Customer Reviews

Japan - Culture of Wood: Buildings, Objects, Techniques

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In this modern age of plastics and exotic metal alloys along with mass production, the idea of creating a comb out of wood, or small storage boxes out of thin wooden slats, or carving a thin-walled bowl, seems quaint and even silly. We would expect furniture woodworkers and carpentry in constructing houses, but splitting wood by hand and trimming with small hand saws question efficiency. However, in modern Japan there are still handfuls of artisans engaged in such and similar crafts. They fight the tide of modernization by being the preservationists of Buddhist and Shinto temples, monuments and shrines, and tea houses. They also produce those traditional utensils still valued for form and craft.

This fine illustated book honors the cottage industry and its aging craftmen, who maintain the skills and techniques and still train apprentices. Anyone familiar with Chinese interlocking wooden puzzles will appreciate how large buildings were and still today are constructed entirely out of wood, without nails. We see in detail how this is done, from securing the necessary timber, to its aging in lumber yards, to carving and fitting. From bridges and buildings to wooden dolls and wooden sandals, to musical instruments and game boards, we learn the complex techniques and soon appreciate the patience and craftsmanship. Japanese design, both ancient and modern, is renown for its elegance. This book, a survey and sampling, gives us greater understanding. We also discover that these works and projects in wood are expensive, due in part to the rarity and specialization of such skills and the intricate steps of labor and the time required. The book would be of interest to woodworkers, those interested in Japanese arts and crafts, and anyone who loves wood.