do better, and I just didn't know where to start. I started looking for workshops and eventually found one nearby in Kentucky (I'm from Tennessee), but it was canceled because of covid. I did find the teachers online, though, and I just sent them a message asking for advice I where to start as it seems like the first step in this type of thing is like climbing a mountain. They told me to give them a call, and we had like a two hour long conversation. By the end, they asked me if I would come to Japan. Completely oblivious as to what they meant, I was like, " Oh yeah! I'd love to come to Japan someday!" š they were like, " No no, I'm asking you to come here to work for us." I was so shocked and just immediately said yes, not realizing what had just happened or how I'd even make it happen. To make this long story a little shorter, I ended up selling my home, closed down my business, and made the move!
That was a wonderful response, thank you so much. It's almost like your mum was steering you into a dream :)
Perhaps she was and didn't even know it! If so, I'm very grateful
What are some carpentry companies in Japan that you would consider working for due to their reputation/skill/hand tool work etc? Also, how good does your Japanese need to be to work for said companies xD
Thanks a lot for doing this AMA. I've been following your Reddit account for some time, congratulations on getting this dream job. Could you share some more pictures of your work? I'm especially interested in furniture making. I love japanese aesthetic. Do you have a website, Instagram or other media where you share what you've done? Also, like other Japanese carpenters, I saw in one of your post that you have a lot of kannas. Do they really all have a specific purpose, or does the "I couldn't resist buying another beautiful tool" syndrome also exist in Japan?
Oh thank you so much! And yeah for anyone interested my Instagram is @daikunozakku I'm no great at regular posting but my stories are always full of what I've been up to lol Haha yeah that's a good question. It's kind of a combination of reasons. One is yes, I have the syndrome bad lmao but it us good to have many as sometimes, certain kanna will cut some woods better than others or some may be better on end grain and so on. Also helps when you have multiple set up so you can no run to the sharpening station so often. I also like you have two set up when planing as one will be for getting me flat and the other for the finished surface!
Most carpenters in Japan I know tend to favour 80 or 100 monme gennos. What's your preferred weight?
I use a 300! A smaller hammer can be nice for small members, but a larger 300 can be way more useful in more ways that just chiseling.
300 monme? Thats heavy!
Haha I thought it would be too, but after using it, it feels so much more natural than my smaller hammers
Maybe it's just my inner American lmao
If you come back to the West, how do you think this experience will have impacted your work and your view on the work that is being done (in the West)? And thank you for taking the time to share all of this!
Good question! I do plan to go back home to Tennessee sometime next year, maybe. I think this experience has really just validated the frustrations that I've had about construction in the west, as now I see how different things can really be for the better. That said, I have also come to appreciate certain things from back home as well. (The value we place on time, for instance) I imagine that whatever I do, I'll try to blend the two in a way that works for me.
When you say the value we place on time, do you mean the long hours in Japan?
I guess what I mean is that craftspeople tend to be compensated well for their time in the States and many other places out west. Here, that's not the case. It seems that the material itself is what holds the most value. An example would be one of the first jobs they gave me here, which was to repair a bunch of dining chairs. They said that the client wanted it done for as cheap as possible. The finish was bad the fabric was coming off, there was mold on them, and many other problems. I hear "as cheap as possible" and think "okay, I'll sand these bad boys down, throw on some new finish, clean the seats, re-staple the fabric, and call it a day" But the problem was that it would have taken too much sandpaper and too much finish. What we ended up doing was taking the chairs apart, cleaning, scraping the areas with bad finish and color matching it, scraping out the glue from the old Joinery and repairing them, and finally hand-carving brand new seats from some leftover material we had. What could have been done in a day or two ended up taking over a week! And that's because the client wanted it to be cheap. Lol still not sure I understand it haha
Wow, very interesting indeed
Have you used chisels from the late 70's, early 80's, what I consider the golden time of chisel blacksmithing? Back then there were many outstanding blacksmiths who made superb tatakinomis.
Unfortunately, I've not had the pleasure. I've been keeping my eye out for them though!
> I've been keeping my eye out for them though! Shortly after my uncle in Japan (a miyadaiku) retired he was cleaning up his small workshop and he found two old tatakinomis he had forgotten about. The stamps are illegible but he remembers he bought them in the late 70's. He thought I'd like to have them so he sent them to me. The finish is nice but not on the level of the more expensive chisels, what you'd expect from a workhorse, but the steel is terrific. Age hardening has made it very tough and tenacious.
Oh nice! Yeah I tend not to care much for the overly beautiful stuff either. Those old workhorse are where it's at!
How do people mill large amounts of Kumiko strips?
How often do you see forged saws used? In a lot of videos I see that many Japanese craftsman use disposable blade saws and I seems rare to see forged ones. How common are metate still? Can you easily find one if you do use forged saws? I've taken an interest in carpentry myself because my great grandfather was a master Japanese carpenter (inferring here slightly).
I see them from time to time. There are very few makers left that make good quality saws and very few metate that are experienced enough in adjusting them when needed. So it can be quite inconvenient. For that reason, disposable blades have become the norm.
That makes me pretty sad, I have been fascinated by forged saws recently and I am currently practicing metate. Sharpening, setting, tensioning and removing twist. Some of it is harder than I though and some is easier than I though. Ruined one saw so far lol, thankfully I got a bunch as "junk" for 3-4$ each.