The Complete Japanese Joinery [Paperback]

Hideo Sato (Author), Yasua Nakahara (Author), Koichi Paul Nii (Translator)

Product Details

• Paperback: 397 pages
• Publisher: Hartley and Marks Publishers (1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881791210
• ISBN-13: 978-0881791211
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #58,431 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #25 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > How-to & Home Improvements > Carpentry

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous and detailed, August 3, 2004

By 

wiredweird "wiredweird" (Earth, or somewhere nearby) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Complete Japanese Joinery (Paperback)

This book, in two parts, describes the incredible wooden joints used in traditional Japanese construction. A western woodworker might consider "joinery" to be dovetails, part of finish carpentry or fine woodworking. The joints shown here are far more elaborate, and are applied to construction framing.

The first half of this book describes the joints themselves. These elaborate connections aren't just a woodworker's showmanship, however. One joint may have different features that prevent side-slipping, prevent rotation, carry weight, and admit a key to keep the assembly from backing out. Another joint may connect a vertical, two aligned horizontals, and one or two more horizontals at right angles to the others. With a little practice, you may learn to read the purpose of each feature, and even create new joints for your unique needs.

The second half of this book is about framing, about using those joints for walls, floors, roofs, and second stories. It shows the all-wood joints at work. It also shows the Japanese genius at work, the skill that accepts the best of other worlds and makes it their own. All-wood construction serves only ritual or conservation needs these day. The authors show how traditional joints work with many kinds of metal fasteners. Classic artisanry is not a competitor to modern technique, it's a complement.

One appendix shows that this is not a book of Western carpentry. It summarizes the religious ceremony that blesses the construction project and is "intended as a memorial for the numerous plants, various insects, and small creatures that would be destroyed during building on the property." Reading that, I felt a real sense of loss at our developers' relative carelessness.

The book's line drawings are beautifully clear, but require careful reading. Whether or not you ever follow their directions, this book is a joy to view and an endless source of ideas for the woodworker.

//wiredweird

75 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Complete diagrams with fabrication "tips", April 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Complete Japanese Joinery (Paperback)

Wonderfully detailed diagrams make up the majority of this book, with a short first section describing Japanese woodworking tools and methods. A short section also describes the basic technique for fabricating some of the simpler joints, giving a good start for someone looking to try the more difficult ones. Not exactly a beginner's guide, but certainly an inspirational reference book!

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is a really neat book, May 16, 2006

By 

David C. Brayton (Healdsburg, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Japanese Joinery (Paperback)

This book is really neat--definitely worth $16. There are dozens and dozens of joints detailed but almost all of them are for framing buildings. Even so, these multitude of ideas presented can really start the creative process for furniture makers, like myself. In fact, this book provided a joint that solved a problem that I had dwelled on for months. Without this book, I never would have thought of this joint.

Most of the joints described are described well. But you will need to read the material carefully because some of the joints are quite complex. A lot of the joints are described with "drafting style" drawings--a front view, side view and top view. The book could benefit from more drawings that are in perspective.

The description of the use of Japanese tools is brief. In fact, if I were the publisher I'd delete "Japanese Tool Use" from the title because this book really doesn't focus much on tool use. Yeah, it's covered but there are other, more detailed texts n the topic.

At times, the text is awkward. If I recall correctly, this book was translated from Japanese, which likely accounts for the awkward phrases.