# Paklan
> A publication about Japanese Carpentry / East Asian woodcraft culture and techniques. By a journalist and carpentry apprentice, Brian Lam
Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts.
Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`).
## Pages
### About
URL: https://www.paklan.org/about/
Last updated: 2026-08-26T20:08:23.000Z
![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/04/hk-march-2026-074.jpg)

Jon teaching Shinya

*This publication is edited by Brian Lam, a journalist who founded The Wirecutter, and has written for publications like the NYTimes and New Yorker. He recently completed an apprenticeship in Japan at Somakosha, where he also acted as an embedded reporter and photographer.* 

*The purpose of Paklan is to explore things through a craft lens of East Asian wood craft, bringing professional reporting and hands on expertise to create more craftspeople, and to help craftspeople improve.* 

*Some of it is general observations about the culture; some of the information is rare insights into techniques used to join wood. We give advice on cutting and sharpening in traditional and radical Japanese woodworking* cultures*, but also opened a secret high end tool store for members only.*

*This project is also meant to connect modern people with craftspeople so that they can support each other in material and spiritual ways. It would be good if there were more craftspeople in the world, because craft enhances confidence in self and sensitivity. So I will try to help other people become craftspeople, too.* 

*There is an FAQ at the bottom of this page*

It’s been almost 10 years since the Wirecutter was sold to the NYTimes. Since then, I’ve been keeping quiet. I had a kid. But I also went nuts. I spent 5 years restoring a historic house in Honolulu with modernist and Japanese influence. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/06/IMG_0997.jpg)

The day we moved in, March 2023

Through that very hands-on project, I became [obsessed](https://www.neverstopbuilding.com/?ref=paklan.org) with [Japanese](https://www.mokuchiwoodworking.com/?ref=paklan.org) [carpentry ](http://somakosha.com/blog?ref=paklan.org)and [wood](https://www.bigsandwoodworking.com/?ref=paklan.org) [craft](https://www.bigsandwoodworking.com/?ref=paklan.org), built out a professional-level woodshop, and received [instruction](https://www.instagram.com/bp.holcombe/?hl=en&ref=paklan.org) on [machine](https://alpineworkshops.com/alpine/where-is.html?ref=paklan.org) and hand tool setup from teachers and professionals I have the utmost respect for. I spent about 50% of 2024 studying in Japan. And I'd been living in Japan working as a carpentry apprentice for Somakosha from Summer 2025-2026\. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/06/DSC_3347.jpg)

**A bell tower I helped build last summer in Idaho with my* [**Sukiya*](https://www.mokuchiwoodworking.com/?ref=paklan.org) *and* [Shoin](http://somakosha.com/?ref=paklan.org) *style teachers, a dozen* [**pro timber framers*](https://www.collinbeggs.com/?ref=paklan.org)**, and* [**friends*](https://ashngu.com/?ref=paklan.org) *\--Photo Credit:* [**Ash Ngu*](https://ashngu.com/?ref=paklan.org)**.*

After a few years of practice and training, I’ve started to use what I’ve learned in wood craft and restoration to work on old houses around town. And build things for my friends. 

[![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/06/L1001910.jpg)](https://www.liljestrandhouse.org/?ref=paklan.org)

Last month's project was a new grid for a screen at [Lijestrand House](https://www.liljestrandhouse.org/?ref=paklan.org)

Brian

P.S. Paklan is the name of my favorite tree. It has no utility to me as a woodworker. But I like the way it looks, and the scent of its flowers. We planted seven here and they are growing well. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/06/L1002378.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/06/7A12619B-19BC-460C-A2D7-27CEDA113F4B_1_102.jpg)

---

## FAQs

#### How do I subscribe?

There’s a “subscribe” button in the top right corner.

#### How do I log in?

There’s a “log in” button at the top right of the page, or you may click [here](https://www.cosmicleisureclub.com/signin/?ref=paklan.org). Enter the email associated with your account and you will get an email with a magic link that automatically logs you into the website. 

#### How do I access my subscriber account/change my subscription plan/manage my account?

Once logged in, click the person icon in the top right corner of the page, then select the “account” menu item. (Or you may click [here](https://www.cosmicleisureclub.com/account/?ref=paklan.org).) You then have access to all your account details and can make any changes you need to.

#### How do I cancel my subscription?

Through the aforementioned [account menu](https://www.cosmicleisureclub.com/account/?ref=paklan.org). Select “Change” under your plan information, then select “Cancel subscription.”

#### How do I turn off automatic renewal?

Simply cancel your subscription and your premium benefits will stay active through the remainder of the period you’ve already paid for. 

#### What is your refund policy on subscriptions?

We do not offer refunds on subscriptions.

#### How do I comment on posts?

All paid tiers have commenting privileges by default. Be kind and don’t be annoying. Privileges can be revoked at our discretion.

#### How do I change my profile picture?

Your profile picture is generated from your Gravatar. In some cases, this is pulled from an image associated with your email account and changing it there will change it here. If that doesn’t do the job, then you’ll need to log in at [Gravatar](https://gravatar.com/?logout=1&ref=paklan.org) by entering the email address associated with your CLC account. 

#### Why am I not receiving emails I signed up for?

First, confirm that the email address associated with your CLC account is the correct one. If so, and you’re still not receiving our emails, add hello@paklan.org to your contacts/address book. If you need specific instructions on how to do this, look up your email provider [here](https://www.whitelist.guide/?ref=paklan.org).

#### I paid for a subscription, why can’t I access premium posts/areas of the site?

The most likely issue is that you signed up for your premium subscription using a different email address than the one you used to log in. If you’re already logged in, [click here](https://www.cosmicleisureclub.com/account/?ref=paklan.org) to access your account information. If there’s no paid subscription active, try going back through your emails to determine which address is associated with your paid subscription. Once you’ve successfully logged into the correct account, you can change your email address to whatever you need it to be. 

If it says you are an active paid subscriber and you still can’t access the content, please email us at hello@paklan.org with subject line “access problems”, and we will respond as soon as we are able. Your patience is appreciated as we are a small team with no dedicated support staff.
### Thank you
URL: https://www.paklan.org/sub-welcome/
Last updated: 2024-09-13T03:10:17.000Z
_This page is for subscribers only._
### Resources
URL: https://www.paklan.org/resources/
Last updated: 2026-04-28T02:11:01.000Z
This is a set of resources for people interested in starting Japanese carpentry or woodworking. Free subscribers have access to more resources.

[Subscribe (Free)](https://www.paklan.org/#/portal/signup/)

### **Classes** 

These are just classes and teachers that I have known and experienced, directly or indirectly. Their sites are updated with 2026 class schedules.

- [**Mokuchi Woodworking**](https://www.mokuchiwoodworking.com/?ref=paklan.org)**:** Located in Ashland, Oregon.Yann Giguere, sukiya carpenter trained by Dale Brotherton under 9 years as an apprentice. He is the most experienced full teacher with professional training and work experience in the United States. Yann is my first, and long term Japanese Carpentry teacher and mentor. He has classes for beginners and intermediate levels, as well as private lessons for those who want to go beyond that level.
- [**Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society:**](https://www.mtfuji-wcs.org/?ref=paklan.org) Yamanashi, Japan. One of the only non carpentry based programs. [Tak Yoshino](https://www.tak-yoshino.jp/?ref=paklan.org) and his apprentices turn their furniture and sashimono shop into a campus (with housing) for Japanese Woodworking for half the year. They also have artist-in-residency programs. Programs vary from 1 to 7 days to month-long intensives.
- [**Somakosha:**](https://www.somakoshaschool.com/?ref=paklan.org) This is where I work. Located in Okayama, Japan (an hour west of Kyoto on Shinkansen). Kohei Yamamoto and Jon Stollenmeyer are the head carpenters of Somakosha. Somakosha is a firm defined by its both open thinking and traditional methods. Jon Stollenmeyer apprenticed in Kyoto with Nakamura Sotoji Komuten, and worked on [Ise Shrine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ise%5FShrine?ref=paklan.org), etc. Kohei Yamamoto has worked on [ Izumo Grand Shrine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izumo-taisha?ref=paklan.org). I met Yama-san on the [bell tower build in Idaho](https://www.collinbeggs.com/portfolio-projects/timber-framers-guild-bell-tower-workshop?ref=paklan.org) in 2023\. Beginner, intermediate and advanced classes, along with things like plaster, kumiko and doors classes. One of the biggest benefits of this school is that the new classroom is in a kominka and dorms are new timber framed construction, in the country.
- [**Dale Brotherton:**](https://japanesecarpentry.com/?ref=paklan.org)[Port Townsend School of Woodworking](https://www.ptwoodschool.org/calendar?ref=paklan.org), in Washington, hosts Dale Brotherton once or twice a year. It sells out instantly, but there is a wait list. Yann Giguere and Jon Billings also teach at Port Townsend.
- [**Never Stop Building:**](https://www.neverstopbuilding.com/?ref=paklan.org)Located in Mercer, Maine. Jason Fox, apprenticed at [Somakosha](http://somakosha.com/structure-en?ref=paklan.org) in Japan. Jason has a large property and access to large lumber, so he has access to larger-sized frame projects for people who want to take it beyond the usual beginner classes. His long term goal is to build a center for Japanese craft culture on the east coast.
- [**Year of Mud**](https://theyearofmud.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaa6MrGK1VK6yp9u6--kd30Xba3IvFK4nsoEPnq-McvlFrW431lhB%5FTBgks%5Faem%5Fv9HUjLH3hhdlIOl5jsayNw&ref=paklan.org)**:** Kentucky. Ziggy has been running workshops featuring the Somakosha carpenters for a few years now. I've never been but I hear wonderful things about the program. One day, I'd like to go.
- [**Alfred Rambaud:**](https://www.alfredrambaud.com/workshop/semaines/?ref=paklan.org)Alfred was my senpai at Mount Fuji and is based in . He's a professional furniture maker who also trained a month in Kyoto with Takami-san sometime in the past. He teaches more furniture but uses joinery methods inherited Japanese carpentry as well as furniture making, and does it with Japanese tools
- [**Never Stop Building / Chozen ji / Paklan:**](https://www.chozen-ji.org/zen-and-japanese-carpentry?ref=paklan.org)In Honolulu. Jason will be teaching tools, sharpening and basic framing, while Chozen-ji provides zen instruction in the morning. Completed March 2025, with no additional classes scheduled other than the weekly classes for members of the temple (free).
- [**Andrew Hunter**](https://www.instagram.com/p/DE9zHcoRRCa/?hl=en&ref=paklan.org)has plenty of furniture and Japanese tool classes this spring across the country.
- [**Hida Tool / Joinery Structures**](https://hidatool.com/class/?ref=paklan.org): Eric Baker and Wellington Dong are teaching out of JS in Oakland, CA.
- [**Emi Shinmura**](https://emishinmura.com/Workshops?ref=paklan.org): Tool, joinery and simple furniture classes in Berlin, London and Seattle, by Emi Shinmura.

**On Apprenticeships**

Dale told me once, more or less that carpenters often feel a great debt to their masters. He added, the way to repay them is by training apprentices who will carry the tradition forward. I think he ends up being asked about apprenticeships often, [so he wrote this piece advising people how to best do so](https://japanesecarpentry.com/wordpress/about-apprenticeships/?ref=paklan.org). 

He covers it all, but I will add, please don't take it lightly. An American carpenter was accepted recently by a Japanese carpenter, only to have the American back out of the offer. Since then, the Japanese firm has sworn off any American apprentices, going forward.

Next to apprenticeships, in person classes are a good way to learn for non professionals.

### Organizations and Events:

- [**Kezuroukai-USA**](https://kezuroukai.us/?ref=paklan.org)**:** Runs an annual Carpentry event. Location changes every year, but traditionally based on the west coast. They are a non profit run by volunteer carpenters and worth donating to,
- [**Maine Japanese Woodworking Festival**](https://www.neverstopbuilding.com/maine-japanese-woodworking-festival?ref=paklan.org)**:** Run in Mercer Maine, by Jason Fox. The event usually coinciding with a timber framing workshop.
- [Port Townsend Japanese Woodworking Festival:](https://www.ptwoodschool.org/japanese-woodworking-festival?ref=paklan.org) A new one in Port Townsend, Washington, right outside of Seattle.

### Books

I don't believe too much in books when it comes to learning the fundamentals of Japanese carpentry or woodworking. But these are good.

- [Sharpening](https://japanesecarpentry.com/wordpress/product/book-sharpening-and-the-japanese-hand-plane-in-depth/?ref=paklan.org) (Dale's book)
- Toshio Odate's [books on Japanese tools and Shoji](https://www.amazon.com/Books-Toshio-Odate/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp%5F27%3AToshio+Odate&ref=paklan.org).
- Japanese book on [Chouna, Masariki, and Yari Ganna](https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E6%9C%A8%E5%B7%A5%E5%85%B7-%E3%81%AA%E3%81%90%E3%82%8A%E3%83%BB%E3%81%AF%E3%81%A4%E3%82%8A%E3%83%BB%E5%89%8A%E3%82%8A%E3%81%AE%E6%8A%80%E6%B3%95-%E5%8F%A4%E3%81%8B%E3%82%89%E4%BC%9D%E3%82%8F%E3%82%8B-%E6%89%8B%E9%81%93%E5%85%B7%E3%81%8C%E5%BC%95%E3%81%8D%E5%87%BA%E3%81%99%E6%9C%A8%E6%9D%90%E5%8A%A0%E5%B7%A5%E3%81%AE%E9%AD%85%E5%8A%9B-%E5%A4%A7%E5%B7%A5%E9%81%93%E5%85%B7%E7%A0%94%E7%A9%B6%E4%BC%9A/dp/4416523416?ref=paklan.org) (adze, axe, spear plane) featuring Somakosha.
- *More soon*

### Videos:

- From what I have seen, I do not believe in learning fundamentals of Japanese carpentry or woodworking from videos, yet.

_This page is for subscribers only._
### Secret shop
URL: https://www.paklan.org/secret-shop/
Last updated: 2025-01-14T20:39:21.000Z
_This page is for paying subscribers only._
### Services
URL: https://www.paklan.org/services/
Last updated: 2026-05-23T07:08:13.000Z
Experience: Studied and worked in Japan for 2 years cumulatively, with edo sashimono and sukiya carpenters. Trained under sukiya carpenters in the United States for 7 years prior to that. Taught a Japanese carpentry class at Chozen-Ji Zen temple in Honolulu. 

**Furniture and sashimono project work:** Open to commissions for solid-wood projects using traditional joinery. 

**General shop rate:** *$150/hour.* The shop I work out of is set up for fast, accurate, Japanese-oriented work. Machine quality exceeds most professional standards for equipment and tuning. Three-phase industrial machines, including 520mm jointers, planers, sliding saws, mortisers, many with pneumatic clamps and digital read-outs for speed and accuracy. Professional-grade Japanese hand tool work, including hand plane finishing. In general, work is accurate to 0.1mm if necessary.

**Japanese hand tool setup and restoration:** Use of machinery, diamond resin, and natural stones, etc. 

**Lessons on Japanese woodworking:** For those looking for advice on buying, being sharper, and cutting more efficiently. Can be remote.

**Tool-purchasing consultation:** I'll help you find the right tools for your skill level.

Please [contact me](mailto:blam@paklan.org) if you have any questions.
### Hello
URL: https://www.paklan.org/hello-links/
Last updated: 2026-08-26T20:38:32.000Z
## What is Paklan?

[Paklan](https://www.paklan.org/tag/paklan/) is a publication about East Asian woodworking and craft, by Brian Lam, and friends. We want to help craftspeople do better work, and to help create more craftspeople.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/Matusmoto-fence-final-somakosha-12-2.jpg)

Sukiya-style fence project July 2026, Okayama Japan. By Somakosha

## Links

**\***[**The Line: Advice on advanced cutting and sharpening**](https://www.paklan.org/tag/the-line/)

[![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/IMG_2163-1-1.jpg)](https://www.paklan.org/tag/the-line/)

**\***[**A Year in the Life of an Japanese Carpentry Apprentice**](https://www.paklan.org/tag/somakosha/)

[![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/L1013287-1.jpg)](https://www.paklan.org/tag/somakosha/)

**\***[**Hugo Nakashima-Brown on Discovering Chinese Furniture**](https://www.paklan.org/a-ming-furniture-maker-by-accident/)

[![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/roundback-chair-group-1.jpg)](https://www.paklan.org/a-ming-furniture-maker-by-accident/)

\*[Not a Tool Store: A secret stash of professional grade tools (for sale to members)](https://www.paklan.org/tag/not-a-tool-store/)

[![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/tsuchida-No-sale-carpentry-store-5-1.jpg)](https://www.paklan.org/tag/not-a-tool-store/)

## Who are we?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/L1011281.jpg)

Full moon work at Somakosha

Brian apprenticed in Japan for [Somakosha](https://www.somakosha.com/?ref=paklan.org), a traditional carpentry firm that specializes in temple, shrine, farmhouse and tea house architecture. He is also a veteran journalist who has written for the [NYTimes](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/03/arts/design/carpentry-japan.html?ref=paklan.org), [New Yorker](https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/the-life-aquatic-with-howard-hall?ref=paklan.org), [Wired](https://www.wired.com/2012/05/wave-glider-crosses-pacific/?ref=paklan.org). He founded and sold [Wirecutter](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/25/business/media/new-york-times-company-buys-the-wirecutter.html?ref=paklan.org) to the Times. Brian has studied photography with [Greg Girard](https://www.greggirard.com/?ref=paklan.org). We are looking for journalists, craftspeople, illustrators, designers, translators to join our publication. [Email me](mailto:hello@paklan.org).

## Join Us

## Sign up for Paklan

Free: craft stories and culture from the Pacific Rim / Asia

Free Subscription 

Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 

## **Why Join As a Paid Member?**

Paklan has spent a decade and hundreds of thousands of dollars pursuing craft education and reporting. Working and reporting in Japan has revealed just how much the practices, perspectives, techniques and tools used in real craft work are hidden from the rest of us. Members will learn how people work in Japan and Asia, and improve their own cutting, sharpening, designing and building through advice columns. 

[SUBSCRIBE](paklan.org/#/portal/signup)

Members also have access to a secret stash of tools that drop several times a month.

More features are being added to membership all the time.
## Posts
### The Myth of Western Originality
URL: https://www.paklan.org/the-myth-of-western-originality/
Last updated: 2026-10-22T03:00:59.000Z
“In the 18th century, Chinese and European furniture significantly influenced each other."

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Kez / Miter Jigs
URL: https://www.paklan.org/kez/
Last updated: 2026-10-16T15:08:59.000Z
Let me know if you will be at Kez in the Bay Area this weekend. I want to show you something I've been working on.

 These are carbon fiber filament miter jigs. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/10/L1001424.jpg)

Rigid, stable, tough, and after tuning them on a granite plate, pretty accurate. It's based off a jig my teacher made me at Mt. Fuji Wood Culture Society. I went through about 20 prototypes this summer, tweaking dozens of parameters. Earlier ones would warp, crack, or be too gummy and flex under pressure. Or self destruct on the 12th hour of printing. But the design and process to make them is stabilizing. Let me know if you want to try one.

 They're used for things like secret miter dovetails, with both chisels and a miter plane:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/10/L1006040-Duplicate.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/10/A-longer-bloom-11.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/10/A-longer-bloom-10.jpg)

I'll bring some extras. The 5th person to sign up for a subscription on Saturday, in person, can take a jig home with them. I'll also be giving out prints of some photos from the newsletter. 

Find me!
### Tuning Other Japanese Planes
URL: https://www.paklan.org/tuning-other-japanese-planes/
Last updated: 2026-10-14T16:13:52.000Z
*I’m looking for recommendations setting up, tuning, making a dai for other types of Japanese planes other than the Hira-Kanna. –* [*/Cumbachero123*](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapaneseWoodworking/comments/1wuqqsr/specialty%5Fplane%5Fguide/?ref=paklan.org)

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Landing
URL: https://www.paklan.org/landing-home/
Last updated: 2026-10-05T19:23:57.000Z
Settling back home after Japan has been interesting. First we recovered, repaired and cleaned up. Now, we move forward.

Leaving our apartment required we hire someone to help us take most of our things. Japanese rental units don’t come with appliances. So we sold the appliances we just bought new, for 10th of our original cost, to a family moving to the area. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/10/B699ABA2-521E-4891-9A9F-F8496376870D_1_105_c.jpg)

Tools and cameras required special handling. Shipping things from Japan is complicated, involving a lot of itemization and declaration. The choice then was to fly home twice, carrying about 30 pieces of luggage by cart and hand. Tools and cameras made up most of the weight. Clothes were used as padding in most cases. And cameras were mostly carried in overhead bins in small [pelican cases](https://www.paklan.org/how-i-travel-with-tools-and-stones/).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/10/IMG_1542.jpeg)

Our home was in disarray. The gardens were overgrown without true oversight. And everything needed maintenance, from doors and windows to electronics to the pool and HVAC infrastructure. The koi pond had grown green with neglect. This isn't the kind of house that can be kept on a maintenance schedule, but requires sensitive eyes and hands to notice what is happening through the changes in season, and to adjust.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/10/L1000089.jpg)

The shop was in even worse shape. Being a mile from the ocean, salt air corrodes all. Every machine got calibrated, waxed and lubricated. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/10/L1000087-1.jpg)

Despite waxing every machine, some spots were missed. Where rust had formed, it was removed and preventative was applied. The jointer was incredibly out of spec, needing a full service. Several prototype diamond resin stones, stored too damp, delaminated. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/10/L1030195.jpg)

Powering up a big planer caused some arcing on a main splice into the shop, killing power for a week until the electric company could send out a lineman to shut down the transformer on the street. Neither the electrician or lineman would touch the splice, so it was up to me to pray as the wrench turned.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/10/83E85147-4173-4C56-A06A-73B81A97A039_1_201_a.jpg)

I knew it would be like this. So there was little disappointment. But it was a lot of work, bit by bit. 

The rest of the family settled in, too. School, work, surf, friends and community—the irreplaceable things we had missed over the year abroad—were finally ours again. I joined a local woodworking club called [Kapuna Shed](https://honolulukupunashed.org/?ref=paklan.org), where I could hang out with other old builders, and learn how to do all the things I knew nothing about, like CNC, laser cutting, and sanding. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/10/IMG_8158.jpeg)

It was clear that serving places like schools, non profits like this one, and historic homes was the path forward, rather than deal with clients.

I hired two young architecture school grads who also do woodwork to help me in the shop one or two days a week, Zane and Beau. 

Zane has the innate sense to find any clutter in the shop and eliminate it. I started selling tools on a regular basis, including this lathe that I never got around to using, to make way for new machines.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/10/L1000237-1.jpg)

While hurricanes swirled around the islands, we sprinted out some improvements to the amado (storm doors) for the [Ossipoff cabin](https://www.instagram.com/ossipoffcabin/?hl=en&ref=paklan.org). The home was built by the most famous midcentury architect on the island, by himself. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/10/L1001345.jpg)

And the doors were on the brink of death. They were suffering greatly in completely avoidable ways if they were built more traditionally. I was shocked at their peculiar construction, with only nails and screws, and a thin bottom rail that racked under its own weight. The thin, nailed quartersawn panels were splitting everywhere. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/10/L1001348.jpg)

I bristled at the design. But they had lasted 50 years, living under a generous eave, so really, who could complain? 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/10/L1000252.jpg)

We replaced the bottom rail's nails with teak dowels and made small posts to connect the bottom two rails for extra support against racking. And used silicone carbide nails with ring shanks (but traditional boat builder heads) to refasten the boards to the frame. The initial assessment from the architects involved a complete rebuild, but all the wood had a beautiful dignity, so replacing it with fast growth modern material was unthinkable while the original historic doors could still be saved. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/10/L1001352.jpg)

It's the season where new projects are budding. Ziggy, at [Year of Mud](https://theyearofmud.com/?ref=paklan.org), just announced his 15th year of hosting workshops. Somakosha's 2027 class spots are already going fast. And Jonny's [new book on kumiko is coming out in a few days](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1789943825?lv=shuf&hvlocphy=9198693&hvptwo=&hvnetw=g&mcid=&hvext=373549337912&hvadid=813007538768&language=en%5FUS&hvpone=&hvlocint=&hvcampaign=23946688060&hydadcr=16533%5F13842387%5F2502730&hvpos=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvocijid=1547878432138579003--&hvqmt=a&hvexpln=0&tag=smgglusdsadts-20&hvtargid=kwl-2484167636399&adgrpid=195855865365&hvrand=1547878432138579003&channelId=500&ref%5F=&plpRedirect=mhFallback&ref=paklan.org).

_This post is for subscribers only._
### How to Sharpen Groove Cutter Blades
URL: https://www.paklan.org/how-to-sharpen-groove-cutter-blades/
Last updated: 2026-09-29T00:30:21.000Z
Sharpening a groover cutter blade isn't so bad. It's just like sharpening a chisel. Except there are four blades. And they all need to be aligned.

*Jesse Halverson has apprenticed with* [*Dale Brotherton at Takumi Company*](https://japanesecarpentry.com/?ref=paklan.org) *for 4 years. He has a B. Arch from Kennesaw State University*

> [***The Line***](https://www.paklan.org/tag/the-line/) ***is a reoccuring advice column, with perspectives gathered through working and reporting with professional craftspeople. For subscribers only.***

When do you need to sharpen groover blades? Almost never. But sometimes.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Cook
URL: https://www.paklan.org/cook/
Last updated: 2026-09-21T15:00:34.000Z
A cook was cutting up an ox for the ruler Wen Hui.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Preview: Kezuroukai Japan 2026 Documentary
URL: https://www.paklan.org/kezuroukai-japan-2026-documentary/
Last updated: 2026-09-17T17:58:52.000Z
This is a preview for full members of Paklan of a short documentary about the 2026 Kezuroukai contest in Miki, Japan.

[Shan Liljestrand](https://www.shanliljestrand.com/?ref=paklan.org) took the time to fly to Japan to shoot it and put it together with a few friends. It captures the magical feeling in the air. I hope you enjoy it.

This is the kind of work I hope to create more of, with your support. If paid membership grows, it will be possible.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Japanese carpentry doesn't use nails, screws, and bolts. Right?
URL: https://www.paklan.org/japanese-carpentry-doesnt-use-nails-screws-and-bolts-right/
Last updated: 2026-09-14T15:00:07.000Z
*Japanese carpenters (traditionally) didn’t use nails or screws...right? – Carlos*

[***The Line***](https://www.paklan.org/tag/the-line/) ***is a reoccuring advice column, with perspectives gathered through working and reporting with professional craftspeople. For subscribers only.***

No. Japanese carpenters definitely use nails and screws. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/09/japanese-carpenters-nails-screws-1.jpg)

Here's how:

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Shuri Castle (Through the Fire)
URL: https://www.paklan.org/shuri-castle-through-the-fire/
Last updated: 2026-09-13T18:21:58.000Z
*This post will* [*look better in a browser*](https://www.paklan.org/shuri-castle-through-the-fire/)*. Most images from* [*Yama-san.*](https://www.instagram.com/ymtkhi?ref=paklan.org)

Shuri Castle, Okinawa, burned down in 2019 in an unexplained electrical fire. Soon, many craftspeople will complete its rebuilding. (Including some from Somakosha.)

News reports and Fire Department footage of the 2019 fire.

Shimizu Corporation ran construction, managing the process and hiring all the craftspeople they coordinated into a large team. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/09/shuri-castle-okinawa-restoration-somakosha-08.jpg)

The contract spanned 7 years and was roughly estimated at $70m USD. Last week, the carpenters and craftspeople visited the castle to see their almost completed work.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/09/shuri-castle-okinawa-restoration-somakosha-05.jpg)

These photographs are from Kohei Yamamoto's time working on the project with Ken-san and Ta-Chan over the last several years, a short visit I made in April, and the ceremony they attended recently.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/09/shuri-castle-okinawa-restoration-somakosha-02.jpg)

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### The Groover: An Introduction to the Mizokiri
URL: https://www.paklan.org/the-groover-an-introduction-to-the-mizokiri/
Last updated: 2026-09-07T19:26:12.000Z
[*Spencer Nelson*]( spencerwnelson.com) *is a handyman and woodworker. He lives in Seattle and writes about tools and the history of craft and architectural detail.* 

[***The Line***](https://www.paklan.org/tag/the-line/) ***is an advice column, with perspectives gathered through working and reporting with professional craftspeople.***

In 1958, Makita Electric Works, an electric motor repair shop in Nagoya, Japan, decided to start manufacturing tools of its own design. That year, Makita started selling two models that immediately took off: The [Makita 1000](https://www.makita.co.nz/about/history.lsd?ref=paklan.org) was an electric planer, and a groove cutter, or *mizokiri*. Yes, before saws, before drills, before anything else—a groove cutter. In 1958, carpenters reportedly would "weep with joy" when they got to use one for the first time. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/09/makita_company-1.jpg)

Traditionally, cutting door grooves was tedious work; junior carpenters were expected to take an entire day to cut the shikii and kamoi for a single door opening - sometimes two days. At the time, nearly all doors, both interior and exterior, would be shoji, sliding in tracks. These tracks are grooves running with the grain of top quality wood, and they are not small. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/09/groover-mizokiri--21.jpg)

The standard width is 7 *bu* (about 21mm). The tracks at the bottom (in the *shikii*) are 2 or 3 bu deep, while the top ones (in the *kamoi*) are usually 5 bu deep. There are two parallel grooves for a single door, and they run for 6 shaku (1.8m) - a long way to carve grooves.

[![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/09/groover-mizokiri--10-1.jpg)](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?%5Fnkw=Makita+3803&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&toolid=20023&campid=5339203478&customid=groovers&siteid=0&mkevt=1&ref=paklan.org)

[The 3800 series Makita](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?%5Fnkw=Makita+3803&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&toolid=20023&campid=5339203478&customid=groovers&siteid=0&mkevt=1&ref=paklan.org)

Before the Makita groover, these grooves would be cut by ripping the walls with a specialized handsaw. Cutting two meters of a shallow partial rip is fussy, unpleasant stuff. Then, a carpenter would chisel away the middle waste, then plane to the final depth and width with specialized bottom- and side-cutting planes.

But with Makita's groove cutter, these could be cut virtually flawlessly in a few minutes. You'd spend more time cleaning up the shavings.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/09/groover-mizokiri--03.jpg)

Makita was wildly successful with its two tools, the planer and groove cutter. They started exporting to Australia in 1959, went public in 1962, and paid off all corporate debt by 1963.

### The tool

[![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/09/groover-mizokiri--04.jpg)](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?%5Fnkw=Makita+3005BA&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&toolid=20023&campid=5339203478&customid=groovers&siteid=0&mkevt=1&ref=paklan.org)

The [Makita 3005ba](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?%5Fnkw=Makita+3005BA&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&toolid=20023&campid=5339203478&customid=groovers&siteid=0&mkevt=1&ref=paklan.org), a modern, compact groover

Groove cutters themselves are very simple. They look a lot like circular saws, but they're typically belt-driven, and accept large cutters that look a bit frightening when you first encounter them.

[![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/09/groover-mizokiri--10.jpg)](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?%5Fnkw=Makita+3803&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&toolid=20023&campid=5339203478&customid=groovers&siteid=0&mkevt=1&ref=paklan.org)

The tool has a vertical depth adjustment that lets you cut up to an inch deep with smaller models, or up to an inch and a half deep with bigger ones. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/09/groover-mizokiri--06.jpg)

Depth stop, with a taper

These depth adjustments come with a "scale" on them that has arbitrary units - don't be fooled into thinking those numbers mean anything; they're just useful for keeping track of what settings you used that worked last time. Newer models have a taper to the depth stop, so they are very unlikely to loosen and slip, avoiding making a deeper cut by accident. There's also a scale on the front to make sure you're cutting in the right place.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/09/groover-mizokiri--05.jpg)

### The fence

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/09/groover-mizokiri--17.jpg)

Make sure you get used ones with wrenches and fences. There is also an arbor spacer for use with smaller blades.

The fence on a mizokiri is critical to its performance. The models I have used all include a well-made steel or aluminum fence, but the user is expected to supply a well-milled piece of wood that screws onto that metal piece. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/09/groover-mizokiri--23.jpg)

This is important because when you cut rabbets with this tool (yes, it does that well, too) you need to position the fence within the cutter's range of action - so the cutter has to chomp through the fence directly, at least a bit. You *can* just use the metal fence directly, if you wish, but you lose out on rabbeting, and a short fence is less accurate in general.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/09/groover-mizokiri--08.jpg)

Oh—On the baseplate, there are support pieces that slide to accomodate smaller and larger blades.

### Getting one (outside of Japan)

For a long time, there have been two main makers of groove cutters: Makita and Hitachi. Unfortunately, neither imports these tools to the US, but they are easy to find on [eBay](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?%5Fnkw=Makita+3803&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&toolid=20023&campid=5339203478&customid=groovers&siteid=0&mkevt=1&ref=paklan.org) and Amazon Japan. 

The latest editions of the small ones are the [Makita 3005BA](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?%5Fnkw=Makita+3005BA&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&toolid=20023&campid=5339203478&customid=groovers&siteid=0&mkevt=1&ref=paklan.org) and the [Hitachi PG21BA](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?%5Fnkw=hitachi+PG21BA&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&toolid=20023&campid=5339203478&customid=groovers&siteid=0&mkevt=1&ref=paklan.org). The large ones are the [Makita 3803-A ](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?%5Fnkw=Makita+3803&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&toolid=20023&campid=5339203478&customid=groovers&siteid=0&mkevt=1&ref=paklan.org)and the [HiKoki PG21B](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?%5Fnkw=HiKoki+PG21B&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&toolid=20023&campid=5339203478&customid=groovers&siteid=0&mkevt=1&ref=paklan.org). There are many historical ancestors from the last 70 years, too, and generally they perform well; very little has changed in these tools since the 1970s, especially for the large models.

On Japanese sites, the most reliable search term to use is the katakana "mizokiri": ミゾキリ.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/09/groover-mizokiri--22.jpg)

In 2019, Hitachi seemed to have discontinued their groove cutters, leaving only Makita making them. But old ones are usually just as good as new ones. I wouldn't hesitate to buy a used groove cutter. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/09/groover-mizokiri--18-1.jpg)

Broadly speaking, there are two general sizes of these machines. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/09/groover-mizokiri--25.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/09/groover-mizokiri--07.jpg)

I own one of each size. I like the smaller one when doing most furniture-scale work - grooves under perhaps 15mm or so. It's nice to have a smaller unit because it's lighter weight and easier to balance on smaller pieces of wood, like the rails and stiles in frame-and-panel work. But it's got a lot more plastic than the big one, and comes with a crappy "dust collection" port that just clogs under most load.

For architectural work, or longer grooves (say, more than 3 or 4 feet) I prefer the larger machine. It has a bigger base, which makes it easier to keep it level at the start and end of cuts. It also has a bigger motor, and just more mass, which makes it run with less vibration; I think it gives a smoother cut.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/09/groover-mizokiri--12.jpg)

Makita 3800 series

If you're interested in getting one of these tools and in the US, you might be concerned about voltages. Japan's electrical standards use 100V where the US would use 120V. I have not, personally, had any problems with just plugging directly into the wall. The extra voltage means the tool runs at a higher RPM than it was designed for, which will put extra wear on the commutator and brushes, but these things are robustly built.

Buying cutters can be harder than buying the main tool body - and is shockingly expensive. A single size of cutter can easily be $80 or so. My advice is to start with a few cutters - something wide like 21mm so you can cut rabbets, and then a narrow one specific to your needs. I've liked the Nakahashi-branded cutters I have gotten, but Makita and Hitachi make cutters, too. (We believe they arbor is the same for all groovers.)

### The tooling (cutters)

I search for them as [groove cutters](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?%5Fnkw=%E3%83%9F%E3%82%BE%E3%82%AD%E3%83%AA&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&toolid=20023&campid=5339203478&customid=groovers&siteid=0&mkevt=1&ref=paklan.org) ( with the brand and size in mm).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/09/groover-mizokiri--24.jpg)

Miscellaneous tooling for the groover.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Dale Brotherton of the Takumi Company
URL: https://www.paklan.org/dale-brotherton-of-the-takumi-company/
Last updated: 2026-08-31T16:00:30.000Z
After the Port Townsend Japanese Woodworking Festival, I made my way to Seattle to visit Dale Brotherton, to study his working style. 

*(As always,* [*the images in this post will look better in a browser*](https://www.paklan.org/the-sukiya-fence-project-finished/)*.*)

Dale is a carpenter and author of [*Sharpening and the Japanese Hand Plane – In Depth*](https://japanesecarpentry.com/wordpress/product/book-sharpening-and-the-japanese-hand-plane-in-depth/?ref=paklan.org)*.* In my humble opinion, this is the most important book for a beginner learning how to navigate steel and stones. This book is a secret out in the open and I'm always surprised when people tell me they don't have it.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/Port-Townsend-Japanese-Woodworking-Festival-09.jpg)

As an editor, Dale's written instructions remind me of his woodworking—clear, honest, and sensitive. This book is mandatory reading for anyone trying to gain proficiency at sharpening and kanna, at any level. Even at [Somakosha](https://www.somakoshaschool.com/?ref=paklan.org), students are encouraged to read it. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/Port-Townsend-Japanese-Woodworking-Festival-13.jpg)

Jesse opts to sharpen on the floor

Although learning strictly from a book is theoretically difficult—or impossible—most questions asked by beginners are covered by this text. And miraculously, due to its step-by-step instructions and just the right amount of context when needed, this book breaks the rule. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/Port-Townsend-Japanese-Woodworking-Festival-14.jpg)

So, I think it is possible to learn using this book. Especially if someone has a friend who can help explain any unsolved mysteries in person. 

Because of Dale's influence on my teacher, who apprenticed with him for 9 years, Visiting Dale has been on my mind for a while. Finally being able to watch Dale work was like watching my first teacher, [Yann](https://www.mokuchiwoodworking.com/?ref=paklan.org), work. Or, it was like watching a far more experienced and skilled version of myself working: clearing the corners diligently before connecting them, with a paring chisel, often a shinogi-style chisel. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/Port-Townsend-Japanese-Woodworking-Festival-12.jpg)

(I noticed when writing that paragraph, I typed the phrase "attacking the corners". I realized that wasn't quite the right way to describe Dale's movement, whereas it would have been the perfect set of words to describe Somakosha's aggressive style of working. )

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/Port-Townsend-Japanese-Woodworking-Festival-11.jpg)

Jesse Halvorson, his apprentice of 4 years, was working on a piece he started awhile ago, and was trying to see how the pieces fit after sitting around, adjusting carefully. An interesting aspect of being Dale's apprentice is the emphasis on traditional tools, much more so than what I experienced at Somakosha. Jesse does not use a router at work (Dale dislikes the sound) but they use groovers, and chisels bevel down.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Tools: Kiyohisa Kamon Shinogi Usunomi Paring Chisel Set
URL: https://www.paklan.org/tools-kiyohisa-kamon-shinogi-usunomi-paring-chisel-set/
Last updated: 2026-08-28T16:00:05.000Z
I have to be honest, I'm not sure I can stomach selling this set. 

*"*[*Not a Tool Store*](https://www.paklan.org/this-is-not-really-a-tool-store/)*"is a regular column on Paklan where I try to find better homes for my personal tools. Only subscribers can purchase them. The images in this post will look better in a* [*browser*](https://www.paklan.org/tools-my-own-kiyotada-bench-chisels/)*.* 

**August 27th 2026 – Not a Tool Store Entry #4 — Kiyohisa Kamon Shinogi Usunomi Paring Chisel Set**

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/kiyohisa-kamon-usunomi-shinogi-paring-chisel-set-16.jpg)

I've never seen a set like this before.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### A Ming Furniture Maker (By Accident)
URL: https://www.paklan.org/a-ming-furniture-maker-by-accident/
Last updated: 2026-10-20T22:13:29.000Z
[*Hugo Nakashima-Brown*](https://nakashima-brown.com/?ref=paklan.org) *writes about his entry into the deep world of Chinese Furniture.*

I got into woodworking almost by accident. I had moved to South Korea for a relationship and left behind my painting career in New York to work at a gallery in Seoul. On my way back to the States, relatives with a long-standing furniture business offered me a design job. I'd always been drawn to wood, though my only real experience was making canvas stretchers. I even gave away my set of Marples chisels before Korea as part of a Marie Kondo purge of unused objects.

From day one, I loved designing around wood. It combined my interest in architecture with studio-scale control. After two years, I left the family business to start my own practice and enrolled at [North Bennet Street School in Boston](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://nbss.edu/&ved=2ahUKEwiXjYHRhrqWAxUWODQIHdn4J70QFnoECBsQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2OGVQ%5FCrxNbNGc3jTADGj4) to study period furniture making. I had two months before the program started, and my aunt and uncle offered me a place to stay near Delhi, NY. I set up shop in their unheated shed and spent that winter teaching myself to sharpen and cut dovetails by hand.

![57544d95-6a8b-4948-a851-a80bcbe641c3_3024x3024.heic.jpeg](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/data-src-image-ccef562a-d13d-4160-b387-605dd88bb911.jpeg)

Cold winters are good for the soul.

With an East Asian surname, I’d always been curious about non-Western furniture. But the realities of sitting—chairs, desks, beds—made it hard to take inspiration from floor-based traditions. I found myself circling the Ming tradition, which looked strangely familiar—probably because of how much it influenced Western design, even if we don’t often talk about it that way. I had seen it in [Gustav Ecke’s book ](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0486251713?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback&ref=paklan.org)and admired its almost modernist elegance, a bit like the Goryeo ceramics I loved in Seoul.

I chose North Bennet over places like [Krenov](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://thekrenovschool.org/&ved=2ahUKEwjboIGdh7qWAxXgETQIHQxBGI4QFnoECB8QAQ&usg=AOvVaw0i6VXeImrTs%5FZjHe%5F-KF8n) or [CFC](https://woodschool.org/?ref=paklan.org) because I wanted to unlearn some things. 

Having worked for a family business and grown up around that furniture, I felt it was important to rewire how I thought about design and joinery. Though I wasn’t drawn to Queen Anne pieces, the best work I saw from North Bennet students used period styles as a starting point rather than a blueprint. It felt queerer, fresher, less affected than the work I saw coming out of highly rated MFA programs.

That winter, I reached out to Andrew Hunter, whose studio I’d visited the year before through an introduction by the sculptor Martin Puryear. I had a small Japanese hand plane I didn’t know how to set up. Andrew kindly invited me to visit his studio before a Kezurokai event he and Suzanne Walton of Rowan Woodwork were organizing.

Spending the day in his shop, I found it hard to conceptualize layout or construction of joint samples like the three-way mitre used in a Ming sofa corner or a table joint with its mitered bridle. I couldn’t imagine making a piece of Ming furniture if this was the dedication required. It felt like something only possible at a time when people worked by hand every day and had the skills learned through access to only the most rudimentary of tools—when fitting something with a compound angle was no more difficult than cutting it square. I did manage to get my hand plane sharpened and tuned, though (if poorly, as I look back at my heavy-handed sharpening towards the back of the ura). It pulled a shaving, if not an especially thin one, on hard maple and left a smooth surface.

At North Bennet, I worked through the curriculum quickly and began side projects—including a bookshelf inspired by a Joseon-period Korean piece. In many ways, the traditionalist school discouraged initiative, but students who went beyond the four required pieces found it paid off. I ended up making more than that, and the mix of machine and hand work still shapes how I build it today. It was the kind of education that often felt frustrating day-to-day, but by the end of each semester you could see how far you’d come. Perhaps the school’s best tradition were the weekly lectures of[ Lance Patterson](https://nbss.edu/news-events/news-stories/lance-patterson-a-mentor-in-design/?ref=paklan.org)—extended musings of a lifelong woodworker with more curiosity than ego, whose values prioritized just getting by over chasing profit.

![572818bb-5d37-4d44-9baf-bfc70925edfa_1018x2000.heic.jpeg](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/data-src-image-bb2f2b9c-317f-4810-865b-6736c4c89788.jpeg)

Korean scholar’s shelf, photo by Lance Patterson

The more I looked at Western period furniture, the more I saw strong Chinese influence. Yet classroom discussions still circled around Western classical architecture, Euclidean geometry, and the “Orient” as exotic backdrop–more Cleopatra than cabinetmaking.

For our first independent design assignment, the Splay Leg table, I designed a desk based on a drawing from Gustav Ecke’s book. This was a good introduction to Chinese joinery, as there was only one truly unfamiliar joint—a sort of bridle joint with mitered decorative spandrels that not only added to the look of the piece but increased bearing (or, if desired, glue) surface. 

![6bca84e0-febb-46c3-8202-16b5bf490d86_3022x3022.heic.jpeg](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/data-src-image-1ad77388-c90d-4065-8fe3-516701d0e451.jpeg)

Table joint prototype

I made a simple jig for the tablesaw for use with a flat-top blade to cut the joint, a piece of mdf glued to a baltic strip fitted into the saw track. Both sides of the piece (for lefts and rights) were trimmed with the saw and blade to be used, providing a zero clearance reference that requisite angles could then be nailed on to, allowing you to use the tablesaw like a handsaw with guides, lining up your tickmarks or fixturing with stops. 

I skipped the traditional mitered frame top and used a slab instead, as I like end grain. The wood was European beech with heartwood that looked cloud-like and cracks, patched with rosewood butterflies from another student’s scrap. Wood grows on trees, but it is easier to take risks when it costs $5.50 a board foot. 

![4fa94b90-966e-4ff4-8578-1ee8d7054be9_2000x1481.heic.jpeg](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/data-src-image-0cdb4c09-507c-4a1a-9a69-bbf47caa74cb.jpeg)

Splay-legged Table, photo by Lance Patterson

That table showed me how Ming joinery could push my growth. I wouldn’t have time for extensive R&D after school, so I dedicated my capstone pieces to Ming furniture. It was still period work—closer to the school’s ethos than contemporary design—and it pushed me, and sometimes my instructors. Since Ming work was originally built with basic hand tools, I challenged myself to find machine-based workflows.

My next major project was a *yuanjiaogui*, a round-corner cabinet with pivoting doors. Ecke’s drawing had errors, especially around the molding. The pivoting doors were tricky to resolve, since the drawing placed the pivot in the wrong spot.

![d2afa23b-4db2-4304-92f3-e2b8f307bc56_3793x2844.heic.jpeg](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/data-src-image-b0b057ef-7620-41d1-8e1b-9269dc6c1cb6.jpeg)

Drawing the top view

I found a lead in [The Journal of the Classical Chinese Furniture Society](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?%5Fnkw=The+Journal+of+the+Classical+Chinese+Furniture+Society&%5Fsacat=0&%5Ffrom=R40&%5Ftrksid=p4624852.m570.l1313&ref=paklan.org)—a short-lived publication put out by a California cult called the Fellowship of Friends. They bought Ming antiques cheap, built academic cachet around them, then sold the collection in 1996 for $11 million. Their HQ looked more like a plantation rose garden than a museum of Chinese furniture, in fact, a relic of the Fellowship’s prior enterprise in Renaissance painting. Still, the journal was a goldmine for those willing to do a little digging, and one photo of a disassembled cabinet from Fujian helped me reverse-engineer the pivot placement.

I ground custom cutters for the spindle moulder to shape the moldings, used old Cuban mahogany veneer from the school’s free pile, and bought Honduran mahogany from Lance at near-cherry prices. A jewelry student made the nickel silver hardware from my drawings.

![ebdfb967-24fa-49cd-b900-4d15b898eb97_2000x1316.heic.png](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/data-src-image-12fa4161-8f75-4de0-860b-d50b8ba4d1e4.png)

Yuanjiaogui

I also built a small incense stand, a *xiangji*, to see how far machine-based Ming furniture could go. I used jigs from Jamey Pope and Lance’s proposed work for the MFA’s Chinese art wing: Destaco clamps for routing legs, a pin router for the sliding dovetail aprons, and a jig for the tiny mitered feet.

![66a6ddcc-5fb6-42bd-a65f-730aa9269587_3158x4917.heic.jpeg](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/data-src-image-98530deb-e9bf-49bd-9257-fe135076ca2f.jpeg)

Xiangji Table, photo by Lance Patterson

My final student piece was a roundback chair, the form I had most admired in Ecke’s book when I visited Andrew’s shop. It had posts that ran through the seat and scarf-jointed into the crest rail. At several points I got stuck—unable to picture the next step. I advise my students not to back themselves into a corner, but sometimes it can force you to see a too-ambitious project through. 

Trying to cut the joinery for this piece with machine setups, rather than hand tools, was the biggest challenge, but one I felt was necessary to democratize my interest in Ming work and to validate it with my instructors at NBSS. 

Complex angled joinery on the table saw always required a fair amount of head-scratching, mentally rotating each part until I could understand it from the machine's perspective. David Pye's concept of the "Workmanship of Risk" felt especially apt, since every setup represented hours of prior work, yet I still had to dismantle the jigs after each operation in a shared shop. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/roundback-scarf-joint.JPG)

While a novice might look at this chair and see the scarf joints on the crest rail as its most difficult aspect, it was really the accumulation of tiny compounding errors, such as how any irregularity in the positioning of the leg in the mortise in the seat frame would throw off the location and geometry of the cope in the crest rail. Ultimately, these chairs existed because, for a skilled hand-tool woodworker, fitting parts on a compound angle was no more difficult than fitting them square.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### A Talk at the Port Townsend Japanese Woodworking Festival
URL: https://www.paklan.org/a-talk-at-the-port-townsend-japanese-woodworking-festival/
Last updated: 2026-08-19T23:31:26.000Z
*An abridged version of my talk at the Port Townsend Japanese Woodworking Festival.* 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/Port-Townsend-Japanese-Woodworking-Festival-01.jpg)

I thought someone had stolen my sharpening stones. It was my first flight after moving back to America from Japan. In Sea-tac airport, a locked Pelican case triggered a security protocol isolating my case in a holding area, assuming it was a firearm. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/Port-Townsend-Japanese-Woodworking-Festival-18.jpg)

It would be my first time back to the [Port Townsend School of Woodworking](https://www.ptwoodschool.org/?ref=paklan.org) since I took Dale Brotherton's class a few years ago. This time, I would be giving a talk about my year at [Somakosha](https://www.somakoshaschool.com/?ref=paklan.org), and demonstrating some sharpening. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/Port-Townsend-Japanese-Woodworking-Festival-06.jpg)

Yann

My teachers and friends were also doing demonstrations, more than half of them having come through the lineage of Dale of the [Takumi Company](https://japanesecarpentry.com/bio.htm?ref=paklan.org), via [Yann of Mokuchi](https://www.mokuchiwoodworking.com/?ref=paklan.org), which ultimately leads back through Dale's teacher [Mokoto Imai](https://makotoimai.com/?ref=paklan.org), a sukiya carpenter from Japan. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/Port-Townsend-Japanese-Woodworking-Festival-08.jpg)

From Right to Left, Jesse Halverson, Dale Brotherton, Yann Giguère, Raphael Berrios, Johnny Tromboukis, me

Seeing that lineage of carpenters extend to people who are carpenters, like Dale's apprentice Jesse, is rewarding. A few of us are educators as well, including Johnny Tromboukis, [whose book on kumiko is coming out](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1789943825?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback&ref=paklan.org). Or [Raphael Berrios](https://www.instagram.com/last%5F%5Fframe/?ref=paklan.org), teaching at Port Townsend School of Woodworking. All of us are working hard to perpetuate craft. Not just in things made of wood. But as a modern antidote for what is pushed down onto our minds and spirit, via our credit cards and screens. 

[Karl Bareis](https://kezuroukai.us/?ref=paklan.org) and [Jon Billing](https://www.bigsandwoodworking.com/?ref=paklan.org) were also in attendance, telling stories and sharing their decades of hard won skills. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/Port-Townsend-Japanese-Woodworking-Festival-07.jpg)

Whether we acknowledge it or not, when you're taught something in this culture, you have a responsibility to make sure it doesn't die with you. Being here at this festival—the only one open to the public for free, so far—is part of that responsibility. 

This event's sponsorship by the school led to many new faces in the audience. Hopefully, more than a few of them become craftspeople themselves from their exposure at the event.

Here's an abridged version of [my talk at the Festival](https://www.ptwoodschool.org/japanese-woodworking-festival?ref=paklan.org), in case you're interested. The slide show was just hundreds of photographs taken over the year, many of which you can find in the [newsletter archives](https://www.paklan.org/). 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/Paklan-Line-B--2---1-.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/Port-Townsend-Japanese-Woodworking-Festival-19.jpg)

## Begin

I just lived in Japan for a year, so we'll start this talk right on time.

Please raise your hand if you're a craftsperson? I'm trying to get to know this audience, because I didn't prepare a talk. My name's Brian Lam, and I haven’t met most of you, which is great; usually at these things I know everyone in the crowd. But you're here to see what it's like in the meat grinder of an apprenticeship in Japan. A bonus is that I'm 49, twice as old as the other apprentices, so when it came time to pick up a log I was often not able to. I had a very strange apprenticeship, but I was able to observe things.

## The camera

I have a journalism background, having written for places like the NYTimes, New Yorker, Wired, etc. So when I got the offer, I decided this is a bad idea — but the kind of bad idea you can't say no to. I told them, "I'm going to be fairly useless, but I'm a pretty experienced journalist. And I don't see any photos of you guys working. Why don't you let me shoot at work?" They said yes, which is an even more rare opportunity than the apprenticeship itself.

I've been in this community about nine years. The first time I took a class with Yann Giguere, who is hewing just outside. I told him, "I think something important just happened in my life" — the first time I cut a joint. Then I said, "But you might get bored of this in six months." I know myself. Sometimes you just get bored of things. But here we are.

Eventually I ran out of classes to take. I was pushing people like Yann — "Would you ever do a class on this thing I want to learn?" If I wasn't going to become a professional, I was going to run out of things to learn, and that made me a little sad.

I thought it would be a good scam to use journalism to watch people in their workshops for days or weeks at a time. Who else is going to let someone stand around while they work? Craftspeople are going to say, "What are you doing, just standing there watching?"

## Jon, Yama, and Somakosha

It started with a *New York Times* article I wrote about Jon Stollenmeyer. Jon is a crazy American who stood outside the most heralded sukiya teahouse carpentry firm in Kyoto — by that measure, the world — for months, until they stopped telling him to go away and gave him a job. He's the only American who's ever apprenticed there. Carl Bareis, who just spoke, mentioned Ise; the teahouse there is a building Jon's boss's father made, and one they don't take apart, because the wood and the talent aren't something they want to re-approach regularly.

Jon is now a partner at Somakosha, where I apprenticed. One of the phrases they throw around is "tradition is now." Yamamoto Kohei worked for Ogino-san, one of the few people in Japan licensed to work on any historic building of any magnitude. So you have an American, a Japanese person, a sukiya carpenter, someone out of temples and shrines. They are known for building in the ishibatate style, post-and-stone, and are featured in a textbook on hewing. It's traditional, but it is also a radical place to work. 

## Saying yes

Apprenticeships are designed to take someone who has nothing, and the less you have in the way of attachments, the further it'll take you. I was going through a separation. Two houses in Hawaii. I've got a kid.

So my answer was to say to my ex — it was mutual — "Why don't you and Charlie, my daughter, come to Japan for a year?" Right when we signed the separation papers. It's kind of psycho. I just said, let's do this.

I told Jon and Yama I had to be clear: I don't want to be a carpenter. It's a lot of heavy stuff, and it takes a long time to build a house. I didn't have that kind of time, and our home and our friends are in Hawaii. I'll come out for a year and document it all, but I'm not taking this all the way like your other apprentices. I want to cut. But, you should kind of ignore me. They said, sure. We'd known each awhile in the community so we trusted it would be ok.

Last August, after my final three classes — hopefully not my final ever — we moved to Okayama. After culling every day, I shot about 20,000 acceptable photos, so I'm still sorting. 

## The first day

I showed up ready to clean toilets and haul garbage. I didn't even bring most of my tools that day. But Jon put me on a project immediately — a gate for a knife shop in Osaka.

So I start cutting. Confident. Going great. Then he says, "Okay, shoulders for these tenons — split that line with a circular saw." You don't learn that in classes, because schools can't hand power tools like that to students.

It's a new saw I bought for this job. Square, square, square, take the cut — two degrees out. That's a lot. I adjust it 20 times, losing my mind, and finally realize that at full extension the plastic collar is hitting the workpiece and kicking the blade out. So I chisel the plastic out of a brand-new saw.

Everyone's been working 40 minutes while I'm messing with my tools, which you're not supposed to do. I make the cut and it's perfect. I'm ready to move on. Clark, who's been doing this a while and is very sensitive, says from across the shop, "Oh, that looks kind of weird."

I had cut the tenon off. I cut the wrong line perfectly.

I was surprised but nobody got mad. Everyone assumes you'll do that in the first couple of weeks, from nerves. Doesn't matter how good you are. Mistakes are not dwelled on, but its expected that you make it right and take responsibility immediately and move on.

## There is such a thing as too tight

In America you can't help getting mystified by Japanese woodworking, and the bias you carry in is that everything is perfect and super tight. I struggled with that all year — approaching the work like a machinist or a sashimono maker, when carpentry tolerance at its best is maybe 0.3 mm \[0.012 in.\], one *rin*. You need that looseness. Frames don’t go together once the collective friction of many tenons into a beam add up, factoring in their varying errors interfering with each other.

Stylistically, and in terms of energy efficiency and speed, looseness is prized. You ever watch Miles Davis play trumpet? He's just kind of doing it. He's not thinking about it too much.

\[Points at screen\] That's one of my joints. Took me forever, but it's perfect — everyone else did three in the time I did one. I needed it for Instagram and for this presentation, so it serves its purpose. \[A JOKE\]

## The screws on the floor

There's a good story about tightness from one teacher’s old firm. 

There was a very good client, jobs over and over again. Three times he asked whether his son could apprentice. The son is a math or engineering graduate from a famous University, very left-brained, and he finally got in. I think other apprentices were in charge of watching out for him.

They walk into a room they're restoring, and the ceiling is gone — a problem, because the ceiling wasn't in the scope. When asked, something about it had bothered the son enough that he took it out on his own.

Then one day they're due for tea with the boss's wife, which is not something you're late for. They come to get him and he's sitting on the floor surrounded by screws. He'd found one wrong screw in a drawer and thought, what if there are others? So he pulled the whole wall of screws down, and dumped them all on the floor and started sorting. They dragged him out kicking and screaming to tea, screws still everywhere.

That's the best example of: you've got to get your work done. You've got to stop sharpening. This work is so beautiful and utopian that people go perfect, perfect, perfect and get lost in the preparation — tool collecting, myself included, or fussing with stones. But when you get to Japan, or you're working here for someone, you still have to do something. 

So, what are we building with all this?

## Cleaning

In some way, I feel robbed, because I wasn't allowed to clean toilets.

I met a talented builder out of France at another school. He wanted an apprenticeship and had an interview. But when he found out how much cleaning was involved, he said, "I can't go all the way from France to Japan just to clean."

People think it's hazing. But Shinya told me his grandfather said: you can teach a carpenter everything they need technically in three years — but if you want them to be really good, you have them clean for three years first. Jon put it this way: you clean, you're bored out of your mind, you get good at cleaning, and then you start noticing things you didn't notice before.

Woodworking is a reductive craft anyway. Making a mortise or a tenon is just cleaning away what you don't want, like sculpture. And it doesn't matter that you're not doing the hardest part of the project. It feels good to be part of something.

## Nights and weekends

People want an apprenticeship because they think it'll be cheaper than classes, or faster. They're so wrong.

I was parenting from 3 p.m. on, so I missed the critical hours. During the day you're mostly assisting. Nights and weekends are when you develop your tools, get better at sharpening, practice joinery. 

Without that time I had to survive on the skills I brought in from classes, and that's when I understood what classes are worth. There's a guy at the shop eight years in, doing layout on full-sized frames, leading. I watched Yama-san give him a quick lesson to improve his sawing — hold your hand lower on the handle, the geometry is more accurate — and it was a section of a class I'd taken years ago from Yama and Yann. That's a man 11 years into the work, counting his apprenticeship, hearing a reminder of what you get in the first week of a class here.

At Somakosha we say they're teaching people to teach themselves. Carpentry isn't controlled the way a furniture maker controls every element. Things move in the sun, in the rain, and as the wood dries. There is no formula, you have to adjust and problem solve in every situation, which is unique. So you have to learn how to learn, largely on your own. Self study is a big part of the culture.

## So what's the point?

People want an apprenticeship because they're interested in hand tools. But on a restoration with a lot of demolition, cutting is maybe 10% of the work.

One apprentice is a SpaceX mechanical engineer intern from Purdue who decided to switch it up. Speaks Japanese. They asked him to get his commercial driver's license — they kept raising the bar. And he made it through. He's the only apprentice who came in with no woodworking experience, so for nine months he didn't cut at all. He hauled garbage, demolished concrete, and sorted: metal, glass, concrete, wood, nails pulled, sawdust, superfine sawdust, electrical, lights. In Japan garbage sorting is very serious, even though a lot of it gets incinerated together anyway. 

So why do it? You're never going to learn to build a house in a class. But he got a front row seat to how to take apart a building, and that informs you on what a building is made of. 

Would you pay to take a class on putting insulation above or below a roof? There's too much; trades, electricians, plumbers, HVAC, foundations, stormwater. Carpentry carries responsibilities that in the West get handed to a contractor or an architect. That's why you do it. 

## Why I started the newsletter

Enough people have put time into teaching me that I'm holding a bag of information that isn't online. What is online is 99% misguided or without context. That's why I started a newsletter about East Asian woodworking — it's crazy that all our publications are Eurocentric.

I've trained in Tokyo-style sashimono at Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society, and here. This school (PT School of Woodworking) is doing an amazing job of going global — Noh mask carving, Dale being here, Jon Billing being here now. I'm trying to push into China, so if anyone has leads on Chinese furniture, find me. I could contribute in a lot of ways, but since I'm a journalist, this is my way.

Once you are taught something, you start to realize there’s no way to pay your teachers back. The only way is to pass it forward, and to make sure you’re not the one who is breaking a multi generational line of knowledge. 

These are some of my findings from spending a year at Somakosha. It was an honor.

---

# Q&A

**How did you handle housing and tools?**

I moved out with four people, two apartments. My fiancée has lived in Japan for 11 years, and without her we wouldn't have gotten apartments — I'd have come back after three months. Logistics in Japan are hard, and I don't like rules.

Usually you just show up. Monks and apprentices are trained similarly in some ways, which makes sense, because this work came through the peninsula with Buddhism. You arrive with nothing and get housing or a housing fee, and food money. Anything after that is for tools.

That's the real commitment. It isn't only years of your time — it's several years of salary toward a tool set where if you don’t have the tools, you cant really do the work.

I've been obsessed with equipment since Wirecutter, and my tools are ok. One day I had to set up a rabbet plane for work and asked permission to do it on the clock. It was a keizaburo, so the back was already flat, and I set that *kiwa-ganna* up in 40 minutes start to finish. It takes some people a week. I survived there because my tools were dialed in, and that's a testament to the classes. It's why we point people toward the school, and why Somakosha started one: they couldn't train as many people as they wanted until now.

**Were there many female apprentices?**

Yoko has more certifications than almost anybody but the bosses. She's wanted to be a carpenter her whole life, but nobody would take her until Somakosha gave her a job. It was sexism, and then it went on long enough to become ageism. Imagine getting every certification and still not being given a chance, for decades.

She's incredible. She spent a year traveling through Australia visiting her favorite architect's work, and she speaks English, so she's a vital part of the school now. That story needs telling, because it's the same reason I got in: Somakosha will look at a weirdo like me, or someone like Yoko, or the foreign apprentices, and give them the time of day. That's extremely rare.

**How do you feel about how Americans are taking it up?**

You're asking the right person, because I'll tell you straight, and most people are too polite. All this came from China. I'm Chinese American, so I like this. People in Japan will say, this came from China, we don't even understand how they did it — and then they made it their own.

That's happening in America now. People are using tatami proportions on the floor and Western proportions on the height, so things look less squat and people bang their heads less. Some of it looks like it might fall over. That's okay. People are very tall here and they've got to avoid a concussion.

When I first got into this community, someone told me you don't put a grinder to a kanna blade because you don't want to offend the spirit in the blade. 

*\[Audience member: It's straight-up Orientalism.\]*

I didn't want to be captured like that \[lost in traditional rules\]. Jon and Yama are radical — whatever it takes — because another idea there is that there's no such thing as a good slow craftsman. All work considered equal, a fast craftsperson making the same product builds value for their family, their company, and their client, and can spend what they save going deeper on the finish work. Tradition is now.

Watching Jon cut those posts changed how I think. He trued up a beam, built two centers — basically a fourth axis on a CNC — locked them at 90 degrees, and made a sled he could drop a circular saw or a groover into. He'd knock out a door jamb that takes a long time with a chisel, bevel down.

So I'm in love with machines, and thinking more about CNC. You would not guess the rent on 8,000 square feet there, or what the carpenters pay. They have healthcare. One of those perfect doors in super-tight sugi is $40 of wood, maybe $30\. And they still use every machine they can. Meanwhile you still need to scribe a sukiya piece without LIDAR and a robot arm.

I've also come around to Americans doing it their own way. I made a friend online who's building a frame in the Pacific Northwest with no training. That used to bother me. Now I love it — the passion, the courage. It's not half bad. It's quite beautiful. After a while you realize everyone is just trying to do the best work as fast as they can, and that's what's respected. You have to be fast, loose, and do beautiful work.

**Do they use routers and router jigs to rough out mortises?**

Whatever's fast. Nobody tells you how to do it. One time one apprentice was using a groover upside down on a jamb that was already installed, chips going straight into his mouth. Great photo. Jon and Yama's reaction was just a curious wondering why didn't he do that before installing them? Not "don't do that, we do it this way." It's his choice as a carpenter.

Sharpening is the same. Some people I've talked to here spend a quarter of their workday on it. There it's under 2% at Somakosha. Sometimes it's not as clean — you can't do that for finishing work — but for mortising and clearing waste, you can.

## If you want to do this

If anyone wants an apprenticeship, talk to me. I'll try to talk you out of it. But if you can be talked out of it, how badly did you want it? Everyone tried to talk me out of mine, and then the moment they heard I was going, it flipped. I told Dale my back already hurt just thinking about it, and he said, "Don't think about it too much. You'll be okay." He'd been the one telling me how hard it is and that people should start younger. As soon as you've decided, it's full support. That's part of the gauntlet.

## Don't worry too much about things

These are the best photos of Somakosha working, because no one else showed up. That's my game: go where no one else goes.

I was lucky enough to take a workshop with my favorite photographer, Greg Girard, who got on a boat to Hong Kong at 18 out of Vancouver and then lived in Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Shanghai, shooting for decades. Greg looked at my photos and was trying to understand what I was focused on. I told him this is what I look at when I'm trying to learn carpentry. This is the eye of an apprentice stealing knowledge. I took most of these because there's a secret in them. A master carpenter in Germany asked why there were screws in the side of that fence — those keep things plumb while we scribe the stones, and the holes get covered by plaster. A very good question by a master in his own field, noticing little things. That's what it's all about. Study any photo of my bosses working, and you will find something to learn.

The newsletter is comprised of narratives, and I try to keep it approachable, like this festival, where someone who isn't a craftsman should still get something out of it. There's service in it too: flattening stones with three stones gets you far flatter than a diamond plate. I'm doing a series on modern cutting techniques, which is like taking acoustic guitar and jumping to electric guitar. And I want to run more translated excerpts of Chinese and Japanese books. A lot is free, but subscribe for a year, and I can almost guarantee you'll get better at cutting and sharpening as an amateur.

[Keep in touch](mailto:hello@paklan.org) — I'd love to hear what everyone's doing.
### The Sukiya Fence Project, Finished
URL: https://www.paklan.org/the-sukiya-fence-project-finished/
Last updated: 2026-08-12T17:34:30.000Z
*As always,* [*the images in this post will look better in a browser*](https://www.paklan.org/the-sukiya-fence-project-finished/)*.*

Mud dried, garden in and roof on. The sukiya garden fence is finally finished. 

Complex scribes between every post, beam, rafter, and stone; hewn beams, natural columns where errors were unfixable; parts of chestnut, sugi, bamboo, hinoki, granite, and plaster. Three apprentices, one journeyman, two master carpenters, a plasterer, and a gardener. And almost a year of work, small bites at a time, until it was done. 

Later, a door would be added to the low opening, revealing a path to a garden structure. 

Given my experience level, I had no right to be near a project like this. The only reason I was allowed to contribute at all is that Jon and Yama are exceedingly generous in letting apprentices experience not only cutting but the types of projects most carpentry apprentices wait years and years to have the privilege to touch, let alone cut. They will probably never understand how grateful I am to have cut even a few joints on this frame.

I look forward to visiting in the Fall. And then, watching this project age gracefully as the years pass by.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/Matusmoto-fence-final-somakosha-11.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/Matusmoto-fence-final-somakosha-08.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/Matusmoto-fence-final-somakosha-09.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/Matusmoto-fence-final-somakosha-02.jpg)

More photos below:

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### How I Travel With Tools and Stones
URL: https://www.paklan.org/how-i-travel-with-tools-and-stones/
Last updated: 2026-08-11T10:56:54.000Z
*I’m flying to Japan for class next year. How should I transport my tools?—Shakti*

***The Line is an advice column, with perspectives gathered through working and reporting with professional craftspeople.***

This is a great question. Since I live in one of the most remote places in the world, I’ve had experience flying with tools to California, Oregon, Idaho, Maine, Japan, several times through the years to take and teach classes, and work with dozens or even hundreds of pounds of equipment. Many people travel with tools wrapped in clothing, in regular suitcases, hard and soft. This works just fine.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/08/Travelling-with-Japanese-Tools.jpg)

Packing up for home

I prefer to travel with Pelican cases. Specifically, I favor [Colorcase](http://colorcases.com/?ref=paklan.org) Pelicans, making each one easily identifiable when I am traveling with a stack. They aren't cheap, but there's never a question of if my tools will safe, or if someone will be stabbed because a blindingly sharp edge through the wall of a suitcase. Depending on the type of work, I have tried many but favor three cases, all from the lighter-weight Air series, all with wheels: 

Ask The Line: members can send questions about tools, technique, or finding your way into this craft. One gets answered here each week. [Email me](mailto:hello@paklan.org).

[Join and ask ](https://www.paklan.org/#/portal/signup)

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Tools: A Mystery-Steel Kanna by Keizaburo (for $100)
URL: https://www.paklan.org/tools-a-mystery-steel-kanna-by-keizaburo-for-100/
Last updated: 2026-08-06T22:57:21.000Z
I bought this mystery plane blade by Keizaburo (圭三郎) for $400 a few years ago. I want to get it to someone like an apprentice for $100

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Tools: 54mm Kiyohisa Chisel
URL: https://www.paklan.org/tools/
Last updated: 2026-07-30T01:37:10.000Z
*"*[*Not a Tool Store*](https://www.paklan.org/this-is-not-really-a-tool-store/)*"is a regular column on Paklan where I try to find better homes for my personal tools. Think of it as a living estate sale. Only subscribers can purchase these tools. The images in this post will look better in a* [*browser*](https://www.paklan.org/tools-my-own-kiyotada-bench-chisels/)*.* 

**July 29th 2026 – Not a Tool Store Entry #2 — Kiyohisa 54mm oire nomi bench chisel, slightly used**

I’m selling this kiyohisa (previous generation) bench chisels in 54mm. A reputable smith, better than ok. A rare size, for sure. I haven’t seen many of this size, but they're even more rare from higher end smiths. As usual, this Kiyohisa blade’s distinct curve of the head as it dives into the neck parallel to the cutting edge is a hallmark. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/L1030191.jpg)

In production, a wider chisel can make quick work of scoring or doing a final pass on a long grain wall. It’s also a good tool for tenon tuning. Or shoulder work, provided you are sharp enough and the cuts are thin enough. Kiyohisa is a good smith for paring and wide chisels, thanks to the quality of the finish work. The blade is also marked with a wholesaler, Naoyuki owned by Naohei, according to dealer [Your Nokigiri](https://www.instagram.com/yournokogiri?ref=paklan.org). Likely, that means this chisel was made 20-40 years ago.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Sukiya Fence In the Ground
URL: https://www.paklan.org/sukiya-fence-in-the-ground/
Last updated: 2026-07-26T16:00:11.000Z
Raising a sukiya fence

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Looking for Contributors
URL: https://www.paklan.org/looking-for/
Last updated: 2026-07-23T15:28:57.000Z
Hey all, I’m back home and working to make Paklan better for you. So I’m looking for craftspeople/reporters interested in contributing. As always, craftspeople deserve to be paid, so I will, in cash or tools. If you know someone who might be a good fit please pass this along.

I’m looking for pitches for the advice column from people with professional experience or similar sharing advice on techniques related to East Asian wood craft. 

—Immediately a reporter to cover the Maine woodworking festival this weekend.

—Craftspeople and designers interested in designing, drafting, drawing and doing CAD for project plans.

—Chinese, Japanese, Korean translators for excerpts from old woodworking texts, finding and sharing nuggets of technique and design 

—Craftspeople at the professional or senior apprentice level in East Asian woodworking who are interested in sharing knowledge and experiences.

—And/or also able to work as media people and journalists capable of telling stories of working in craft and sharing advice that comes from those experiences.

—I’m open to more ideas if you have them.

I’m less interested in thought pieces and philosophy, and more interested in useful and interesting stories and information. Helping people grow as craftspeople is important to me.

How about you?

Email me at [Hello@paklan.org](mailto: Hello@paklan.org)
### Tools: My Own Kiyotada Bench Chisels
URL: https://www.paklan.org/tools-my-own-kiyotada-bench-chisels/
Last updated: 2026-07-29T22:26:44.000Z
Entry #1 — Kiyotada Bench Chisels / Suiheiya / My personal chisels in Japan this year

_This post is for subscribers only._
### A Prize Kanna for the 2026 Maine Japanese Woodworking Festival
URL: https://www.paklan.org/a-prize-kanna-for-the-2026-maine-japanese-woodworking-festival/
Last updated: 2026-07-21T16:00:55.000Z
Having just returned from Japan, I am not going to be able to make the Maine Japanese Woodworking Festival July 24-26th (This weekend). It's funny to realize Japan is much closer to Hawaii than Maine. I will miss seeing everyone. But I did donate a Funahiro blue steel #1 Kanna (Genshin) as a prize for the planing contest.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/L1000047.jpg)

Funatsu Yūji, the third generation Funahiro, passed away earlier this year. So I thought it appropriate to give a plane away in his name to someone who knows how to plane and sharpen.

Jason will also be handing out Paklan discount codes to attendees who aren’t already supporters. This is a fine way to celebrate the announcement that [I’ll start selling most of my tools through the newsletter, too](https://www.paklan.org/p/73bc485b-1bc7-42dc-8dce-f545dfd7f6d0/). 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/L1015438.jpg)

The festival is in its 4th year under Jason, and the schedule is ripe with interesting topics. I’m particularly sad I won’t be able to learn how to make a copper roof (Hiroshi Awano), get deeper into plastering (Liz Johndrow) or learn about fusuma door construction (Paul Tuller). Happily, I see a joinery speed competition, which I would love to participate in. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/L1000041.jpg)

Then there are all the programs on actual construction, like those by Andrea Carson and Koji Toda of the [Kominka Collective ](https://www.kominkacollective.com/?ref=paklan.org)and Adam Miller of [Kominka North America](https://kominkanorthamerica.com/?ref=paklan.org). Check out the rest of the speakers and schedule [here](https://www.mainejapanesewoodworkingfestival.com/schedule?ref=paklan.org), and if you plan on going, here’s a [link to the sign up page](https://www.wabisabischool.org/courses-supplies/p/maine-japanese-woodworking-festival-2026?ref=paklan.org). 

Hopefully I can see you next year in Maine.
### This Is Not Really a Tool Store
URL: https://www.paklan.org/this-is-not-really-a-tool-store/
Last updated: 2026-08-11T08:33:18.000Z
*I will be selling great tools in something like a tool store, at a great prices, to Paklan supporters. You can find out what is being sold by remaining subscribed to this separate newsletter called "*[*Not a Tool Store*](https://www.paklan.org/#/portal/)*". To purchase tools, you need to be a paying supporter.* [The images in this post will look better in a browser.](https://www.paklan.org/this-is-not-really-a-tool-store/)

Earlier this spring, [Yamamoto Kohei](https://www.somakosha.com/?ref=paklan.org) took the Shinkansen from Okayama to Tokyo and introduced me to [Tsuchida Noboru](https://www.paklan.org/the-kanna-dai-by-nobori-tsuchida/) the impenetrable Tokyo tool dealer. We spent the afternoon talking, and I learned his family's shop has a nickname: the No Sale Carpentry Tool Store.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/tsuchida-No-sale-carpentry-store-11.jpg)

It earned the name like this. When his father heard feedback on the tools he sold, the same tools from the same smiths drew both praise and complaints. Looking into it, he realized the complaints came from carpenters without the skill to set the tools up and use them to their potential. From then on, he sold only to those who could make them work as intended. Nothing sits on display in his store. Everything good is in the back, out of sight, until Tsuchida offers it to someone he deems ready. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/tsuchida-No-sale-carpentry-store-6.jpg)

I thought about this concept for something like a store—one that thoughtfully supplied tools to find a match rather than to maximize profit—as I hauled 300 pounds of stones and tools home in Pelican cases. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/tsuchida-No-sale-carpentry-store-12.jpg)

Those tools I used in Japan were many, but only a fraction of what I've gathered over the years as someone who has always been obsessed with beautiful objects. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/IMG_4867.jpeg)

Back home, with eyes fresh and sober from the experience of Somakosha, I looked at my shop and had to admit it resembled a museum more than a workspace. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/tsuchida-No-sale-carpentry-store-5.jpg)

It is time to act on that feeling, even before getting back to work. Experience has since shown me what I actually need. I'd rather build with what's on hand than keep setting up tools from a pile that would take me a thousand years to use up. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/IMG_4881.jpeg)

So I'm selling my tools, a bit at a time — to lighten the load, and to make room for working differently, with other people, on bigger projects.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/tsuchida-No-sale-carpentry-store-4.jpg)

The catch: if part of the point is that these tools be used and kept well, it matters who buys them. Getting them to people who will make beautiful things with them will probably take five to ten years. A few might belong with a collector who will leave them unused and, in his estate planning, gift them to the Takenaka Carpentry Museum. Maybe you can help me get these tools into the right hands?

Think of it as an estate sale while I'm still breathing.

The first posts will go live in the next few weeks, via a separate newsletter which you can subscribe to here.

A few rare pieces a month. Anyone can look but only members can buy.

[Become a member ](https://www.paklan.org/#/portal/signup) 

*This is an experiment, and the terms may change. But no matter what, the tools must go.*

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/tsuchida-No-sale-carpentry-store-9.jpg)

## **FAQ**

- **What's for sale?** My own tools, and most of them — bought for use as part of my personal collection, with little or no constraint. Some are new; some are well used and need a little maintenance. Dealer friends, like [Guillermo Velez](https://www.instagram.com/yournokogiri?ref=paklan.org), have said it may be one of the finest sets outside Japan. I doubt that. But Jon Stollenmeyer, my boss for the last year, saw tools in my shop that he and Yama-san would use for professional work.
- **Who can buy them?** Members only, and at a wash. Most of these tools were bought when the yen was 110–130 to the dollar, so as a whole they'll sell at a loss. Prices will be set with help from my favorite vintage-dealer friends. I'd rather support this work through memberships, education, and selling craft than by marking up tools.
- **Are there discounts for pros or students?** Yes. Apprentices, professionals, teachers, and friends from established Japanese woodcraft lineages are eligible for discounts on subscriptions and tools. Students who study with teachers trained in or from Japan are eligible for subscription discounts, as well. [Email me](mailto:hello@paklan.org) for discounts for subscriptions. Tool sales will be discounted on inquiry.
- **How often will tools go up?** About five a month. I don't want this to become a job.
- **How do I buy?** Email, for now. Basic tools will go into the store. For the better tools, I'll want to know who the tool is going to and what they'll use it for.
- **What if the rare stuff is too expensive or too crazy for me?** I have plenty of high-quality everyday tools too, and I'm happy to advise subscribers how and what to acquire next on their journey. This goes both ways: if I don't think you can set up and use a tool properly yet, I'll decline to sell it to you. I've seen beginners show up to class with amazing tools treated poorly, and the damage done to them is heartbreaking. I'll help you find tools you can grow with and use well today — from my closet, or from the dealers who helped me when I was starting out.
- **Will you look for more tools to sell?** I'm interested in getting retiring carpenters' tools into the right hands eventually, but for now these hands are full.
- **What if I cant afford the subscription but still want to buy tools?** I appreciate how hard it is to make a living. If you can afford nice tools, you can afford education and a subscription.
- **What happens if I subscribe and I can’t get a tool?** I'll likely add a higher-end tier for people more serious about tools and learning to use them. But I’ll try to make sure everyone gets help in one way or another.
- **More questions?** [hello@paklan.org](mailto:hello@paklan.org)
### Four seasons to make a Japanese carpentry school
URL: https://www.paklan.org/four-seasons-to-make-a-japanese-carpentry-school/
Last updated: 2026-07-07T07:37:46.000Z
When I first visited Somakosha May of 2025, I was shown a kominka that had been gifted to the school for use as a schoolhouse. The building was in disrepair, but it would be restored over the next year, and two small timber-frame dorms would accompany it. In a few short weeks, the first classes will be hosted in these buildings. Just about now, a little more than a year after I first saw the structure, the doors will be hung, and the last details are being finished as the plaster dries. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/somakosha-school-building-kominka-dorms-01.jpg)

May 2025

I have little doubt that studying Japanese carpentry in buildings born from the craft itself will be an experience of a lifetime. [Classes for 2027 were also just listed.](https://www.somakoshaschool.com/?ref=paklan.org)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/somakosha-school-building-kominka-dorms-02.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/somakosha-school-building-kominka-dorms-03.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/somakosha-school-building-kominka-dorms-04.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/somakosha-school-building-kominka-dorms-05.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/somakosha-school-building-kominka-dorms-06.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/somakosha-school-building-kominka-dorms-07.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/somakosha-school-building-kominka-dorms-08.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/somakosha-school-building-kominka-dorms-09.jpg)

Fall 2025

As someone who has worked as a journalist for over half his life, I see many parallels between craft woodworking and reporting. In the old days, there were extensive assignments to document stories over months or years, with unlimited budgets. These days, projects like this are scarce or impossible to find or fund. There are fewer and fewer opportunities to practice deeper, more thoughtful versions of what today passes for the norm. It's unfortunate, but any craftsperson should understand the value of deeply reported stories, as much as they understand the value of buildings made of natural materials, cut by hand.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/somakosha-school-building-kominka-dorms-10.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/somakosha-school-building-kominka-dorms-11.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/somakosha-school-building-kominka-dorms-21.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/somakosha-school-building-kominka-dorms-12.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/somakosha-school-building-kominka-dorms-13.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/somakosha-school-building-kominka-dorms-14.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/07/somakosha-school-building-kominka-dorms-15.jpg)

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Winter 2026

To watch this project unfold over four seasons was impossible, save for the generosity of Somakosha, who invited and made space for me on their staff. And to the New York Times, who bought my old company, allowing me to fund this project. 

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Spring 2026

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Spring/Summer 2026

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Almost there, June 2026
### The Somakosha x Chozen Ji Temple Timber Frame
URL: https://www.paklan.org/somakosha-x-chozen-ji-temple-project/
Last updated: 2026-06-23T02:02:54.000Z
*The images in this post will look better* [*in a browser*](https://www.paklan.org/)*.*

We had to admit to ourselves that, in some areas, [Chozen-ji](https://www.chozen-ji.org/2026-building-campaign?ref=paklan.org) needs to be burnt down. That's why the Honolulu Zen Temple and [Somakosha](https://www.somakoshaschool.com/?ref=paklan.org) are replacing a building with a Japanese-style timber frame, fresh from Japan. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/06/chozen-ji-somakosha-6.jpg)

Curved roof on the project, designed by Yamamoto Kohei x Somakosha

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When you turn into Chozen-ji Zen Temple, deep into the back of the valley, the first building you might see is an old shed. 

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Measurements of the existing building, at Chozen-ji, October 2025

The building is not attractive. Doors are mounted upside down and are made from scraps of wood, plexiglass and chicken wire mesh screens. There is no floor. Originally built by members of the temple, it was the right tool at the time. It used to be a sort of smoking room, lunch spot, and place to arrange flowers. 

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Michael, abbot at Chozen-ji, and architect said, "It was probably supposed to be a temporary building. Telephone poles in the ground; a low-slope roof. Originally, it was open-air but slowly got closed in. " 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/06/chozen-ji-somakosha-7.jpg)

Picking up wood in Shikoku. These are the logs that will be used as beams at Chozen-ji

These days, it's mostly used for kado (flower arranging) and shodo (calligraphy). It's hard to believe such [beautiful things ](https://www.instagram.com/zen.calligraphy/?ref=paklan.org)are made in such a humble space.

Over the last few months, as we've thought about the project, we've wondered whether it matters what kind of building we practice in. People can meditate anywhere: in caves, under trees, on rocks. It doesn't have to be a comfortable or calm space, let alone a beautiful one, contrary to popular culture. Michael has wondered, "Can a building teach Zen?" 

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More beams for Chozen-ji

I don't know the answer, of course. But who can deny that a place has energy, and that energy is contagious? And that energy matters, possibly above all else, when it comes to living and working well. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/06/chozen-ji-somakosha-9.jpg)

Smaller members were transported that day, with larger members coming by a larger truck later that month.

So, for many reasons, it's time to tear it down.

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Abbot Michael from Chozen-ji visited Somakosha several times through the year to help us keep momentum and energy

Michael says, of the project, "At Chozen-ji, the spirit of the training is to sometimes just do crazy things and push the limits of what's possible. This project aligns well with this mission. There are risks. There are challenging logistics. There is no road map to follow. But there is a deep alignment of people and spirit, and that is the most important part of the recipe for breaking new ground, quite literally." 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/06/chozen-ji-somakosha-12.jpg)

Priest Eric visited for over 3 months to train in carpentry and help work on the school building and lead meditation at Somakosha

I have many feelings about this project, as it has been a personal dream of mine for quite a while. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/06/chozen-ji-somakosha-20.jpg)

Eric mortised out for cross braces used to hold walls in place.

Nine years ago, I met my first carpenter in Japan. About three years ago, I met Yama-san, one of my bosses now, at a workshop in Idaho. Two years ago, I visited Chozen-Ji temple, and thought to myself that Japanese timber frames could replace some of the older buildings. Last Spring, Chozen-ji hosted a [Zen and Carpentry class](https://www.paklan.org/zen-and-carpentry-finish/) with former Somakosha apprentice [Jason Fox](https://www.neverstopbuilding.com/?ref=paklan.org). Last April, I mentioned to Yama-san at Kez that there might possibly be a fun job in Honolulu at a Zen temple. Last Fall, Somakosha came to Honolulu to take measurements for a building on the temple grounds. This Spring, logs, beams, and posts were gathered, hewn, and marked out. In March, Eric, a priest from Chozen ji, came out with some of the other members of the temple to help work and cut at Somakosha. This Summer, the frame will be cut and loaded into a container destined for Honolulu. 

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Delivery of more material for the project

This project also means that even as my time in Japan ends, my experience with Japanese timber framing will continue. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/06/chozen-ji-somakosha-11.jpg)

Building Japanese frames abroad is hard even under the best conditions. And Honolulu, one of the most remote places in the world, is exceptionally difficult to build in, given the quality, availability, and cost of labor and materials. It won't be easy. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/06/chozen-ji-somakosha-18.jpg)

These logs would be hewn by Yama san

To help with the effort, the temple is fundraising for this new building. [Please donate if you can.](https://www.chozen-ji.org/2026-building-campaign?ref=paklan.org) 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/06/chozen-ji-somakosha-2-2.jpg)

Ta-chan lead layout on the frame.

Also, if you subscribe, I will donate 100% of [all new Summer Paklan subscriptions](https://www.paklan.org/#/portal/) to the project through the end of the year. 

[Donate to the Chozen-ji x Somakosha Building Project](https://www.chozen-ji.org/2026-building-campaign?ref=paklan.org)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/06/chozen-ji-somakosha-19.jpg)

Yama-san worked for weeks to shape all these logs
### Kezuroukai 2026
URL: https://www.paklan.org/kezuroukai-2026/
Last updated: 2026-06-14T16:00:38.000Z
To be honest, I think its really stupid that no mainstream American publication has been able to assign me a story about basically the olympics of kanna. After missing last year, I made my way back to Japan to close up our apartment, collect my tools, and see Andrew Ren compete at Kezuroukai 2026, outside of Kobe. 

The scale and sensitivity that this competition forces one to think at is astounding. To turn a block of wood and a piece of steel and iron into an object capable of 3 micron accuracy is a testament to the ingenuity of human kind. 

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### A small update
URL: https://www.paklan.org/a-small-update/
Last updated: 2026-06-13T19:00:30.000Z
Hey all, sorry for being MIA. I've begun to destroy the home we set up last year, and have begun our reentry to Honolulu. The reason for returning to Honolulu after a year of being in Japan are so that I can parent my kid, as she and her mom move back to Hawaii. It doesn't feel like I had enough time here, but this was always the plan. And, I feel like I got to scratch the itch to work in Japan. Now, it's time to focus on the most important thing in my life, being a father. I'm not done with Japan, as I'll be coming back as often as I can to work and shoot Somakosha. And I have thousands of photos and little pieces of advice to share through the next few months or longer.

Heading back was very physical. We carried 18 bags of cameras and things back by plane, and have totally crashed from the effort. Right after unpacking, I have just returned to Japan again to shoot Kezuroukai, see with friends, and to transport my tools and stones back. While here, I want to work on and shoot some Somakosha projects. Please find me if you are going to be at the Kez event. 

Lastly, I'm not going to be posting as regularly, so i'll pause some monthly subscriptions and figure out how to extend the annual ones. 

I never want anyone to feel obligated to support this work when they are trying to get by as a craftsperson themselves. And at the same time, I need to find ways to support my family. Likely, I'll start selling a ton of hand tools to members and professionals from my personal stash. I have 10x what I need, and they deserve to go into rotation as working tools that make beautiful things. If anything, working in Japan has given me a fresh understanding of how important machine and digital work is in keeping craft alive, as long as the core is solid.

In the meantime, here are some photos of Yama-san working on a nearby structure down the road in Okayama, for his old boss's firm. Clark joined, on his day off, just so he could help. Watching 3 generations collaborate to restore beauty to an old structure was a gift. By morning the next day, the awning was restored and ready to be re roofed in thatch.

Talk to you soon. As always, if I can help you in any way in the pursuit of your craft, please send me a note.

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### The Reality of Japanese Carpentry Apprenticeships
URL: https://www.paklan.org/the-reality-of-japanese-carpentry-apprenticeships/
Last updated: 2026-05-20T02:33:39.000Z
Just the other day at work at Somakosha, I saw a talented young carpenter with almost a decade of experience get some tips on using his hand saw to gain a bit of accuracy. It triggered a memory of that same tip being given to students [in a class the week before](https://www.somakoshaschool.com/?ref=paklan.org). 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/05/L1001510.jpg)

There is a lot of interest in carpentry apprenticeships in Japan. Over the last year as an apprentice here, many friends and strangers have asked me for my thoughts on landing an apprenticeship. I tell most people the same thing: I think that classes make more sense for most people. 

I'm not trying to bullshit you. An apprenticeship isn't woodworking all day in Japan. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/05/L1001373.jpg)

If you just want to learn how to use Japanese tools, taking a class is the quickest and most wonderful way to do so. That is because in a modern shop, most of the work apprentices do has nothing to do with cutting wood. 

And, believe it or not, Japanese carpentry apprentices don’t really get taught much woodworking at all, so it’s up to them to escape this early stage of apprenticeship. Our philosophy here is that people will help you teach yourself, but you have to teach yourself. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/05/L1010949.jpg)

One apprentice here, the only one without any prior knowledge of woodworking or carpentry, has basically hauled trash and put up plaster for almost a year. This week, he’s building something on his own, and he’s learning a ton, but it hasn’t been easy. Most people who have come to this company as foreign apprentices quit before this early stage. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/05/L1014271.jpg)

The first while in an apprenticeship is also designed to refine your spirit and sensitivity through a lot of work foreigners might consider beneath them, like cleaning or dump runs. This isn’t a punishment; it’s just a way to break into someone’s mind and realize that all tasks are important in a team environment, and unskilled laborers need to earn trust by doing easy tasks extremely well. (But sometimes it is also punishment.) Doing menial work with care also reflects the skill of a carpenter. Many foreigners I’ve spoken to don’t want to take the time to move to Japan only to sweep or hang drywall. Many have quit at this point in the experience. As I mentioned, fewer than 10% of the foreign apprentices at the firm where I have worked have lasted more than a year. This sense of perseverance is a cornerstone of Japanese culture. Living in Japan offers many opportunities to persevere, culturally, so the average Japanese person is used to more inconvenience than a typical foreigner. And learning carpentry or any trade through apprenticeship is an even more onerous task; most foreigners will, and have, melt under it. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/05/L1002020.jpg)

Secondly, even the best apprentices make mistakes, and sometimes, they get scolded. There is no HR department to report this to. And sometimes people get scolded for mistakes that are impossible to avoid, but are still their responsibility. This again comes back to the point of perseverance, responsiblity to yourself and others, and self-reliance in the training. If you can’t handle these situations, what will happen to a carpenter who finds himself in a unique situation that he has never been explicitly taught how to handle? And of course, every building, site, client, and piece of wood is different. Carpenters must know how to figure things out under the pressure of deadlines and budgets and fix mistakes they or others have made. If you can’t tolerate these things, it's probably best you do not become a carpenter anyhow. Thousands of other jobs are easier to do.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/05/L1015108.jpg)

Thirdly, you will barely get to use your hand tools, compared to a hobbyist or furniture maker, for a very long time. Most modern shops in Japan rely on a large number of power tools for rough work, and more skilled carpenters can wield the wooliest power tool with astounding accuracy, eliminating the need for hand tools in many situations. Yes, hand tools are used to fine-tune things, but it takes a while to get sharp and competent enough to be given tasks using these tools in actual production. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/05/L1010670.jpg)

The cost of classes is the first objection I hear when I suggest taking them. I have heard that they would rather be learning “for free”. But, just so you know, apprenticeships are not paid, and the tools required to take advantage of the situation can cost thousands of dollars. So, if you’re serious enough to consider being an apprentice, you’re going to end up spending a lot on tools either way. One apprentice, to gain the most experience, spent $70k on tools in his first two years. Another spent double that. In this sense, classes are far cheaper than apprenticeships, especially if you have another means to make a living.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/05/L1015204-2.jpg)

On the other hand, if you want to be a builder of these kinds of structures, there is so much to learn. I would guess that 90% of building a timber-frame house, from conception to client use, is not actually woodworking. Like estimating quantity and selecting the quality of materials, hardware choices for everything except wood, such as insulation, screws, locks, door wheels, and tracks. Then there is the plastering, roofing, electrical, and plumbing. Before all that, site work. And much more if you are doing a restoration, like demolition, sagging members, and termite-eaten posts and beams. When a chisel or saw cuts some wood, it is in the context of all these other moving elements.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/05/L1015205.jpg)

Don’t get me wrong, apprentices do get to cut. Of our apprentices, Clark has dreams of building structures of natural materials, from forests he manages. And Shinya explicitly dreams of becoming a carpenter, like his grandfather and great-grandfather. When I came here, I had to be honest that this was not my goal. My goal was to learn, cut a little, and draw on the journalistic and organizational experience I have gained over the last few decades. I'm a deviation from the norm, at twice the age of an apprentice. I'm even older than my bosses. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/05/L1011322.jpg)

Because of their dedication and commitment, Clark and Shinya get to cut more than the other apprentices. They’ve made doors, windows, and frames in the time I’ve been here. I’m never able to keep up with them.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/05/L1002357.jpg)

It's also important to realize that the presence of an apprentice is not free help for the company. Apprentices are initially all burdens. We take up oxygen and space. We steal time and energy from carpenters who should be building rather than babysitting. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/05/L1012488.jpg)

Why bother at all then? Because the responsibility of a carpenter at the end of his career is to have passed on his knowledge to others. And maybe, once in a while, someone can grow enough to become someone who can help the company survive. Even more rare and precious is the apprentice who can match or surpass the skill of their boss. But the commitment begins as a few years' commitment and soon grows into a lifetime of understanding that learning in this world is endless.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/05/L1011224.jpg)

In the end, if your teachers spend the time teaching you what they know, you will sooner or later realize you, too, have picked up the responsibility not only to use but pass on this knowledge. So, when you say you want a carpentry apprenticeship, are you serious about taking on this much work and responsibility? 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/05/L1002209.jpg)

This perspective is not theoretical. People always say, “You must be so good now that you’ve been working in Japan for a year as an apprentice!” I tell them, I’m not that different from before. To be honest, I hadn’t used my hand plane in several months. I rarely get to cut. But when I do, I can. My bosses attribute this to my background, which is mostly in classes. I’ve taken dozens and dozens of them. Likely more than any other foreigner, ever. From these classes, I may not know how to build a house. But I can cut accurately.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/05/L1012720.jpg)

I am so fortunate to have experienced this year. It was as beautiful, meaningful, and fulfilling as I expected. But it also surprised me at every turn. From the perspective of cutting wood, however, [my appreciation for classes has deepened](https://www.somakoshaschool.com/?ref=paklan.org). For most of us, they are all we need to start making beautiful things. 

What will you do next?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/05/L1002094.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/05/L1010590.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/05/L1001993.jpg)
### Bosses cutting
URL: https://www.paklan.org/bosses-cutting/
Last updated: 2026-05-11T00:25:25.000Z
Watching Jon and Yama cut

_This post is for subscribers only._
### On hiring Japanese carpenters (anywhere in the world)
URL: https://www.paklan.org/on-hiring-japanese-carpenters-anywhere-in-the-world/
Last updated: 2026-05-20T01:12:47.000Z
I wrote this FAQ for Somakosha, to address the most common questions international architects, contractors, designers, and clients have about their process. It largely applies to anyone trying to utilize this kind of carpentry outside of Japan, though. 

(The photos in this post are for a public project Somakosha is working on for a project in Honolulu, Hawaii. But they have worked in Europe, and North America before.)

  
**Is it possible to work with Japanese carpenters anywhere in the world** Mostly, yes. Working internationally is common for high-end Japanese carpentry firms. Firms equipped to handle international work have designed and built projects in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and the rest of Asia. Usually, that means the carpenters work under a local general contractor, with or without an architect. 

**Why Japanese carpentry?**  
Unusually close attention to detail is the norm in Japanese carpentry and design. And because it is the norm, Japanese carpenters are not only detailed but also fast, accurate, and beautiful. The hand saws used can be as thin as 0.2mm and can cut a thin pencil line in half. Using hand-forged chisels sharpened to a high degree, most high-end firms build their joints to a target of 0.3mm accuracy on an architectural scale. Wood is oriented to resist weather and reflect the natural beauty of the grain, and to dry over time in a way that creates tightness, not looseness, in the frame. Hand planes, able to take shavings 1/10 the thickness of a human hair, are used to finish the surfaces. The planed surfaces gain a gentle luster that resists dirt and moisture. Planing is also faster than sanding, saving on labor costs. The joinery has been time-tested over centuries of earthquakes to be sturdy yet flexible and repairable. The feeling of living alongside carpentry like this elevates the spirit.

All of this is possible through the human connection between master carpenters and apprentices, passed down through tradition for thousands of years. 

**Why is Japanese carpentry so beautiful?**   
Japanese carpenters are capable of elevating any style of carpentry through a deep culture of understanding of wood and sensitivity, influenced by Shintoism and Buddhism. This influence shows up in the selection of trees and lumber, the orientation of grain in a project, and finer handling through sharper tools and techniques passed down from the mainland of Asia and refined over generations. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/04/bamboo-joinery-1-4.jpg)

**Are Japanese carpenters limited to designing and building traditional Japanese architecture?**  
Japanese architecture directly influenced modern architecture. So Japanese carpentry is uniquely suited to other types of buildings. Somakosha’s partners are interested in bringing the highest level of carpentry and craftsmanship to both modern and historic designs.

**What about language and cultural barriers?** The language barrier is real in many cases, with most projects requiring a translator who also understands construction.Uniquely, [Somakosha](https://www.somakosha.com/?ref=paklan.org) carpenters and owners speak English. And have also worked not only on the grand shrines of Japan but all over the world, negating the need to hire a translator. They also have design, contractor, and architecture partners on many continents who are ready to assist.

**When in my project timeline should I contact a Japanese carpentry firm?**  
For timber frames, firms are often asked at the last minute to help build something that does not meet standards. Bringing in a Japanese carpenter during the design phase—not just when it is time to build—is critical to understanding authentic Japanese design and vocabulary. This way, we can best integrate them authentically into your project.

One of the most important things to understand is that the idea of an architect as the sole designer of a building is a relatively new concept. In most cultures, historically speaking, the one who designs the building is also the one who has to build it and guarantee it. 

For finish carpentry, doors and windows, cabinets, and other types of fine woodworking, we may be able to help later in the process.

**What else is possible for Japanese Carpenters to do in a building, besides a timber frame?**  
Japanese carpenters are known for being highly skilled in everything from design to the finished work. Japanese carpenters are often hired in Japan to do everything from bespoke furniture and lighting to built-in solid-wood cabinets in kitchens and baths to bathtubs. They are also commonly used to construct gates, fences, garden structures, pool houses, bathhouses, and tea rooms.

**How would the work process go?**  
After a collaborative design process and submission for any necessary permitting, the actual construction of the work is done on site, with materials gathered, cut, and finished in a shop in Japan. 

Usually, 70% of the project’s work is completed by the time materials are cut and finished. Then, materials are carefully packed and shipped to the site. Since materials are already ready to be joined at this point, construction on site happens much more quickly than a Western frame–a small team can raise a large frame in only a few days.

Finish work can be handled by Japanese carpenters or through a collaboration between local contractors and Japanese carpenters. 

**Is work usually on time?**  
Work in Japan at higher-end firms is always on time due to legal and cultural obligations. 

**Are timber frames legal and to code?**  
Since Japanese timber frames are not a common building type in most other countries, an architect or engineer will often be required to obtain a variance. Technically, Japanese Timber frames have existed for 100s of years and have evolved in a country known for its strong seismic activity, as well as every type of natural disaster known to man.

**Can Japanese timber frames be made energy efficient?**   
Of course. Through things like windows and insulation, as well as the type of lifestyle that buildings like these afford. Traditionally, the lifestyle of the people who inhabited these houses was in tune with the seasons and environment. Modern versions offer the possibility of much more insulation in floors, walls, and ceilings, higher-performance glazing, and other passive house design features.

**How is shipping handled?**  
Materials are processed and checked, then meticulously wrapped in paper and padding to prevent them from changing color in sunlight. (There is even a special tape that Japanese carpenters use to secure the paper so it does not tear out grain when removed.) Materials are then shipped out by ocean-going containers or even by air. Containers can take 2-3 months. Customs and import rules are observed throughout the transit process. 

**What happens when the work pieces arrive?**  
Landed containers can go to the site or be stored for later construction.

Our team will fly out to assemble and install the work, wearing gloves, because in Japan, oil on one's hands can change the luster of the wood finish before the customer gets to enjoy it. 

Since pre-cut and finished joinery in the shop, with well-selected and conditioned wood, allows for precise and quick fitting of pieces on site, the work goes much faster than work that has to be cut, nailed, glued, screwed, sanded, and then finished with paint or oil on site.

**Where do you source your lumber?**  
Because Japanese carpentry emphasizes wood quality, selection, and orientation to best serve the aesthetic and functional needs of the work, Japanese carpenters work with Japanese lumber suppliers, supply their own wood to specification, and buy logs at auction, avoiding lumber markup costs. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/04/bamboo-joinery-1-3.jpg)

**How can Japanese carpenters possibly be competitive with local carpenters?**  
In large cities, costs are comparable or competitive. In some cases, in more rural areas, they won’t be. If you have a small project or one that does not require the highest-end carpentry, working with people in your community may make sense. Supporting local craftspeople is important. 

However, the costs of land, food, housing, and lumber, the price of the yen, and the low cost of sending a shipping container full of wood to carpenters in Japan give carpenters in Japan a cost and quality advantage that can translate into the highest level of work at a fair price.

**Why would Japanese carpenters bother to work internationally?**  
The spirit of traditional Japanese aesthetics and craftsmanship is known throughout the world. We want to share these standards of beauty, efficiency, and precision with everybody who cares about timeless design and craftsmanship.

*If you are thinking about a collaboration, it's probably best to find the right firm to contact. Since the community is pretty small, I'm happy to refer you to the right people if you contact me at* [*hello@paklan.org*](mailto:hello@paklan.org) *You can also contact* [*Somakosha*](https://www.somakosha.com/?ref=paklan.org) *directly.*
### Breaking down the cost of Paklan
URL: https://www.paklan.org/breaking-down-the-cost-of-paklan/
Last updated: 2026-04-24T02:26:22.000Z
Breaking it down

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Joining Bamboo to Wood
URL: https://www.paklan.org/how-to-join-bamboo-to-wood/
Last updated: 2026-08-11T10:56:56.000Z
For years, I’ve wondered how to join bamboo to wood. Working on [the sukiya fence project](https://www.paklan.org/cutting-mortises-in-natural-round-hinoki-posts/), we had a chance. Yama and I guessed maybe 5 people or so know how to do it like this in the United States.

First, we finished general joinery and scribing of the sugi pieces that the bamboo would join to. This work in and of itself is not insignificant, so the stakes already become higher than average in the next few steps. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/04/bamboo-joinery-1-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/04/bamboo-joinery-2-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/04/bamboo-joinery-3.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/04/bamboo-joinery-9.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/04/bamboo-joinery-14.jpg)

Bamboo is not round, so the mortise has to be scribed to match its natural shape. First, we mark centers on the wood, and a “+” to extend the center lines. 

Ask The Line: members can send questions about tools, technique, or finding your way into this craft. One gets answered here each week. [Email me](mailto:hello@paklan.org).

[Join and ask ](https://www.paklan.org/#/portal/signup)

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Cutting natural round hinoki posts
URL: https://www.paklan.org/cutting-mortises-in-natural-round-hinoki-posts/
Last updated: 2026-04-07T09:16:17.000Z
When it was time to cut mortises in the posts for the [sukiya fence project](https://www.paklan.org/a-sukiya-fence-project-late-winter/), I cut slowly and carefully. A natural round post left zero room for error. And, it was critical to not ruin a piece of wood that had already had dozens of hours of labor put into it by experienced professional carpenters. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/04/L1020166.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/04/L1020179.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/04/L1020192.jpg)

As apprentices, we were being pushed. Traditionally, people of our experience would not be working on a project like this without half a decade or more of experience. Sure, we could manage to do the work, but it was slow. It was not time for practice. It was time to get it right.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/04/L1020200.jpg)

Errant thoughts were put out of mind, and I cut. First, I drew a border 2-3mm from the actual mortise ink line, and cut a shallow trench in that to safely receive an auger. Then, from both sides, I cut out the remainder of the small mortise. Using the corner of a high speed steel chisel and a hammer, I roughed out the distance from the small mortise to the actual border, 0.2mm from the actual line. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/04/L1020202.jpg)

Then, I cleaned out the waste to 0.1mm, starting by reaching into the corners to define the rectangle. With a fresh wide chisel, I pared to split all lines, connecting the corners. With a small rule, I checked the mortise had no humped sections that would interfere with the tenon.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Apprentices scribing nuki for the sukiya fence project (late Winter)
URL: https://www.paklan.org/a-sukiya-fence-project-late-winter/
Last updated: 2026-03-24T02:31:52.000Z
Scribing for a sukiya style fence

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Somakosha school and dorms (Late Winter)
URL: https://www.paklan.org/somakosha-school-and-dorms-late-winter/
Last updated: 2026-05-07T09:04:26.000Z
Work on the [Somakosha school](https://somakoshaschool.com/?ref=paklan.org) and dorms continued through the peak of winter. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/03/L1012855.jpg)

When Yama san came to work on the site, he saw with his own eyes the true condition of the structure. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/03/L1012875.jpg)

Rather than rush or compromise, he made the call to take down more of the walls, much more rotten than expected, so we could build them anew. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/03/L1012478.jpg)

Waka-san, Yoko Honda, Sakaguchi-san, and his son Ayumi worked on the restoration, cutting mortise and tenon, planing, and installing floors. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/03/L1012656.jpg)

Apprentices and Ta-chan continued to work on the dormitory lintels for doors and windows, plaster, and electrical. I liked watching Clark run this groover upside down. I don't think he learned that move at Yale. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/03/L1012534.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/03/L1012432.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/03/L1012403.jpg)

Akagi-san tiled the roof. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/03/L1012756.jpg)

Carpenters sharpened on cold stones, working into the night.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/03/L1012730.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/03/L1000425.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/03/L1012927.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/03/L1012618.jpg)
### Origin and philosophy of Somakosha (in 住宅建築 magazine)
URL: https://www.paklan.org/origin-and-philosophy-of-somakosha-in-zhu-zhai-jian-zhu-magazine/
Last updated: 2026-02-23T16:00:43.000Z
[Somakosha](https://www.instagram.com/somakosha?ref=paklan.org) was featured in 住宅建築 ("Residential Construction") magazine, a legendary glossy about fine buildings. 

The first part of the article includes a piece by [Kohei Yamamoto](https://www.instagram.com/ymtkhi/?ref=paklan.org) on the origins and philosophy of the company. [Togo Miyashita](https://www.instagram.com/wootogo.working/?hl=en&ref=paklan.org), my friend and apprentice to Tak Yoshino, helped me translate the article into English. The magazine's self description is **文化としての住まいを考える建築専門誌**— "An architecture journal for thinking about dwelling as culture." But this issue's special theme is "**自然·人·空間を結ぶ技**" or "The craft/skill that connects nature, people, and space." 

[You can get the magazine here](https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/dp/B0G49H4HHD?ref=ppx%5Fyo2ov%5Fdt%5Fb%5Ffed%5Fasin%5Ftitle), where there are more photos and diagrams. (The translations below include captions for images, and won't be fully useful without the publication in hand.)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/Paklan-Line-B--2---1-.jpg)

住宅建築 自然·人·空間を結ぶ技

住宅建築The Art of Connecting Nature, People, and Space

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/02/L1014421.JPG)

Hiyashi san's studio

**p.5**

1400年かけて培われた伝統構法でつくる

山本耕平／杣耕社代表、大工

Build with Traditional Construction Methods Cultivated Over 1400 Years

Kohei Yamamoto / Representative, Somakosha; Carpenter

**戦後から日本の木造が変わった**

独立以前は、岡山の新東住建工業というところで約8年間大工修業をさせてもらいました。主な仕事は文化財の修理や寺社仏閣の新築工事でした。修業時代に住宅の新築現場を通りかかった時に、私が今仕事で携わっている構法と全然違うことに驚きました。私がその時見たのは在来工法でした。

日本の木造建築の歴史を調べてみると、在来工法は明治時代に海外からの影響を少しずつ受けるようになったようです。日本の構法と交わり現在の在来工法の形へと定着していったようですが、まだ明治·大正の頃は過渡期だったと考えられます。戦後1950年に建築基準法が制定されると、一律の基準を満たした建物でないと建てられなくなりました。その際に木造建築は在来工法が主軸に置かれたため、急に増加していきました。一方で伝統構法は幸か不幸か、文化財修復の世界で生きながらえ、残存していくこととなります。

p.5

Japanese Wooden Construction Changed After the War

Before becoming self-employed, I trained as a carpenter for about eight years at Shinto-Jyuken Kogyo in Okayama. My main work involved repairing cultural properties and constructing new temples and shrines. During my apprenticeship, I passed by a new residential construction site and was shocked to see a construction method completely different from the one I now was engaging in. What I saw then was the conventional method.

Researching the history of Japanese timber construction reveals that the conventional method gradually began incorporating influences from overseas during the Meiji era. It seems to have blended with Japanese construction methods, eventually settling into the form of the current conventional method. However, the Meiji and Taisho periods were likely still a transitional phase. After the war, when the Building Standards Act was enacted in 1950, buildings could only be constructed if they met standardized criteria. At that time, traditional wood-frame construction became the primary method for wooden buildings, leading to a sudden increase in its use. On the other hand, traditional construction methods, for better or worse, survived and persisted within the field of cultural property restoration.

**科学的な見地で伝統構法を再解釈**

立命館大学の鈴木祥之先生は伝統構法の木造建築物の耐展化の権威と言われています。鈴木先生が阪神淡路大震災の折に被災地に足を運ぶと、伝統構法で建てられた古い民家で大きな被害なく残っていたものが数多くあったそうです。そこから伝統構法を研究しようという流れが起き、研究を重ねていくと伝統構法が地震に対しての「粘り強さ」があることが分かってきました。地震や日本の気候風土に対しての最適解である構法だということがようやく研究され始めたのです。

Reinterpreting Traditional Construction Methods from a Scientific Perspective

Professor Yoshiyuki Suzuki of Ritsumeikan University is considered an authority on the seismic resilience of traditional timber-frame buildings. When Professor Suzuki visited the disaster area after the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, he observed numerous older homes built using traditional methods that had survived with little damage. This prompted a movement to study traditional construction techniques. Through extensive research, it became clear that traditional methods possess a unique “resilience” against earthquakes. Research has finally begun to uncover these methods as the optimal solution for earthquakes and Japan's climate and natural environment.

**伝統構法は先人たちの試行錯誤による賜物**

私は、日本の伝統構法は1400年というとてつもなく長い実証実験、試行錯誤が繰り返されてきたことによる賜物だと思っています。例えば、中世の時代には斜材、つまり筋交いのようなものを入れた建築事例も残っていますが、その後、取り外している事案もあったようです。つまり建物を固くつくりすぎると倒壊しやすいということはすでに先人たちが理解していたのです。そうした細かな観察によって生み出された技術の一つが「貫」です。貫は柱に穴を開けてそこに横材として差してあるだけという単純な仕組みですが、柔軟性がありつつ架構の矩形を保ってくれる、非常によく考えられた組み方だと思います。鉄やコンクリートはとても固い素材ですが、強い力が架構にかかり変形すると元には戻りません。木は程よい弾力があるため、フレームが働いでも元に戻りやすい。貫に限らず、金物を使わない木組みは地震の衝撃に対して木の特性と架構に分散された継手、仕口が緩衝箇所となり、多少壊れる部分があっても建物は倒壊しにくくなっています。

他にも、石場建ては、縄文の頃の住居は掘立柱だったのが、地面に直接柱を埋めると腐が早いということが経験で分かってきた結果、石で柱と地面との縁を切り、柱を建てて足固めで繋ぎ、高床にして通風を確保する方法が確立されていったのではないかと推察します。

鈴木先生の実験で興味深かった実証結果があります。兵庫の振動大実験施設「Eディフェンス」で実際の建物を揺らしてみたところ、計算結果では「倒壊」と判定が出るのに対して、実結果では破損は見られても倒壊には至らなかったのです。現代では物事について実証する際に計算や数字に頼った過程を取る傾向にありますが、すべての事象に発生している物理法則を「計算」というかたちで網羅するには限界があります。AIや量子コンピューターの登場で、いずれ極めて精緻な物理現象を模擬実験できるようになるかもしれませんが、1400年という年月をかけた身体知を通じた思考錯誤の集大成に、まだまだ現代の科学が追いつけていないところがあるように感じます。

Traditional construction methods are the result of our ancestors' endless trial and error.

I believe Japan's traditional construction methods are the result of an incredibly long, 1400-year-long process of empirical testing and repeated trial and error. For example, while there are examples of medieval buildings incorporating diagonal bracing, similar to modern cross-bracing, there also seem to be cases where this bracing was later removed. This shows our ancestors already understood that making buildings too rigid made them prone to collapse. One technique born from such meticulous observation is the “Nuki” (penetrating tie beam). It's a simple mechanism: just making a hole in a pillar and inserting a horizontal beam through it. Yet, it's a remarkably well-thought-out assembly method that maintains the frame's rectangular shape while allowing flexibility. Materials like iron and concrete are very rigid; when strong forces deform the frame, it doesn't return to its original shape. Wood, however, has just the right amount of elasticity, allowing the frame to spring back more easily after being stressed. Not only in Nuki, but in any timber framing that avoids metal hardware, the inherent properties of wood and the distributed joints and connections within the framework act as shock absorbers against seismic impacts. This means that even if some parts break, the building is less likely to collapse.

Regarding stone-based construction, I speculate that the method evolved from Jomon-period dwellings using post-and-beam structures. Experience taught that embedding posts directly into the ground caused rapid decay. Consequently, stones were used to create a barrier between the posts and the ground. Posts were erected and connected with footings, creating elevated structures that ensured ventilation.

Professor Suzuki's experiments yielded fascinating empirical results. When an actual building was shaken at the Hyogo Prefecture seismic testing facility “E-Defense,” calculations predicted collapse, yet the actual results showed damage occurred without the structure collapsing. While modern verification often relies on calculations and data, there are limits to comprehensively capturing all physical laws governing phenomena through “calculation” alone. The advent of AI and quantum computers may eventually enable us to simulate extremely intricate physical phenomena through experiments. Yet, it feels as though modern science still hasn't caught up to the culmination of trial and error accumulated over 1,400 years through embodied knowledge.

**ゴミを極力つくらない構法**

私が修業をしていた頃はSDGsもサスティナビリティという言葉もあまり耳馴染みがありませんでしたが、大工になる以前に別の仕事をしていたときから「人間の営みってやたらゴミを出すなあ」と感じていました。一方で伝統構法の建物は、土はまた練り直せば土壁として使用でき、木は修繕や転用が容易で最終的に燃料になる。樹皮や紙、石といった生成過程の少ない素材はゴミとしての過大な処理を必要としないということを現場で実感していました。

2016年に熊本地震が発生した際、災害ボランティアに行きました。学校のグラウンドには倒壊した建物のゴミが大量に集められていて衝撃を受けました。それらのゴミは新建材が8割近く、リサイクルや焼却のできない埋め立てゴミとなったそうです。また2018年の西日本豪雨災害では、住宅の壁内や床下に汚水や汚泥が入ってしまい、在来工法で建てられた建物はその構造性質上、壊さないとそれらを除去し清掃復旧することができないという事案が数多く発生しました。それに対し、被災地で見た築120年の民家は、土が室内に流れ込んでしまっていたのにも関わらず、真壁造りだったため構造を清掃、乾燥後、新たに竹小舞を編み、左官仕事、畳を敷き直して比較的安易に復旧できたそうです。そういう経験もあり、自分がつくる建築の「手前側」や「向こう側」も考えなくてはならないと痛感させられました。

**A Construction Method That Minimizes Waste**

During my apprenticeship, terms like SDGs and sustainability weren't commonly heard. Yet even before becoming a carpenter, while working in another field, I felt that “human activities generate an absurd amount of waste.” In contrast, houses built with traditional methods use earth that can be reworked into walls, and wood that's easily repaired, repurposed, and ultimately becomes fuel. I witnessed firsthand how materials like bark, paper, and stone, which require minimal processing, don't necessitate excessive waste disposal.

When the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake struck, I volunteered for disaster relief. I was shocked to see the school grounds piled high with debris from collapsed buildings. Nearly 80% of that debris was new construction materials, destined for landfill since they couldn't be recycled or incinerated. Similarly, during the 2018 Western Japan Heavy Rain Disaster, sewage and sludge flooded into the walls and under the floors of homes. Numerous cases occurred where buildings constructed using conventional methods couldn't be cleaned and restored without demolition, due to their structural nature. In contrast, a 120-year-old house I saw in the disaster area, despite having soil flow into the interior, was constructed with the Shinkabe-zukuri structure: the Japanese exposed-post-and-beam-style. This allowed for relatively straightforward restoration: after cleaning and drying the structure, new bamboo lath was woven, plastering work was done, and the tatami mats were replaced. Experiencing this made me keenly aware that I must also consider the “before” and “after” of the buildings I create.

最近、ある設計者から、石場建てで建てたいと相談を受けました。その方は石場建ての家を見る機会があったことで気持ちに変化が生まれたようです。やはり実際に見て触れることが鍵なんだなと感じました。その方が「石の上に木がドーンと立っているだけというのがいいですね」と言われたのが印象に残っています。

やまもと·こうへい談（文責＝編集

Recently, a designer approached me with an interest in building an Ishiba-date: a stone foundation construction. It seems seeing such a house in person sparked a change in their perspective. It really drove home how crucial it is to see and touch things firsthand. What stuck with me was their comment: “I love how the wood just stands there, solid and grounded on the stone.”

Kohei Yamamoto

写真/Pictures

右写真2点／杣耕社が施工を進める岡山の現場。石場建て、貫を使い、越屋根を設けて通風を促す。手や大鋸などを使って手だけで加工することを「仕事（そましごと）」と言い、社名もそこから名付けた。先人たちの「杣」の技術を伝えたいと、梁や床材などにハツリを施す（名栗）ことも多い。「建主の好みにもよりますが、僕は人の手の気配が感じられるので好きですね」と山本さん

右写真／壁の形を保つ貫（上）と、柱同士を繋ぐ足固め（下）。足固めは、雇いほぞを入れて繋ぎ、込栓で締めている。部材を分けて繋ぐことで柔軟性が生まれ、地震の揺れに対応する。

こうした組み方も杣耕社の木組みの特徴 

左写真／石を据えて、柱を置いた石場建て

Right photos (2): Somakosha's construction site in Okayama. Ishiba-date construction uses horizontal beams and features a cross-gabled roof to promote ventilation. The company name derives from “somashigoto”—the practice of handcrafting materials solely by hand using tools like chisels and large saws. Seeking to preserve the “somashigoto” techniques of our predecessors, they often apply naguri work(adzing) to beams and flooring. “It depends on the client's preference, but I personally like it because you can feel the human touch,” says Mr. Yamamoto.

Right photo: Horizontal Nuki beam (top) maintaining wall shape and footing braces (bottom) connecting columns. The foot brace is connected using mortise-and-tenon joints and secured with dowels. Connecting components separately creates flexibility, allowing the structure to respond to seismic shaking.

This assembly method is also characteristic of Somakosha's timber framing.

Left photo: Ishiba-date stone foundation construction, where stones are set and pillars placed upon them.

p.6

大工の技で蘇る築100年の民家

ストーレンマイヤー邸

岡山県岡山市

改修設計＝杣耕社／ストーレンマイヤー·ジョナサン·アラン

施工=杣耕社

A Century-Old House Reborn Through Carpentry Craftsmanship

The Stollenmeyer Residence

Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture

Renovation Design = Somakosha / Jonathan Alan Stollenmeyer

Construction = Somakosha

p.9

計画は、築年数を重ねた古民家を再生し、現代のライフスタイルに寄り添った居心地の良さを加えるとともに、素材や工法を実験的に試し、五感で体験できる「建築の研究所」としての機能をもたせたプロジェクトである。

The project involves revitalizing an aged traditional house, enhancing its comfort to suit contemporary lifestyles while also serving as an “architectural laboratory” where materials and construction methods are experimentally tested, creating an experience engaging all five senses.

設計の大きな特徴は、異なる仕様を意図的に同居させ、それぞれの良さや経年変化を体感できるようにした点にある。たとえば屋根材は、主屋に本燻し瓦、小屋には釉薬瓦、下屋には一文字板金を採用。床板も、玄関と居間で加工方法を変え、素材の風合いの違いを来訪者が足裏で感じ取れるようにした。断熱材についても、壁には使用せず床下と天井裏のみに限定。日本家屋のもつ通風や日射遮蔽の工夫を活かしながら、夏冬ともに快適な室内環境が実現できることを示す実験的試みである。

A key design feature is the intentional coexistence of different specifications, allowing visitors to experience the unique qualities and aging processes of each material. For example, roofing materials include traditional clay tiles on the main house, glazed tiles on the annex, and flat sheet metal on the shed roof. The flooring also varies in processing method between the entrance and the living room, allowing visitors to feel the difference in texture with their feet. Insulation is not used in the walls, being limited solely to the underfloor and attic spaces. This experimental approach demonstrates how a comfortable indoor environment can be achieved in both summer and winter while utilizing the ventilation and solar shading techniques inherent in traditional Japanese houses.

設計プロセスにおいては、従来のように設計図と施工図に基づき一気に進めるのではなく、工事を進めながら現場で検証·修正を繰り返すアプローチを採った。空間構成としては、かつて農機具小屋だったスペースを寝室·客間·家事スペース（離れ）に改修し、主屋との間に新たに玄関を設けた。この玄関が、賑やかな居間と静けさを求める客間との緩衝帯となり、生活と公共のスペースのバランスを生み出している。

In the design process, rather than proceeding all at once based on design drawings and construction drawings as was conventional, we adopted an approach of repeated verification and modification on-site as construction progressed. For the spatial configuration, the space that was once a farm equipment shed was renovated into a bedroom, guest room, and utility space (detached), with a new entrance hall created between it and the main house. This entrance hall serves as a buffer zone between the lively living room and the guest room seeking peace and quiet, creating a balance between private and public spaces.

主屋は従来の和風建築のように細かく区切らず、大きな一室空間とし、人が集まれる場を意識した。フランスのサロンのように、多様な人々が集い語らう場としての「居間」を目指している。縁側についても再構築を図り、もともとの障子を内障子として活用することで、縁側と居間を一体化させた。これにより、和室と洋室の要素が融合した新たな空間が生まれ、外部との繋がりもより豊かに感じられるようになった。

The main house was designed as a large open space, avoiding the traditional Japanese practice of dividing it into smaller rooms, with a conscious focus on creating a place where people can gather. It aims to be a “living room” where diverse people gather and converse, much like a French salon. The engawa veranda was also reconstructed, integrating it with the living room by repurposing the original shoji screens as interior sliding doors. This created a new space blending elements of Japanese and Western rooms, while also enhancing the sense of connection with the outdoors.

さらに、奥の和室は将来的に座禅や瞑想の場として活用できるように設計した。低い窓から庭を眺めながら静かに心を整える時間を生み出す場として、地域住民や学生が集える精神的な拠点となることを想定している。また、裏手の竹林も整備し、野点や茶会が楽しめる自然との共生空間としての展開を計画中である。

Furthermore, the inner Japanese-style room was designed to serve as a future space for zazen and meditation. It is envisioned as a spiritual hub where local residents and students can gather, creating a place to quietly center the mind while gazing at the garden through low windows. Additionally, plans are underway to develop the bamboo forest at the rear into a space for coexisting with nature, where visitors can enjoy outdoor tea ceremonies and tea gatherings.

伝統とは、過去から今、そして未来へと連鎖する永続的な人の営みである。「伝統」＝「今」を主軸に古の大工と語り合い、抽出した建築の一つの答えがここにある。

ストーレンマイヤー·ジョナサン·アラン

Tradition is the continuous human practice that links the past to the present and extends into the future. Here lies one architectural answer, distilled through dialogue with ancient carpenters, with “tradition” = “the present” as its central axis.

Jonathan Allan Stollenmeyer

写真/Pictures

右真写真／和室。傷みの激しかった小屋部分をやり変え、吹抜けとした。窓を開けると風がよく通る。建具も新たにつくった左写真／居間から食堂方向を見る。縁側と居間を一体化させた

Right photo / Japanese-style room. The severely damaged shed section was rebuilt as an atrium. Opening the windows allows for excellent airflow. New doors and windows were also installed.

Left photo / View from the living room toward the dining area. The engawa veranda and living room were integrated into one space.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/02/L1014422-1.JPG)

p.10

上写真：農機具小屋を改修した2階の客間。既存の梁の迫力を生かした

左下：新設した主屋と離れを繋ぐ玄関。両方の屋根を延長させて室内化した。

土壁の奥はコートなどをしまえるクローク

右下：離れの1階廊下。左手に水廻り、奥に寝室がある。古い建具や家具を活用した

Top photo: The second-floor guest room, renovated from an agricultural tool shed. The powerful existing beams were preserved.

Bottom left: The newly built entrance connecting the main house and detached building. Both roofs were extended to create an indoor space.

Beyond the earthen wall is a cloakroom for storing coats and such.

Bottom right: The first-floor corridor of the detached building. The wet areas are on the left, with the bedroom at the far end. Old fittings and furniture were reused.

p.11

写真：のどかな山間の集落に建っている。周囲の竹林を整備して、茶会が開けるように計画を進めている

上写真／主屋2階の客間

下写真／離れ1階の主寝室

The house stands in a quiet mountain village. Plans are underway to prepare the surrounding bamboo groves for hosting tea ceremonies.

Top photo: Guest room on the second floor of the main house

Bottom photo: Master bedroom on the first floor of the detached building

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/02/L1014423-1.JPG)

p.12

写真3点／母家は入母屋破風尻下端、刀根筋から雨水の侵食を受け、部分的な腐食が見られたため木、桁、垂木、船枻差（せがいさし）を新調、継木、補修した

中左：良い気を運んでくれる既存の南玄関を残し、母屋と農機具小屋（離れ）を行き来できるように、それらの間に新たな玄関を計画した。解体時に保管した古板や古梁を再利用し、建立当時の趣を、極力新造部分の意匠にも取り入れた

中右：床組の構造を完全に新調し、断熱材にはウールを使用した

（施工中写真 籼耕社）

右下：居間の床。杉板の名栗仕上げ

Photo 3: The main house's hip-and-gable roof eaves suffered partial decay due to rainwater erosion from the ridge beam. New timber, purlins, rafters, and extended rafters were installed, with joint repairs and wood replacement.

Center Left: Preserving the existing south entrance, believed to bring good energy, a new entrance was planned between the main house and the detached farm equipment shed to allow access between them. Reused preserved old boards and beams from demolition, incorporating the original aesthetic into the design of new sections wherever possible.

Center right: Completely renewed the floor framing structure, using wool insulation.

(Construction photo: Teikousha)

Bottom right: Living room floor. Sugi wood boards with a Naguri/adze-mark finish.

資料

●建物名―ストーレンマイヤー邸

所在―岡山県岡山市北区御津

●改修設計·施工一杣耕社

大工棟梁/ストーレンマイヤー·ジョナサン·アラン（杣耕社）

左官／松森忍

建具 家具/杣耕社

電気／野田覚

給排水／田中和文

竣工—2021年10月

（改修前竣工：1925年）

構造規模一木造2階建

●面積

建築面積一約200.0㎡

延床面積-284.0㎡

（1階／193.0㎡ 2階／91.0㎡）

●主な外部仕上げ

屋根一

母屋／本燻し瓦葺き 下屋／一文字板金葺き旧農機具小屋／釉薬燻し瓦葺き

壁土壁（白漆喰、中塗り仕上げ、黒漆喰）

建具―造作木製建具（杉、真空ガラス）

●主な内部仕上げ

天井 杉（白太）幅90mm、杉天井板幅270mm\~290mm

壁 白漆喰中塗り仕上げ藁入り（手切）

床 栗（灰汁出し仕上げ）、杉（亀甲名栗）、杉（海並み名栗）、畳（縁なし）

Documentation

●Building Name―Stollenmeyer Residence

Location―Mitsu, Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture

●Renovation Design & Construction―Somakosha

Master Carpenter/Jonathan Alan Stollenmeyer (Somakosha)

Plasterer/Shinobu Matsumori

Joinery & Furniture/Somakosha

Electrical/Satoru Noda

Plumbing/Kazufumi Tanaka

Completion—October 2021

(Original Construction: 1925)

Structure & Scale—Two-story Wooden Structure

●Area

Building Area—Approx. 200.0 m²

Total Floor Area—284.0 m²

(1st Floor／193.0 m² 2nd Floor／91.0 m²)

●Primary Exterior Finishes

Roof—

Main building: Hon-ibushi traditional clay tile

Shed: Straight-cut metal sheet

Old farm equipment shed: Glazed clay tile

Walls: Earthen walls (white plaster, medium coat finish, black plaster)

Joinery—Custom-built wooden joinery (cedar, vacuum glass)

●Primary Interior Finishes

Ceiling: Cedar (sapwood) 90mm wide, cedar ceiling boards 270mm\~290mm wide

Walls: White plaster medium coat finish with straw (applied by hand)

Floors: Chestnut (leached finish), cedar (tortoiseshell pattern), cedar (wave pattern), tatami mats (borderless)

p.15

建主からマンションの一室を「電気炉ではなく炭を熾せる小間」にしたいとご相談を受けたのは2020年春でした。それから、マンションの一室であることを忘れてしまうような日常的に使える居心地の良い小間を目指して設計が始まりました。構造上、開口や茶道口、連子窓の位置は限定されます。三畳台目中柱、三畳、四畳半壁床など8つの案をそれぞれに楽しみながら検討を重ねました。施工は杣耕社にお願いするつもりでしたので、設計段階から建主との打合せにもご参加いただき頼もしかったです。

In the spring of 2020, the client approached us with a request to transform a room in their apartment into a “small space for burning charcoal, not an electric furnace.” From there, the design process began, aiming to create a comfortable, everyday-use space so inviting that one would forget it was a room within an apartment. Structural constraints limited the placement of openings, the tea ceremony entrance, and the lattice windows. We thoroughly explored and enjoyed evaluating eight different proposals, including a three-tatami-mat room with a central pillar, a three-tatami-mat room, and a four-and-a-half-tatami-mat room with a wall-to-floor design. Since we intended to have Somakosha handle the construction, it was reassuring to have them participate in meetings with the client from the design phase.

最終的には日常使いだけでなく、四季折々の茶会もお稽古もできるよう、点前畳は丸畳、床は半畳の桝床に落ち着きました。躙戸を開けたら滑らかに茶の世界へ入れるよう、躙口正面に床の間を配しました。床の間廻りは大徳寺聚光院の桝末席に倣い、点前座が見えやすく広さを感じられるよう、床脇壁に下地窓を設け、下を大きく開けました。壁は竹小舞下地江州土塗り壁、床板は12年前に杣耕社に建てていただいた住宅の床板の共木で姫小松の一枚板、床柱は赤松皮付き、廻縁は杉と香節皮付きです。壁留は40年間材木屋で眠っていた栗名栗です。天井の杉や竹たちは新しく、爽やかになりすぎそうなところを栗名栗が渋く抑えてくれていると感じます。炉は向切と台目切の2カ所に設けて、さまざまなお点前に対応できるようにしました。使わない炉は畳を入れ替えて隠します。炉では炭を熾すので換気は重要です。外気に面した換気扇の前に障子を建て込み、炭をしている時は障子を少し開けて有効に換気をします。

Ultimately, the temae-tatami(tea preparation area) settled on the maru-tatami(one full tatami-mat size) for daily use, while the floor space features the masu-doko(a half-tatami mat size) to accommodate seasonal tea gatherings and practice sessions. To ensure a smooth transition into the tea world upon opening the sliding door, the tokonoma alcove was positioned directly ahead of the entrance. Following the example of the masu-sue-seki seating area(the closest seating area from an entrance) at Daitoku-ji's Shukō-in temple, we installed a lower window in the wall beside the tatami mat to provide a clear view of the tea preparation area and create a sense of spaciousness. The walls feature bamboo latticework with a base layer made with Goshu clay plaster. The floorboards are single-piece Hime-komatsu pine wood, matching the flooring from a residence built by Somokōsha twelve years ago. The toko-bashira alcove pillars are red pine with bark, while the crown molding is cedar with fragrant knots and bark. The kabe-dome(a small, functional, and decorative piece of wood or bamboo fixed at the bottom of a partial wall) are chestnut wood that had been stored for forty years at a lumberyard. The new cedar and bamboo ceiling elements risked appearing overly fresh, but the chestnut trim provides a restrained, subdued counterbalance. Two hearths—a mukou-kiri(Sunken hearth on the guest's side) and a daime-kiri(another sunken hearth inside the guest's mat which is a smaller than normal (3/4) mat)—were installed to accommodate various tea ceremony styles. The unused hearth is concealed by replacing the tatami mats. Ventilation is crucial since charcoal is burned in the hearth. A shoji screen was built in front of the exterior-facing ventilation fan. During charcoal use, the screen is partially opened to ensure effective airflow.

空調計画も難題でしたが、配管経路や機器の収まりを専門業者が検討を重ねてくださり、本体は廊下天井上に設置しました。樹脂の吹出し口では興醒めなので、杉でつくっていただきました。とても美しく杉の平天井に馴染んでいます。照明設備は突き上げ窓に見立てました。必要な設備が静かに美しく納まりました。

The HVAC plan was also a challenge, but specialized contractors carefully reviewed the piping routes and equipment placement, ultimately installing the main unit above the hallway ceiling. Since plastic vents would have been disappointing, we had them crafted from cedar. They blend beautifully with the cedar flat ceiling. The lighting fixtures were designed to resemble transom windows. The necessary equipment was quietly and elegantly integrated.

小間完成後、廊下に小さな水屋を設けました。現在は建主とベランダ茶庭の案を練っています。

After completing the small room, we installed a small kitchen in the hallway. We are currently working with the client on plans for a balcony tea garden.

和田洋子／バジャン

Yoko Wada / BAJANE architectural firm

\*

施工でこだわったところを細かく取り上げれば一晩語り明かせるほどたくさんありますが、全体として違和感なく落ち着いた空間をつくることができたのではないかと感じています。建築や茶室のことを何も知らなくても、足を踏み入れた瞬間に、「わあ、素敵な空間ですね」と言っていただけたら成功したと言えるのかなと思います。私たち施工者の奮闘が表に見える必要はなく、ただ素直にいいなと感じてもらえたら、これほどに嬉しいことはありません。

If I were to go into detail about every aspect we focused on during construction, I could talk all night long. But overall, I feel we succeeded in creating a space that feels calm and natural. Even if someone knows nothing about architecture or tea rooms, when they step inside and say, “Wow, what a wonderful space,” I believe that’s success. Our hard work as builders doesn’t need to be visible; if people simply feel genuinely impressed, nothing could make us happier.

山本耕平／杣耕社

Kohei Yamamoto / Somakosha

13頁写真／開口方向を見る。開口のある壁は唯一屋外に接しており、戸を開けると自然光が差し込み、連子窓からは障子を通して柔らかな明るさがもたらされる右写真／桝席に倣った半間角の踏込床。床脇壁の下を抜き、上は床が透けるよう下地窓を設けているので、床が孤立せず点前座に開放感を与えている

上写真／床柱は向切炉の出隅に建ち、中柱のように軽やかである。点前座はほの暗く、床廻りや連子窓辺りはほの明るい。静かでなだらかな陰影が心地良い

Page 13 Photo / View of the opening direction. The wall with the opening is the only one directly connected to the outdoors. Opening the door allows natural light to stream in, while soft brightness filters through the shoji screens from the lattice windows. 

Right Photo / A half-ken square tatami size Humikomi-doko floor following the Masu-seki style. The lower part of the wall beside the floor is open, and a base window is installed above to allow the floor to be seen through. This prevents the floor from feeling isolated and gives the tea preparation area an open feel.

Top photo: The tokobashira alcove pillar stands at the corner of the mukoukiri hearth, light and airy like a nakabashita middle pillar. The tea preparation area is dimly lit, while the alcove surroundings and latticed window area are softly bright. The quiet, gentle shadows create a pleasant atmosphere.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/02/L1014424-1.JPG)

p.16

上写真／突上げ窓に見立てた照明。掛け込み天井とスラブの間に照明ボックスを設け、置き障子を嵌め込んでいる

右写真／床脇壁に設けた下地窓。下地窓としては大きめの504mm✕620mm

中上写真／空調設備の吹出しグリル。付属の樹脂グリルと同じ形で杉で製作

中下写真／床柱と床板、畳が一つに集まる”面倒なところ。丁寧で精度の高い仕事のおかげで潔く納まっている

左写真／廊下のクローゼットを水屋に改修。段差解消のための厚畳とともにしっくりと佇む

Top photo: Lighting designed to resemble a top-hung window. A light box is installed between the sloped ceiling and slab, with a paper screen fitted inside.

Right photo: A base window installed in the side wall. Measuring 504mm x 620mm, which is larger than typical for a base window.

Center top photo / Air conditioning vent. Crafted from cedar to match the shape of the built-in resin vent.

Center bottom photo / The “tricky spot” where the floor pillar, floorboards, and tatami mat converge. Thanks to precise, careful work, it’s finished cleanly.

Left photo / The hallway closet converted into a small kitchen. It sits comfortably alongside the thick tatami mat used to eliminate the step.

資料

●建物名―柳樂庵

所在―岡山県岡山市

●設計―バジャン（和田洋子）

施工―杣耕社

 大工棟梁/山本耕平

 左官／ホルツヒューター·カイル

 畳／もとやま畳店（本山浩史）

 表具·腰張／静好堂中島（中島匠）

 空調/赤木電機

 電気／野田電気商会（野田覚）

竣工―2024年11月

構造規模―マンションの一室

●面積

延床面積一9.0m

●主な内部仕上げ

天井―平天井／杉板重張り 床天井／杉中杢板鏡張り 掛け込み天井／杉ノネ板羽重張り

壁―江洲土塗

床―舋

●主な設備

空調―ビルトイン整型

換気―ロスナイパイプファンφ100

Documentation

●Building Name―Yuraku-an

Location―Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture

●Design―BAJANE (Yoko Wada)

Construction―Somakosha

 Master Carpenter/Kōhei Yamamoto

 Plasterer / Holzhüter Kyle

 Tatami / Motoyama Tatami Shop (Hiroshi Motoyama)

 Scroll Mounting & Washi Wall Covering / Seikodo Nakajima (Takumi Nakajima)

 HVAC / Akagi Denki

 Electrical / Noda Denki Shokai (Satoru Noda)

Completion ― November 2024

Structure Scale ― Apartment Unit

●Area

Total floor area: 9.0m²

●Main Interior Finishes

Ceiling

Flat ceiling / Layered cedar boards

Floor ceiling / High-grade cedar boards

Sloped ceiling / Layered cedar tongue-and-groove boards

Walls ― Goshu clay plaster

Floors ― Tatami mats

●Main Equipment

Air conditioning ― Built-in standard unit

Ventilation ― Lossnay pipe fan φ100

p.17

身体知を通じて学ぶ学校

山本耕平

A School for Learning Through Body Knowledge

Kohei Yamamoto

大工学校の開校

10年ほど前から、大工のワークショップをしてほしいとの要望を受けて、国内外いろいろな場所に赴いて参加者と一緒に小さい建物を建てるワークショップを行うようになりました。大工ではない職種の方が興味をもってくれることやつくる喜びを感じていただけているという実感があって、徐々に自分たちがホストになって教えたいという思いが強くなってきました。さまざまなご縁に恵まれ、202年4月に開校となりました。

Opening of the Carpenter School

About ten years ago, we began receiving requests to hold carpentry workshops. We started traveling to various locations both domestically and internationally to conduct workshops where participants built small structures together. We felt a growing sense of fulfillment seeing people from non-carpentry professions take an interest and experience the joy of creating. Gradually, our desire to host and teach ourselves grew stronger. Blessed with various connections, we opened our doors in April 2020.

大工講座は2週間で、それぞれ初級、中級、上級の3コースがあります。初級はまず道具の扱い方や仕込み方を学びます。次に継手、仕口を刻んで組む。ジョイナリー（離手·仕口）ツリーと呼んでいるのですが、それを繰り返すことでツリーがどんどん枝を伸ばしていきます。

Our carpentry workshop runs for two weeks and offers three courses: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Beginners first learn how to handle tools and prepare materials. Next, they cut and assemble joints and mortises. We call this the “joinery tree”—by repeating this process, the tree steadily grows more branches.

中級は初級で習得した技術をもとに、建物への構造理解を深めます。柱、足固め、貫、それらがどう繋がって建ち上がり、そこに小舞がどう編まれていくのかを体験しながら習得します。

The intermediate level builds upon the techniques learned in the beginner level to deepen your understanding of building structures. You will learn through hands-on experience how pillars, footings, and horizontal beams connect to form the framework, and how the bamboo latticework is woven into place.

上級は屋根です。大工には規矩術と言われる技術があり、指矩を使って屋根の角度や長さを出します。上級コースでは規短術を理解してもらい、原寸図を描いて屋根の模型を制作します。

The advanced course focuses on roofs. Carpenters use a technique called “Kiku-Jutsu:the stereotomy with a carpenter's square” employing a square to determine roof angles and lengths. In the advanced course, students learn the principles of kiku-jutsu work, draw full-scale drawings, and construct roof models.

これまで、日本、フランス、イタリア、ドイツ、パンガリー、チェコ、シンガポール、アメリカ、メキシコなどいろいろな国の方が参加されました。参加者の職種は大工以外に、建築家、プログラマー、医者、パイロット、農家、写真家、理容師などさまざまです。

Participants have come from various countries including Japan, France, Italy, Germany, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Singapore, the United States, and Mexico. Beyond carpenters, participants have included architects, programmers, doctors, pilots, farmers, photographers, barbers, and many others.

杣耕社工房での大工学校の様子。取材日は中級コースの3日目で、大工で杣耕社共同代表のジョンさん（写真中央、左から4番目）が座学で伝統工法の部材の説明をした後、実技へ。海外の生徒がほとんどのため英語でのやり取りが基本

Scenes from the carpentry school at Somkosha Workshop. On the third day of the intermediate course, John (center in photo, fourth from left), a carpenter and co-representative of Somakosha, explained traditional construction methods and components during classroom instruction before moving to practical work. Communication is primarily in English, as most students are from overseas.

p.18

技術実習

1\*／初級コースでは、ノミ、カンナ、ノコギリといった道具の手入れの仕方から使い方を学び、継手、仕口を実際に刻んで組む

2\*／生徒の後ろで見守る山本さん

3～6／中級コースの様子。ジョンさんがまずは手本として墨付けをやって見せ、その後各々で作業を進める。生徒たちの眼差しは真剣そのもの。中級コースでは柱、足固め、貫といった部材の意味を学びながら、墨付け、刻み、組み立てを行い、壁をつくっていく。6がそのモデル。今回の講座では、最終的には生徒一人ひとりが墨付けして刻んだ部材を組んで4辺の壁を繋ぎ、一つの建物として完成させる

7\*·8\*／上級コース。規矩術を使って屋根の原寸図を描いて部材の寸法や角度を出し、そのモデルを施行する

（17頁～19頁写真＝白谷賢＊写真提供＝杣耕社）

Technical Training

1\*／In the beginner course, students learn how to maintain and use tools like chisels, planes, and saws, then actually cut mortise and tenon, and assemble joints.

2\*／Yamamoto watches over the students from behind.

3-6／Intermediate Course. John first demonstrates marking out as an example, after which each student proceeds with their own work. The students' gazes are utterly focused. In the Intermediate Course, while learning the purpose of components like posts, footings, and horizontal beams, students perform marking, carving, and assembly to build walls. 6 shows the model. In this workshop, each student ultimately assembles the components they marked and carved to connect four walls, completing a single structure.

7\*·8\*／Advanced course. Using traditional drafting techniques, they draw full-scale roof plans to determine member dimensions and angles, then construct the model.

(Photos on pages 17–19 = Ken Shiratani＊Photo provided by Somosha)

p.19

参加者で意外と多かったのは自分で家を建てたいから応募したという方です。また日本の大工道具や、精密な細工に惹かれたという方もいます。彼らからすると、日本の1mm以下を突き詰めるという感覚が興味深く見えるようです。

実習以外には、現場の見学や「柳楽庵」（13頁、上写真）でのお茶体験もあります。建主はお茶を長年続けられていて、この茶室を公に開いていきたいという思いをもたれていたこともあり、快く引き受けてくださいました。自分たちが施工した茶室を生徒の皆さんに見てもらえるし、お茶の世界も知ってもらえる良い機会だと思います。他にも岡山後楽園や木材屋さん、竹中大工道具館などの見学にも行きます。

Unexpectedly, many participants applied because they wanted to build their own homes. Others were drawn to Japanese carpentry tools and the precision craftsmanship. To them, the Japanese obsession with accuracy down to less than 1mm seems fascinating.

Beyond the practical training, there are site visits and tea ceremonies at “Yuraku-an” (page 13, top photo). The owner, who has practiced tea ceremony for many years and wished to open this tea room to the public, kindly agreed to host us. It's a great opportunity for the students to see the tea room they helped build and learn about the world of tea ceremony. We also visit Okayama Korakuen Garden, lumberyards, and the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum.

**技を身体知的に習得する**

私は授業の最初にこう説明します。「日本は世界でも類い稀なハイコンテクスト文化です。物事を習得する過程で言語での説明理解ではなく、見て真似る、修正し次に繋げることに重きをおきます。」やって見せて、「あとはどうぞ」って投げる。もちろん言葉も交えますが、自分の修業や弟子を育ててきた経験から察すると、おそらくインプットは5%くらいで、残りの95％は自分の身体でつくることのなかに習得するための過程があると信じています。例えば初めて字を書くときは真似から入りますよね。筆の使い方の知識は必要ですが、100回、1000回と繰り返してお手本のように書けるようになって初めて自分の線が現われ始める。大工も同じで、研ぎから始まり、反復練習をするなかで見えてくるものがあります。疑問があったらまず一度自分でなぜかを考えてから質問すると、知識が知恵に変わりやすいとも伝えています。

Mastering Skills Through Body Knowledge

I begin my lessons by explaining: "Japan is a remarkably high-context culture. In the process of learning things, the emphasis is not on understanding verbal explanations, but on observing, imitating, correcting, and advancing to the next step.“ I demonstrate, then say, ”Now it's your turn." Of course, I also use words, but based on my own training and experience teaching apprentices, I believe that perhaps only about 5% comes from verbal input. The remaining 95% lies in the process of learning through creating with your own body. For example, when writing characters for the first time, you start by imitating, don't you? Knowing how to use a pen is necessary, but only after repeating it 100 or 1000 times until you can write like the model does your own lines begin to emerge. Carpenters are the same; it starts with sharpening, and through repetitive practice, things become visible. If you have a question, first try to figure out why on your own before asking—this helps knowledge turn into wisdom.

ふだん大工として身体でやっていることを言語に置き換えて教えようとすると、いかに人が身体知で生きているかということに気づかされます。私は生徒に、「皆さんは歯磨きのエキスパートだ」と説明します。歯ブラシで、自分の歯の形状と、指、関節の動かし方でどう汚れを取るか。自分の身体能力で自然とそれができていて、毎日反復的にやっていることが体にそうさせているのです。ちょっと話が変な方向に行きましたが（笑）、大工作業には言語化できない身体知的な領域が多くあります。生徒が刻んでいるときに後ろに回ってちょっと手を添えて、「この方が狙いやすくない？」とか、「こうしたらノミの通りが軽くなるよね」みたいに、彼らにとって添え木のような存在になれたらいいのかもしれません。身体で理解するということのきっかけになれたらいいなと思っています。

やまもと·こうへい談

When I try to translate the physical actions I perform daily as a carpenter into words to teach others, it makes me realize just how much people live by physical knowledge. I explain to my students, “You are all experts at brushing your teeth.” Using a toothbrush, you naturally know how to remove plaque based on the shape of your teeth and how to move your fingers and joints. Your physical abilities allow you to do this effortlessly, and the daily repetition has ingrained it into your body. I digressed a bit there (laughs), but carpentry involves many areas of physical knowledge that cannot be put into words. When a student is chiseling, I might stand behind them, gently guide their hand, and suggest, “Wouldn't this make it easier to aim?” or “Trying it this way might make the chisel cut more smoothly.” I hope I can be like a brace for them and can be a spark for them to understand things physically.

Kohei Yamamoto

茶の湯体験

「柳楽庵」でのお茶体験の様子。開口から入り、お茶をいただくまでの一連の流れを建主が講師となって生徒たちに教える。「お茶は茶の入れ方、出し方、頂き方などすべてにおいて作法が細かく決まっていますが、長い歴史のなかで無駄が削ぎ落とされて洗練されていったかたちであり、所作が美しく見えます」と建主。生徒の大半は海外の方だが、茶室に使われている素材の種類や使い方、軸に書かれている内容についてなど、途切れることなく質問が飛び交った。「こんなところまで見ているのかと毎回驚かされる」と建主、設計者の和田さん、山本さんは口を揃える

Tea Ceremony Experience

A tea ceremony experience at “Yuraku-an.” The owner serves as instructor, guiding students through the entire sequence from entering the tea room to receiving the tea. “Tea ceremony has meticulous rules governing everything from brewing and serving to drinking,” explains the owner. “Yet these forms, refined over centuries by eliminating unnecessary elements, create movements of great beauty.” Though most students are international visitors, questions flowed continuously about the types and uses of materials in the tea room, the content of the hanging scrolls, and more. “I'm always surprised by how much detail they notice,” the owner, designer Wada, and the carpenter Yamamoto all agree.

岡山空港から車で約15分、山間の地域、津紙工（みつしとり）にある杣耕社の工房。現在はここで生徒たちが学ぶが、2026年からは近くに作業場を新設し、そこで開校する予定だという

About a 15-minute drive from Okayama Airport lies the workshop of Somakosha in the mountainous region of Mitsushitori. While students currently learn here, plans call for establishing a new workshop nearby starting in 2026, where classes will then be held.
### Q: What are the first five sharpening stones I should get?
URL: https://www.paklan.org/q-what-are-the-first-five-sharpening-stones-i-should-get/
Last updated: 2026-08-11T10:57:00.000Z
*Hi Brian, If you lost all the stones that you have today and had to start from scratch, what synthetic stone line-up would you choose? (Diamond resins included.) —Justin Kwong*

Justin, this is a good question. Someone starting out could consider these stones: 

- A harder 1k
- A 3k stone
- An 8k stone

Eventually, it would be useful to get these to round out the 5: 

- A 10k-12k stone by Naniwa to reach another level of sharpness.
- A hard 400 for changing the shape of a bevel or working out chips without the use of a grinder.

I didn't talk about specific stones because for a beginner, it won't matter. However, since someone might keep their stones for awhile, they may want to be selective.

For a 1k and 400 stone, I favor harder stones to get to a flatter bevel right off the bat. I like the yellow stone from Suzuki Tools in the bay area. (Their house brand is very hard and can be soaked because it is vitrified.) I also like Naniwa Hibiki or Kensyou (the white ones). To a lesser extent, Chosera Pro stones by Naniwa

(Low grit stones are generally softer, in general, and have the most cutting power, so harder low to mid grit stones are worthwhile in my opinion. Keep in mind my bosses do just fine with cheap king 1000 stones, which are relatively soft. I guess there is a saying that goes something like, "Everyone returns to king stones.")

For myself, these are the specific stones I would get, in order, if I had to replace them all: 

Ask The Line: members can send questions about tools, technique, or finding your way into this craft. One gets answered here each week. [Email me](mailto:hello@paklan.org).

[Join and ask ](https://www.paklan.org/#/portal/signup)

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### On apprentices and apprenticeships
URL: https://www.paklan.org/on-apprentices-and-apprenticeships/
Last updated: 2026-02-06T14:02:59.000Z
I can't stop thinking about cleaning. Last week, I watched a remarkable young carpenter—[Ayumi-chan, the son of another carpenter](https://www.paklan.org/milling-chestnut-and-sugi-for-a-sukiya-fence/)—transform a room absolutely trashed from a full day of milling beams until no trace of woodchips were left. Somehow he worked quickly but didn't seem rushed.

My realization was this: how can I expect to be able to build a house, let alone a temple or tea house, if I cannot clean up well? 

Last year, I spoke to a successful Parisian woodworker and artist about his interview at a Japanese carpentry firm. He said that he declined to continue his request for a job with the firm after he was told he would mostly be cleaning at first. He said he was too experienced to travel to Japan from France just to clean. I understand his point of view. But now I see the cleaning as a worthy contribution in a greater team effort. But also, the most important first step in anyone's training. 

If you can notice dust, you can notice a lot. If you can clean all the dust, you can possibly have a chance to cut cleanly. Let's say you gave a new apprentice lessons on cutting and put him in front of work pieces right away. Robbing an apprentice of the chance to develop this sensitivity and skill would rob them of the skills they would need to cut well. And the time to develop their own skills after hours, which puts the entirety of his opportunity to progress in his own hands. 

I realized that in the [NYTimes article about Somakosha](https://www.paklan.org/somakosha-in-the-new-york-times/), Jon only glossed over what it was like to be an apprentice. Jon and I sat outside the new Somakosha school frames and had a wandering talk about the culture of apprenticeships and what the experience and expectations were of an apprentice. Here are some excerpts from our conversation:

---

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/Araki.3.jpg)

**Where I was, there were typically ten apprentices at any one time. Right before I started, there was a massive wave—one year they took four people, so they had more than ten at once.**

The apprenticeship was typically five years. Mine was only three, because that was the extent of the visa I could get. But it was a five-year promise, and typically with at least a one-year *deshi boko*—once you've finally finished your apprenticeship, the idea is that you stay on for another year so you can make a contribution back to the company.

For the first four years, most apprentices didn't really do anything.

In the morning we woke up and went to our boss's garden. We cleaned it for about thirty minutes. We refilled all the *tsukubai*, the stone vessels for water. You take all that water and throw it all over the garden, then fill it back up—you're watering while cleaning. But a big part of that was wiping down everything. All the outside of the building.

That was a part of learning the different woods. Cedar and cypress and pine. Japanese pine and other pines. Cedar from America and cedar from Japan. The wood grain and where each was used. And more and more, you start to see how stuff goes together. You start to see the little details. Because every single day you go to the same house and wipe down the entire thing.

You did it until you were bored, and then you started to randomly see things that you wouldn't have seen before, because you're looking past all the stuff you've already seen.

That was every single morning, for thirty to forty-five minutes. Then we went to the shop. We cleaned and prepared it for all the craftspeople. That was like an hour of your time before anybody else arrived. Open everything up, turn all the lights on, get all the sharpening stations ready—new water, fresh everything, clean everything.

All day long, you were basically just support. In the morning you get tea ready for all the people going to site. You get all this stuff ready for the craftspeople so their work is smoother. They don't have to do or worry about this or the other thing.

Your whole life was making life easier for those guys.

---

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/Araki.1.jpg)

**When you were starting out, you wouldn't get asked to go to a site because you weren't ready. You'd just be in the way.** So we'd go to the warehouses and wipe down all the rounds so none of them ever got moldy. Or we'd organize stuff.

At some point you'd get half a year with the guy who got wood for all the craftspeople. He was technically a *shokunin* himself, but he wasn't a carpenter. He just got orders from them, went to the warehouses, got the wood he thought was good for that project, brought it back. They'd say yes, no, maybe. So he'd go back. Do it again. All day long.

That's how you started to get a really good affinity for the different kinds of wood. What's important for a lintel. What's important for doors. What's important for this kind of column.

---

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/Rounds.jpg)

**On site, because you weren't a carpenter yet, you were support for not just the carpenters, but for the plasterers, the guys doing scaffolding, the electrician—whatever craftsperson was there.** Sometimes you'd be there just with crafts people who weren't carpenters, cleaning and doing whatever they told you and trying to stay out of the way.

At night, whenever you came back, we'd unload everything. We'd ask the carpenters what they needed us to do for the next day, and then we'd stay at the shop and clean the whole shop. Wash all the cars. Make sure everything was ready for whatever the carpenters needed for the next day, whether it was on site or in the shop.

There was a hierarchy. Usually one or two apprentices were assigned to a site, and it was their job to get everything ready. But the people assigned to sites had been apprentices longer than those who weren't. So they'd ask the other apprentices to get stuff ready while they were getting other things ready. That's how you learned what kind of prep was always going to be needed, so that you could, without being told, get a lot of stuff ready.

You were at the shop for quite a while after everyone left—an hour or two or more—just doing that. Then we'd go back and do *aisatsu*. We would check in with our boss's wife and say we've all come back, thanks for the day. Then we'd have dinner. Somebody would make our dinner for us.

If you ate dinner and you wanted to, you could go back to the shop and work on whatever you wanted. Work on your tools.

---

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/Araki.2.jpg)

**It was pretty clear within a year or two whether someone was going to keep doing carpentry. But most people wouldn't quit anyway, because of what they call *giri*—respect for the people that introduced them, their parents, and those who took them on.** They would just stay.

There were people who would just get by with the bare minimum, and there were a few who would really get into their tools and making stuff. Get at it. Be in the shop every night.

It was like me and one or two other guys most nights. Then I'd come back and get in trouble because I'd do stuff in my closet.

*Like what?*

Like cut a plane die.

*Isn't that loud when people are sleeping?*

Well, they weren't sleeping. But eventually a couple apprentices hurt themselves and we weren't allowed to be in the shop late anymore. First it was a noise problem—the neighbors complained about power tools. Then a couple people got hurt using trimmers at night, and we had to take them to the hospital. So they said: avoid both problems, be back by ten.

So it was all hand tools at night, which is great. I mean, then you just use all hand tools to do a whole bunch of stuff and learn.

I was also learning Japanese. I didn't speak Japanese at all when I first got there.

---

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/de-barking.jpg)

**People who didn't have a lot of interest in carpentry would just go do the lowest work—take the garbage to the garbage place, take plane shavings to the horse farm.** Then go sit around and do nothing at a convenience store.

I got in trouble early on because I told my *senpai*, "No, I'm not going with you." I knew they'd keep me all day. Eventually people get it, and the people that respect that you want to try start asking you to come do stuff with them. The people that want to take it easy do that.

Everybody knows. All the carpenters know. So they don't ask the guys that aren't trying to come to their site.

There's a rare person who kind of fell off, so to speak, and then in his fifth year—because in your fifth year, everybody would definitely get asked to go to site and actually get asked to do work—they kind of perked up, saw the light, and just really got interested. I remember one guy. I thought, "Man, there's no way he's going to continue being a carpenter." And then in his fifth year, he went from zero to a hundred.

*Do you know why?*

I think a lot is just youth. A lot of these guys are young. They want to play video games or whatever. I got there at twenty-six, so it was different for me. I also was American. I thought I was going to get sent back at any moment. There was a lot more fear of losing out on the opportunity.

A lot of people aren't like, "I want to be a carpenter," and then they go there. They're just introduced by way of this, that, or the other thing.

---

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/Torii.Gate.jpg)

**One of the guys at Nakamura told me: just slow down.**

I was nervous. I thought I might not get the job I needed, might not learn as much as possible, might not get the next visa. He said something like, "Slow down and do it as best as you can. And then the next right sort of visa, or whatever—it'll turn up. Trust that part of it."

In Japan, they say *isogu-mayō*, which means if you hurry, you end up taking more time.

If you slow down and have this sense of calm and composure in your learning and your respect towards other people, then people want you around. So you naturally get the next opportunity. Whereas when you're fidgeting and trying to get everything all at once, people don't want that energy around.

You're also kind of saying, "I want this easier than all of you got it."

Or you want to be there so badly, but you're actually thinking about the future too much, and it's making you rush.

It can become a pretty egotistic stance. You're like, "Well, yeah, I know it took you guys fifteen, twenty years, but I can do it in three."

---

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/Felling.jpg)

**What do you look for in your apprentices now?**

I don't really know what to look for. All you can do is hire them and see what happens. But you're looking for somebody with base integrity—when you're not looking, they're still trying their best.

It sounds crazy, but if you can find somebody who's not a typical twenty-something who wants to go party and get blasted, that helps a lot. Because there's not a lot of opportunity for that, particularly where we are. There's nowhere to go blow off steam here.

More powerful than typical desires is the desire to take advantage of the opportunity that exists here. Which is to learn.

And just be honest, and be able to say you're sorry, and be able to keep going.

---

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/Scribing.jpg)

**John Billing was a really skilled carpenter doing furniture and sculpture before he worked with us.** Then he worked with us on and off for about three years. He was fantastic because he was on task when he needed to be on task. If he made a mistake, he would tell you sorry right away and wouldn't let it linger. He'd get back on task.

He was the kind of person you couldn't imagine wanting to get upset with because there was no need. He did great work. Did his best. Sometimes he made a mistake but he was constantly learning. He was constantly improving. He was teaching us stuff because of the way he learned and his curiosity.

---

**Being interested in challenge is very important.** It's challenging to get good at a lot of this stuff. Enjoying a challenge is really important. That's the main difference between people who take off and those who don't. It's not any natural talent. It's: do they enjoy a challenge?

The other thing I'll say is emotional intelligence. There's a lot of good carpenters with very little emotional intelligence. But they're difficult to deal with, particularly because you're inevitably going to encounter clients and social norms you need to navigate.

*Do you think sensitivity as a human being, as it pertains to other people, also pertains to cutting wood?*

Not at all. In fact, a lot of people who are unreasonably good at that sort of thing have next to zero emotional intelligence. It's like they've got all their points in that.

A lot of the best carpenters I've met are pretty difficult people to be around.

---

**Students at the school learn so much so fast. But where's their next step?** Does it just become Sunday carpentry, making stuff for friends?

You can get really good at the technical part of cutting things and understanding the tricks. But the thing of carpentry is a hundred times wider than that.

That said, it's so much fun to do the technical stuff. To learn how to do that really, really well, really fast—that's kind of gold.

---

**Most people, when they start as a head carpenter, will say that in their first project, they had a huge increase in understanding.** That's because you've been doing these cuts and seeing all these things for years, but it never really clicked.

Then somebody asks you, "How big is that groove? How wide? Where does it go—in the middle, to the outside?"

And for the first time, you have to really think about it creatively, critically.

I took notes and drawings. But when it came time to do it, I was like, "Damn, how does this go? Is this right?" You second-guess yourself.

That process is not easily teachable. But the technical stuff's really easily teachable.
### Milling chestnut and sugi for a sukiya fence
URL: https://www.paklan.org/milling-chestnut-and-sugi-for-a-sukiya-fence/
Last updated: 2026-01-23T16:00:51.000Z
*Apologies for the image quality in this post. I'm testing out some glasses with cameras in them to help me stay more focused when working. The technology isn't there yet.* 

Temperatures continue to drop, and most days stay around freezing. Sharpening stones cracked after being left overnight in bins of water by apprentices; snow flurries drift onto workpieces mid-cut. Layers of clothing grew deep and stayed deep as work continued entirely outdoors or in the open shop. We kept warm by continuously working and sipping coffee from the vending machine across the street. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1000041.jpg)

Site work at the Somakosha school dormitory continued. Yoko continued to cut beams on site. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1012197.jpg)

At the shop, Lintels were milled, grooved, and installed by Ta-chan. Ashwin and Clark continued to install bamboo for the plaster.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1000037.jpg)

When Ash installed some looser than ideal by accident, Ta-chan offered some gentle encouragement by saying something like, "loose work, loose life, loose everything." (This is a paraphrasing, I only heard second hand.) Ash redoubled his effort. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/IMG_0956-1.jpeg)

After the roof work last week, Jon pulled me into milling some parts for the Sukiya fence that Ken-san had been working on. The fence has an angled support, scribed to the round posts. 

To secure the post to the supports, pegged nuki would slot into the tenons. The top nuki would have an expanded, mushroom-shaped head scribed to the brace. The lower ones were rectiliner but inserted at an angle to the work piece. Both would be pegged. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1012195.jpg)

These would be milled from chestnut, along with some horizontal pieces for the bottom of the fence that would be hewed.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1012213-2.jpg)

Wood would ideally be from the same tree, matched, with enough width after sap wood was removed. Roughing would be accomplished by circular saw, bandsaw, jointer and planer. 

It would be my first time selecting and orienting wood for a project, and milling for production. The task is a difficult one, and I am thankful to have spent a few weeks selecting wood for various projects, with Yann Giguere, my first teacher. I sent him a note giving my thanks. Factoring in all the different elements, including predicting which way the wood will move over time as it dries, or what side looks or weathers better, and positioning the most ideal of your stock into the right position, is an extremely fun and challenging act. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/IMG_1021-1.JPG)

What had to be done here was take a bunch of checked chestnut logs and pull out a few 400mm pieces, about 60x100mm in width/height. Of course, the checks had to be removed as much as possible, or left in spots that would be removed as we cut our joinery. In the end, it took time, and there was much wastage. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/IMG_1023.jpeg)

Sukiya carpentry emphasizes this process of selection and orientation, and the cost of this work is high because of the time and the amount of wood that ends up being discarded or reused in different projects with less stringent requirements. Order overages in material quantities is much higher in this kind of work.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/IMG_1048-1.jpeg)

Some more horizontal pieces from sugi needed to be milled from door stock, 1-2 meters in length, of various widths from sugi door stock. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1012260.jpg)

Often, a piece would fall just short of our requirement to hit 90mm after milling

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/31221945-3072-4B0F-BF67-50F972C0C8E2_1_105_c-1.jpeg)

The sugi horizontal pieces were chosen out and cut, but some were too short. So, we dug deeper into the tall stack until we found some that needed to be resawed at an angle so the grain ran straighter. A line was snapped so the circular saw could be run freehand along it.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/IMG_1127-1.jpeg)

Being any part of a fence project like this is a gift for someone with as little professional experience as I have. I would guess most apprentices might wait years or more than half a decade to participate in a sukiya project like this one. To be clear, I haven't earned this opportunity, and I'll try to live up to the responsibilities and opportunties I'm being given.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1012307.jpg)

While I milled small chestnut pieces, Jon, Sakaguchi san and his son Ayumu kun worked on milling extra parts of the Somakosha school minka restoration. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1011746.jpg)

Many parts in the building were rotten and the project was difficult. Sakaguchi san was moving the timbers with power, and it shocked me to learn he had an injury on a jobsite a few months ago where he broke both his heels in a fall. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1012288.jpg)

Yet, here he was maneuvering and resawing timbers with the strength of a bull. Besides their obvious power and grace at work, the father-son team carried a silent understanding of what would need to be done together, a kindness, and quiet dignity that showed in every movement, word and smile. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1012318.jpg)

In between my tasks, I would check in on them, and I was surprised to see they filled the dust collector I had just empied in less than 30 minutes, so they dumped the bag on the floor. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1012326.jpg)

I scrambled to clear the chips as they could cause a carpenter to slip, and I could barely keep up with their pace. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1012271.jpg)

I never clean slowly. Cleaning with vigor engages the senses and mind making me feel alive; I am beginning to enjoy it as much as wood craft itself. In both ways we are removing material to reveal a more ideal form of something, whether it is a space or work piece. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1012264.jpg)

Through the process, I feel the same sense of accomplishment and contribution to the project, the company, the client, and the world at large.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1012332.jpg)

By evening, I could feel my mind and body becoming numb from the cold and exertion. Focus was eluding me, with fingers centimeters from spinning blades. 

It was time to step away from the jointer, the machine known to bite many daydreaming apprentices, go home and drink a cold beer in a hot bath.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1012259.jpg)
### How to make a diamond lapping plate really flat
URL: https://www.paklan.org/how-to-make-a-diamond-lapping-plate-really-flat/
Last updated: 2026-08-11T10:56:55.000Z
*Even though it is new, my diamond flattening plate seems to be out of flat. What do I do? — Anton H.*

Congratulations! If you can tell your Atoma is acting funky, you have achieved a level of sensitivity that many Japanese tool users haven’t yet achieved. I offer my condolences, as well. You can never unsee what you have now noticed: That most diamond plates, as delivered, are not that flat.

First off, flatness is relative and plenty of people get their work done without extreme flatness. I was at the Minka conference in Aichi, when a fellow apprentice started lapping his stones with his old diamond plate. He could tell it was warped because of all the inconsistency in how it moved on his stones when rotated. I handed him the one made from a flatter diamond plate, and his problems quickly went away. 

Many people use an Atoma or similar brand diamond plate straight out of the box, expecting perfection. What few people realize is that —flat being relative—the factory 10mm aluminum plate is often pretty far out of spec. And, they have a tendency to bend even more with aggressive use. Most usually when lapped with force when the plate’s effectiveness is nearing the end of its life. 

First off, once you adhere a diamond sticker to an aluminum plate, or get one from the factory already installed, it is not possible to flatten that plate without destroying the sticker in the removal process.

Because of this, I no longer buy diamond plates with the sticker and back plate already installed. 

To solve this issue, more discerning users have developed a method of setting up a diamond plate by taking a replacement diamond sticker, and adhering it to an aftermarket back plate that they have flattened manually. 

Here's a video of the process:

Ask The Line: members can send questions about tools, technique, or finding your way into this craft. One gets answered here each week. [Email me](mailto:hello@paklan.org).

[Join and ask ](https://www.paklan.org/#/portal/signup)

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Roofing the Somakosha School dorms
URL: https://www.paklan.org/okura-roofing-tsomakosha-school-orms/
Last updated: 2026-01-16T16:00:22.000Z
In the new year, we returned to Tokyo, on the way back to Okayama. For a weekend, we stayed in the new Okura Hotel. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1000858.jpg)

The building, and especially the lobby, was originally seen as a synthesis of Japanese wood craft and mid century modern design. (It was reportedly a favorite of Steve Jobs.) The hotel had planned a renovation in anticipation of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and lovers of the space spread petitions to retain the original design. As a compromise, the original lobby was replicated loosely in a new structure. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/IMG_0319.jpeg)

The hotel's rooms design changed to use a lot of white oak, as was the trend a few years ago. I can understand why even classic hotels need to build for durability rather than refinement through fine-grained softwoods; it is no exaggeration that even fine hotels cannot come close to what tea house carpenters are capable of. 

As before, the staff's sense of genuine hospitality was sensitive and attentive, and carried the spirit of good craftmanship even more than the building itself. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/R0004132.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/Paklan-Line-B--2---1-.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1011649.jpg)

In Okayama, the student dormitories were planed and raised by the time I arrived. They needed to be roofed.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1011809.jpg)

Frost across the rice fields

The mornings are just about below freezing; the air is sweet with smoke, and the sunlight blue until our fingers feel warm from work. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1010892.jpg)

We call them dorms but to me they are spectacular. The posts are a mid grade with no major knots, and the beams are curved and hewed and scribed to. Posts land in scribes to stones. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1011827.jpg)

There are no dormitories like these, where students can sleep and then turn around and study carpentry in a restored minka, surrounded by persimon trees, rice fields, bamboo groves with family cemetery and shinto shrine a few minutes away. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1011848.jpg)

The bamboo latices were begining to fill in the wall openings. and preparation for the roof was underway. This kind of site work, beyond the frame, is beyond what most students of classes will ever get to witness let alone participate or live in. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1011896.jpg)

And the apprentices are lucky enough to be working on them. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1011817.jpg)

This week, we installed framing for insulation, ventilation screens, and screwed in spacers running across the insulation for support and air flow. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1011807.jpg)

During lunch, we would walk over Jon's son's toys (construction trucks, naturally) and play house. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1011655.jpg)

Our hearty meals prepared by Yama-san's mother. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1011936.jpg)

When not preparing a meal for us, she would garden and clean with the continuous flow and constant spirit of a craftsperson. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1001073.jpg)

It was my first day working on a roof. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1001055.jpg)

The calm sounds of the country and hum of the nail gun compressors and impact drivers were punctuated by sounds of apprentice hard hats headbutting scaffolding. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2026/01/L1011785.jpg)

But nobody fell off the roof, so I call it a good day.
### Cutting begins; the year ends
URL: https://www.paklan.org/cutting-begins-the-year-ends/
Last updated: 2026-01-12T16:00:37.000Z
Happy new year!

_This post is for subscribers only._
### On Japanese Circular Saws
URL: https://www.paklan.org/on-japanese-circular-saws-part-one/
Last updated: 2026-08-11T10:56:57.000Z
These pen lines were split with a Japanese circular saw.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1011152-1.jpg)

Compared to most American or European saws, the models sold in japan have bases that are very flat, as they are intended to be used in joinery contexts. They also seem to have higher RPMs, finer teeth, and thinner kerfs. It’s possible to replicate this work with other circular saws, maybe. But once you use a Japan market saw you’ll understand why for precise work they makes sense. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1011185.jpg)

What I have gathered the last few months is that if you don’t already belong to a cordless system, the Hikoki motors and batteries are favored over Makita by the carpenters I work with. But Makita saw blades (the white ones with blue letters) are what people usually run on their Hikoki saws. Deciding which system is better is an uninteresting topic of conversation.

Ask The Line: members can send questions about tools, technique, or finding your way into this craft. One gets answered here each week. [Email me](mailto:hello@paklan.org).

[Join and ask ](https://www.paklan.org/#/portal/signup)

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Kōyō and Kakunomi
URL: https://www.paklan.org/koyo-and-kakunomi/
Last updated: 2025-12-26T16:00:25.000Z
*This post will look better in a* [*browser*](https://www.paklan.org/koyo-and-kakunomi/)*.*

Things are changing. The students are gone, and the apprentices have packed up their desks. The shop’s space has been returned to a place for work. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1000642.jpg)

All the wood in the shop had to be re-stacked to access material we would need for our next projects: a minka restoration that would become our new schoolhouse, and two timber frames that would become student dormitories.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/000474210031.jpg)

When it was time to move the wood, Jon’s calm eyes shifted sharply; his energy became wild. His momentum was undeniable and contagious as he moved logs with a seemingly reckless pace. The apprentices joined in. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1000565.jpg)

I was summoned to help move a chestnut log, but as soon as I felt the weight of the tree even partially, I knew my back would not survive it. When I told them I would not be able to help on this log, they just moved it themselves, one man down. They loaded a truck with lumber for the minka project, and restacked everything in the space the apprentices had cleared the month before. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1010922.jpg)

I volunteered to sharpen the chisels and bits for the beam mortising machines we would be using. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1011085-1.jpg)

The bits were beat up and rusty, despite being stored in motor oil. A soap bath was prepared for the bits and stones to cut the oil. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1011528.jpg)

Using diamond resin stones and a grinding cone in a drill, I removed rust from the outside after raising a burr on the inside. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1010875-2.jpg)

The 15mm cut like a laser, but I couldn’t quite get one of the 30mm bits to work well. It was definitely wedging into the workpiece and slowing progress.

***Related***: [*On sharpening and tuning mortising machines*](https://www.paklan.org/on-tuning-using-and-sharpening-mortising-machines)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1010863.jpg)

We worked on putting notches in floating keyaki tenons. In amateur work, it's often taught to safely rough with a heavy chisel, and then pare away to split the line. In production work, it was only possible to go fast enough by attempting to split the line with the chisel and hammer, to keeping paring to a minimum. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1010865.jpg)

Splitting a line straight off the hammer is possible with a day's worth of practice. 

Destroying the duality between rough and finish work was a common theme at Somakosha. We were expected to be as fast and clean with all our tools, blasting through material to sub-millimeter precision, in all our operations. 

Often, that meant bringing your work to the brink of ruin with a fast and aggressive tool, but not destroying our lines. Then, doing this again and again, swiftly. The greatest benefit to a professional environment is the scale through which to achieve a great deal of practice. 

Before we could cut, the apprentices studied the work Ta-chan had spent long days and nights laying out.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1010995.jpg)

As the apprentices worked on this basic frame, Ken-san continued to lay out round posts for a Sukiya-style fence. Of note is a jig used to hold a router over a round to rough mortises, which also allows for the workpiece to be spun 180 degrees to mortise the other side. (This is an invention by Jon Stollenmeyer.) The rest was by feel and sensitivity.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1010944.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1010934.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/000788990016.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/000330600006.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/000413110032.jpg)

Work is punctuated by frequent breaks, which seem like a good safeguard against mistakes or injuries from fatigue. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/000413110004.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/000413110011.jpg)

At lunch, I would often walk with Ken-san 5 minutes away, past the bridge and general store, to Kubo-farm, where we would eat together. 

The apprentices generally cooked at the shop.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1011530.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1011362.jpg)

Clark's cabbage, Shinya's whiskey

But would allow themselves a meal at Kubo on particularly cold or hard work days.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/000413110007.jpg)

Before we could get to work, some apprentices prepared tools, while others were assigned to finish breaking down scrap wood. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1010949.jpg)

Some apprentices worked steadily on their tasks; others ran hot and cold, with a lot of passion. The less glamorous tasks would challenge apprentice morale at times. When one apprentice complained that it was unfair that others got to do more interesting work, he was told that the faster he finished this work, the sooner he could join them. 

It became apparent that tasks were an essential part of keeping the company running, and also refined the spirit of the apprentices, keeping them humble, hungry, and forced them to learn how to focus when the work felt less interesting. 

It was also clear that any task completed with full focus, spirit, and attentiveness would be noticed by bosses, no matter how seemingly low. This was the way forward, but it was not always easy for the younger staff to see this.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1011056.jpg)

The perfect Fall weather continued to descend into something else. Soon, it would be time to cut.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1011562.jpg)
### On tuning, using and sharpening mortising machines
URL: https://www.paklan.org/on-tuning-using-and-sharpening-mortising-machines/
Last updated: 2026-08-11T10:56:59.000Z
*I got a mortising machine and the first time I used it, it didn’t work well. Should I return it? —Doug* 

The machine is probably fine. You most likely need to sharpen and tune your bits, hollow chisels, and the machine itself to get the best out of it. 

More than a few times I’ve spoken to people who have wanted to avoid learning how to deal with hand tools, and buy these mortising machines to avoid learning how to set up and sharpen chisels. They find out soon enough that it takes some understanding to tune and sharpen and tune their tooling and machine. 

Ask The Line: members can send questions about tools, technique, or finding your way into this craft. One gets answered here each week. [Email me](mailto:hello@paklan.org).

[Join and ask ](https://www.paklan.org/#/portal/signup)

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### "Traditional Tools of Japan": Chouna
URL: https://www.paklan.org/traditional-tools-of-japan-chouna/
Last updated: 2025-12-22T16:00:47.000Z
*A translation of pages 29-36 from the book "Traditional Tools of Japan" by Ichihiro Tsuchida, the famous Tokyo tool dealer and historian*

チョウナ （手斧）チョウナはじめという儀式があります。新年に大工が初めて仕事をする日に行なわれたり、あるいは新築の家の仕事にとりかかる日に行なわれるものです。地方によって、流派によって多少の違いはあるのでしょうが、その儀式には、チョウナと墨つぼと曲尺がまつられるのです。この三つの道具は、家を建てるためにはもちろん欠かせないものですが、何よりも大工が一番はじめに使用しなければならない道具でもあるのです。墨つぼと曲尺は墨つけ（かけ）という作業に使用され、チョウナは木材を加工するという意味においては、チョウナはつりと言って、一番はじめの荒加工に使用されるのです。日光の東照宮や奈良の東大寺などには特別に儀式用として作られた黒と曲尺とチョウナが大切に保存されています。墨などは全体に精密な彫金がほどこされ、まさにまつられるためにうまれて来た道具と言えましょう。日光東照宮におさめられているチョウナの柄（振り）には金の延板がまかれているのですから豪華なものです。しかし、そのチョウナの柄は全体の形がどうもよくないように思われます。チョウナのヒツにすげ込まれた部分から強い曲線で山をつくり、そこから手元に向かって今度は逆に反らされたゆるやかな曲線をえがくというのがチョウナ振りの理想です。重心をできる限りチョウナの刃先に近づけるように工夫されていてこそ、道具としての価値が示されます。たとえ儀式用といえども、そんな基本を無視してしまいますと、緊張感を欠いたものになってしまいます。

Chouna(adze)

There is a ritual called the Chouna-hajime. It is performed either on the day a carpenter first works in the new year, or on the day work begins on a new house project. While there may be slight variations by region and group, the ritual involves enshrining a chouna (adze), a sumitsubo (inkpot), and a sashigane (carpenter's square). These three tools are indispensable for building a house, but above all, they are the very first tools the carpenter must use. The sumitsubo and the square are used for marking out (sumi-tsuke/sumi-kake), while the chouna, in the sense of processing wood, is used for the very first rough carving/adzing(hatsuri). At places like the Toshogu Shrine in Nikko and Todai-ji Temple in Nara, a specially crafted sumitsubo, sashigane, and chouna made for ceremonial use are carefully preserved. The sumitsubo, for instance, is intricately engraved all over with gold decoration, is truly a tool born to be enshrined. The handle of the chouna enshrined at the Toshogu shrine is decorated with a sheet ofgold, making it quite luxurious. However, the overall shape of that chouna handle seems somewhat awkward. The ideal chouna handle design creates a strong curve forming a peak from the point where the it is fitted into the chouna's blade, then curves gently in the opposite direction toward the hand. Only when the center of gravity is carefully positioned as close as possible to the blade does the tool demonstrate its true value. Even for ceremonial use, ignoring such fundamentals results in a shape that is lackadaisical.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### The story of the fired apprentice
URL: https://www.paklan.org/the-story-of-the-fired-apprentice/
Last updated: 2025-12-17T16:00:37.000Z
This is a photo of a tenon that I cut off entirely at work the other day. How it happened is not because I had too little focus, but too much focus on the wrong thing.

When it happened, I immediately thought about the story I heard from a carpenter about the only apprentice ever to get fired from a legendary Kyoto firm. He wasn’t fired because he was too sloppy; he was fired because he was working so tightly that he forgot what he was supposed to be doing.

The apprentice was the son of a client. The client asked multiple times if the company would take him on as an apprentice, and after the third request, the company said yes. He was a university graduate with a technical degree, such as math, engineering, or the sciences. 

One time, he tore out a ceiling that was supposed to be left alone in a renovation. When asked why he did it, he told his boss it needed to be removed because you “have to draw the line somewhere,” implying the ceiling had flaws that no one else in the company could really see or thought were worth replacing.

The final straw was when the apprentices caring for him found him sitting on the floor surrounded by screws.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Tak's Zen Chair in Hawaii
URL: https://www.paklan.org/taks-zen-chair-in-hawaii/
Last updated: 2025-12-10T16:00:42.000Z
Late Nov, I flew home for a few days to make some keisaku for Chozen-ji's December sesshin, and to let my teacher [Tak Yoshino](https://www.mtfuji-wcs.org/?ref=paklan.org) stay at my house. He brought a special version of one of his Zen chairs with different-shaped legs. Because they are sized to the cm for each person, the Zen chair is the most comfortable chair I have ever sat on, kind to the body and firmly supportive in the right place. Tak's Zen chair is on display in Downtown Arts Center in Honolulu, at a [furniture show](https://www.firstfridayhawaii.com/calendar/202512/24663.html?ref=paklan.org) running through December 20th.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1001266.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1001268.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1001269.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1001270.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1001272.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1001273.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1001277-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/12/L1001278.jpg)
### "Traditional Carpentry Tools of Japan" (Translated)
URL: https://www.paklan.org/traditional-carpentry-tools-of-japan-translated/
Last updated: 2025-12-08T16:00:43.000Z
Translating Yama-san's favorite book on carpentry tools

_This post is for subscribers only._
### How to flatten sharpening stones using the three-plate method
URL: https://www.paklan.org/how-to-flatten-sharpening-stones-uysi-the-three-plate-method/
Last updated: 2026-08-11T10:56:55.000Z
*This article is part of our ongoing advice column exclusive to* [*paid subscribers*](https://www.paklan.org/#/portal/)*. The advice is a preview of the sharpening methods taught at the* [*Somakosha School*](https://www.somakoshaschool.com/?ref=paklan.org)*, which just released* [*new class openings in 2026*](https://www.somakoshaschool.com/course-schedule?ref=paklan.org)*. Thank you for your support.*

Flattening sharpening stones with a diamond plate is good enough in many cases. But plates wear down, are expensive, and they can bend or be out of flat to begin with. 

For many of my sharpening teachers—Including my bosses and teachers at [Somakosha](https://www.somakosha.com/?ref=paklan.org)— most consistent way to get and stay flat is by using the 3-Plate method. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1731.jpeg)

King 1000 stones that belong to [Andrew Ren](https://www.instagram.com/xtol.ren?igsh=MWU2bTU1b3hwejVpZw==&ref=paklan.org)

I was taught the method by [Jude Noteboom](https://www.instagram.com/jude.noteboom?igsh=c3A5ZGY0YmJhemZ4&ref=paklan.org), but the method is credited to a machinist and metrologist Joseph Whitworth, who started using the technique about 200 years ago. He realized that rubbing two objects together will make them conform but not necessarily make them flat. When lapping two stones against each other, one can become concave and one convex. These two stones may fit together perfectly but that is obviously not the goal. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1730.jpeg)

Kensyou 3000 grit stones, flattened in three-plate method. Photo by [Andrew Ren](https://www.instagram.com/xtol.ren?igsh=MWU2bTU1b3hwejVpZw==&ref=paklan.org)

But, by taking 3 stones and rubbing them together, over time, the objects will become flat with the right process: Rubbing A against B, and B against C, and then A against C, repeatedly, they will become flat because *the only allowable shape that the three objects can share is flat.* If one is concave but the other two are convex, they two similar shaped stones will conflict against each other, wearing down their similar high points at the middle. The same will occur if two are concave and one is convex. Eventually, everything evens out to flat if they are continuously lapped against each other.

This method can result in sub micron flatness (theoretically!--skill is still a factor) whereas most factory Atoma can be out a few dozen micron. 

Here is a video of this method in action:

Ask The Line: members can send questions about tools, technique, or finding your way into this craft. One gets answered here each week. [Email me](mailto:hello@paklan.org).

[Join and ask ](https://www.paklan.org/#/portal/signup)

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Kurashiki Koushi and Shoji
URL: https://www.paklan.org/kurashiki-koushi-and-shoji/
Last updated: 2025-11-12T16:00:49.000Z
Doors and windows for a tea shop

_This post is for subscribers only._
### How do I start using natural stones with Japanese woodworking tools?
URL: https://www.paklan.org/how-do-i-begin-using-natural-stones-with-japanese-woodworking-tools/
Last updated: 2026-08-11T10:56:53.000Z
*How do I shop for and start* using *natural stones? –Charlie C.*

This is an interesting and also enormously complex topic. I’m bound to fail to express what I know in a digestible form. Before we can get into how to begin, it’s worth going over why natural stones might be worth your time (and why maybe not). 

In brief, natural stones cut and feel different than synthetic stones. Most importantly, the grit in natural stones can break down and become finer as it is used, giving these stones a lot of effective grit range compared to man-made stones. Secondarily, that grit range (mixed in the stone, and also changing constantly) means natural stones can leave different finishes that are considered beautiful (either hazy, or highlighting different patterns in iron through interesting corrosion). Some believe natural stone edges, because of the grit break down of scratches, various hardness levels of different particles, and in general rounder shaped particles, can create edges that can last than as with synthetic stones. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/10/L1001279.jpeg)

Mids on the bottom shelf, finishers on the top shelf; stones are sorted with harder stones on the left

(The shape of scratches is a topic of discussion between different types of stones like diamond, manmade and natural stones, as is the scratch direction. Different types of scratches in different directions can give you different types of edges. This is a topic for another day.) 

These stones are sometimes more or less hard, resulting in different types of abrasion and even the shape of the edge. Harder stones also end up more dish resistant than many man made stones, and some times these stones can be scratchy unless used with a lot of slurry, meaning a bit of prep work is necessary in building that mix of water, iron, steel and stone; related, some less expensive stones also might have strong lines of impurities, which can scratch your blades. 

Ask The Line: members can send questions about tools, technique, or finding your way into this craft. One gets answered here each week. [Email me](mailto:hello@paklan.org).

[Join and ask ](https://www.paklan.org/#/portal/signup)

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Resting Dragon / Dogo Onsen / Ozu Castle Town
URL: https://www.paklan.org/resting-dragon-dogo-onsen-ozu-castle-town/
Last updated: 2025-11-03T16:00:55.000Z
Fall descends

_This post is for subscribers only._
### What makes a more expensive kanna worth it?
URL: https://www.paklan.org/what-makes-a-more-expensive-kanna-worth-it-2/
Last updated: 2026-08-11T10:57:00.000Z
*How do more expensive planes (like $600 - $1500, etc) compare to the ones that are $100-300? – James L.*

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/08/L1001295.jpg)

During my visit to Uchihashi san, the blacksmith Keizaburo, last month, he shared his perspective on his favorite steel, likening different kanna blades to different mountains, each with its unique shape. The question isn't really which one is better or worse, but more like the question "which mountain do I want to hike today?" 

Ask The Line: members can send questions about tools, technique, or finding your way into this craft. One gets answered here each week. [Email me](mailto:hello@paklan.org).

[Join and ask ](https://www.paklan.org/#/portal/signup)

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Paperwork and Curved Octagon Posts
URL: https://www.paklan.org/paperwork-and-curved-octagon-posts/
Last updated: 2025-09-29T22:35:27.000Z
What can I say except I gave 100% of my effort this week, and yet, it wasn’t quite enough.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Ofuro!
URL: https://www.paklan.org/ofuro/
Last updated: 2025-09-11T08:49:09.000Z
Yama san spent last week finishing an extremely large furo destined for a Vermont ryokan project.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### First Week
URL: https://www.paklan.org/first-week/
Last updated: 2025-09-05T16:01:04.000Z
We continued to work on the gate

_This post is for subscribers only._
### First day
URL: https://www.paklan.org/first-day/
Last updated: 2025-08-25T15:34:15.000Z
Today was my first day at Somakosha.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### An Apprenticeship at Somakosha
URL: https://www.paklan.org/an-apprenticeship-at-somakosha/
Last updated: 2025-08-11T21:23:40.000Z
For reasons I cannot fully understand, I was invited to work at Somakosha as a carpentry apprentice. 

As I am not a young man and have a life with some complications, accepting the job wasn't straightforward.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/08/L1000355.jpg)

The personal backstory is that when I received the offer, I was going through a separation. And as my family life unraveled, so did this idea that I could continue to travel to Japan together as I studied craft. This past year was supposed to be my last burst of training with people like the carpenters at [Somakosha](https://somakosha.com/?ref=paklan.org), and Tak Yoshino and Togo Miyashita at [Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society](https://www.mtfuji-wcs.org/?ref=paklan.org). I figured I’d write about the last days of my pursuit, and then give up my dream of studying and working in Japan. Maybe I would return to my old career in [product review](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/?ref=paklan.org). 

But I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. So, my ex and I came to an agreement where we could go to Japan, and she could study ceramics there. And, I could still see my daughter all the time. 

Of course, moving to Japan with your ex seems crazy, no matter how well we get along. But something about the brief time at Chozen-ji gave me the sense to say yes and figure out the rest as I go. With so much at stake, I am forced to let go of whatever bad feelings I had held on to between us, and to move forward with a fresh perspective. 

I’m sure my personal life will be tricky; and keeping up with apprentices half my age and masters who have been practicing as long as the apprentices have been alive will be difficult. 

Despite all that, I recognize that this might be my last chance to bring this dream to life. So, I finally said yes. The first thing I did when accepting the job was to go to a physical therapist and show them a video of Jon hewing a giant log. I told them, I want to be able to do this and not die. 

But while my body feels old, as soon as this decision was made, my spirit felt as big as the universe. Spending time at Somakosha this summer, unsurprisingly, I found the carpentry sublime at times. My energy seems to multiply effortlessly in Jon and Yama’s sensitive, dynamic, and joyful presence; with that, many new miracles, ideas, and connections began to unfold. I already am sensing how special each each person at Somakosha is, from apprentice to head carpenter, and look forward to building with them. I can't even imagine how beautiful this coming year will be, I just know it will be.

My business card will say "Carpentry Apprentice / Special Projects". I will swing a hammer and use my chisels and planes. But I will also continue to work on Paklan, photographing the carpenters at work, contributing to the school to help them spread their knowledge, including in the [new advice column](https://www.paklan.org/what-makes-a-more-expensive-kanna-worth-it/) we are starting together. Ultimately, I am trying to come up with interesting collaborations and projects that will help spread sukiya carpentry all over the world, in every corner of life possible. 

If you have a chance to visit us at the school, or have ideas for collaborations where we can help you build something, [please drop us a line.](https://www.somakoshaschool.com/?ref=paklan.org)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/08/L1000361.jpg)

Here’s an abridged version of the formal letter where I wanted to give them a chance to change their mind:

*April 3rd 2025*

*Yamamoto san and Stollenmeyer san, I request permission to work at Somakosha.* 

*I know that I am not the average apprentice. I am not a young man; I am not an architect or a professional craftsperson yet. I also have some personal changes in my family life, the outcome of which I cannot predict. We aspire to stay a full school year. But, because of family changes, we can only commit to Somakosha for a trial period through the end of the year, starting in mid-August.* 

*I will work hard, pay attention, and take honest feedback sincerely. For example, after being told to learn to sharpen faster, I have spent time and energy speeding up my process using all the methods I could find. I look at each piece of advice like a glass of cold water on a hot day.*

*Also, using my experience as a journalist, I would like to spread an understanding of Somakosha to the rest of the world.* 

*These ideas overlap with my mission, which is to spread craft culture through the modern age; people have largely forgotten what human beings can do with their own hands, eyes and hearts. And how much more free and beautiful that can make a life.*

*I hope you can understand my dream, and allow me to contribute to Somakosha. If you agree, I will begin planning now.*

*Thank you,* 

*Brian Lam*
### Maine Japanese Woodworking Festival 2025
URL: https://www.paklan.org/maine-japanese-woodworking-festival-2025/
Last updated: 2025-08-01T16:00:04.000Z
*This post will look better on a* [*large screen*](https://www.paklan.org/maine-japanese-woodworking-festival-2025/)*.*

I made my way to Maine from Hawaii, only two days after [I left Japan](https://www.paklan.org/somakosha-in-july/). My loadout was slim, knowing any and all the stones and tools I might need could be borrowed from friends and teachers at the festival. Especially Anton, a mini god of deep preparation. Who travels with a granite plate and a Brita filter pitcher? Anton, thankfully.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/08/L1001617.jpg)

Before the festival began, I helped cut out a blacksmith shop timber frame. The frame, in eastern white pine, was a pleasure to work on. I enjoy the idea of myself as just a weapon or tool for more senior carpenters, and was assigned wherever I was needed. Jason had me cut a housed 3-way joint, tune up a kanawa tsugi, and repair an overcut housing in a natural beam. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/08/L1001601.jpg)

I could feel a different level of speed and accuracy coming from my time at Mount Fuji and Somakosha, compared to my work at the beginning of the year. All I wanted to do was cut wood, as ferociously and accurately as I could. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/08/L1001831.jpg)

Jason was pulling 18 hour days at least, and operating a crane on the final day with 3 hours of sleep. It was wild, but Jason is wild. There is no one with a bigger or more courageous heart in our community. That is what it takes to build a 2 floor timber frame with a handful of beginner carpentry students, in 6 days.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/08/L1001753.jpg)

There should be a study on how his brain works, and how he lives his life with so much momentum and confidence. It’s quite beautiful to see my friend be who he is, and to be able to support him in any way. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/08/L1001787.jpg)

The frame was raised around midnight the night before the festival began. I asked Jason why he is crazy, and his answer was pretty straightforward: "I just think I'm doing what I wanna do and not taking no for an answer and not allowing obstacles to slow it down and just work on the problem." 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/08/L1001861.jpg)

Jason continued, "When I was a kid growing up in a pretty supportive middle class family, my mom was sort of overprotective. She'd be like, how do you know how to do that? Or, you can't do that! This kind lead to a need of prove myself that like I could do anything. Other than like, physics, there's no reason why anything can't be accomplished with the right drive and resources. And when you add in people who are excited about it, you really can accomplish great things. There are so many limitations people put on themselves. You just gotta focus and put the work in. And it's so easy to get sucked into bad habits and laziness and television, and you know all this other stuff that prevents you from achieving your goals."

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/08/L1001873.jpg)

We celebrated the raising after Eric, priest from [Chozen ji](https://www.chozen-ji.org/?ref=paklan.org), blessed the frame. Then we turned in and prepared for the festival’s start. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/08/L1001923.jpg)

The next day, carpenters and woodworkers started to show up. [Brian Holcombe](https://www.instagram.com/bp.holcombe/?ref=paklan.org), [Jude Noteboom](https://www.instagram.com/jude.noteboom/?hl=en&ref=paklan.org), [Douglas Brooks](https://www.instagram.com/douglasbrooksboatbuilding/?hl=en&ref=paklan.org), [Jim Blauvelt](https://www.instagram.com/jimblauvelt/?hl=en&ref=paklan.org), [Anton Hang](https://www.instagram.com/antongenic/?hl=en&ref=paklan.org), [Jay Van Arsdale](https://kezuroukai.us/?ref=paklan.org), [Jason Forster](https://www.instagram.com/p/CUe6eRelcw4/?hl=en&ref=paklan.org), [JP Li](https://www.instagram.com/jp%5Fli/?ref=paklan.org), [Andrew Hunter](https://www.instagram.com/rewhunter/?ref=paklan.org), Jaime Ishii, [Dorian Bracht](https://www.instagram.com/dorianbracht/?ref=paklan.org), [Andrew Ren](https://www.instagram.com/xtol.ren/?hl=en&ref=paklan.org), [Daniel Stockman](https://www.instagram.com/x%5Fevocateur%5Fx/?ref=paklan.org), Greg Gunn, and surprise guest [Morgan Donn](https://www.instagram.com/barstow%5Fpark%5Fservices/?hl=en&ref=paklan.org), to name just a few. (Yann Giguere was missed this year, but there in spirit.)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/08/L1001872.jpg)

I also had the opportunity to share some knowledge gained from teachers in Japan. I interviewed Andrew Ren about his kezuroukai planing and sharpening. And I gave a demonstration of some of [Somakosha’s](https://www.instagram.com/somakosha/?hl=en&ref=paklan.org) sharpening methods involving secondary bevels and hollow grinds.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/08/L1001742.jpg)

If you hollow grind a blade, there are a few things to know.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Somakosha in July
URL: https://www.paklan.org/somakosha-in-july/
Last updated: 2025-07-31T16:00:06.000Z
*This post will* [*look better*](https://www.paklan.org/somakosha-in-july/) *on a computer screen.*

After the hip rafter class in Okayama, I returned home. 

I was due back a few days later for a [workshop on doors](https://www.somakoshaschool.com/doors?ref=paklan.org) at Somakosha's shop in Okayama.

Late one night, as I walked across a moonlit field separating the shoreline and my home, I called Jon to catch up. Realizing my impending homesickness, he suggested I stay another week to enjoy the people in my life—new and old—and the summer waves in Honolulu. In Zen, monks used to push hard on 100 day campaigns, Michael told me. I was tired from building straight through since last fall, and having spent almost 5 months of the last year in Japan studying with different masters, and at Chozen-ji. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/07/L1001479.jpg)

Home in July is one of the best places on earth, and I was grateful for the rest. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/07/L1001356.jpg)

Returning to Okayama two weeks later, and high off my last visit’s success, I tried to fit the door making workshop’s 12 day curriculum in 4 days.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Miscellaneous Thoughts On Planes (By Suda Kenji)
URL: https://www.paklan.org/miscellaneous-thoughts-on-planes-by-suda-kenji/
Last updated: 2025-07-14T16:00:00.000Z
[*Takanaka Carpentry Tools Museum*](https://www.instagram.com/takenakacarpentrytoolsmuseum/?hl=en&ref=paklan.org) *graciously gave us permission to present a portion of their 2024 Kanna exhibition brochure, in english. This essay is by Suda Kenji, national living treasure sashimono. This excerpt was translated for Paklan by* [*Togo Miyashita*](https://www.instagram.com/wootogo.working/?hl=en&ref=paklan.org)*,* [*apprentice*](https://medium.com/@togowoodwork?ref=paklan.org) *of* [*Tak Yoshino*](https://www.tak-yoshino.jp/?ref=paklan.org) *at* [*Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society*](https://www.mtfuji-wcs.org/?ref=paklan.org)*.* 

## Miscellaneous Thoughts On Planes

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/07/L1001241.jpg)

Suda Kenji's shop

 木工に取り組んで今年でちょうど50年になろうとしている。岐阜で宮大工をしていた祖父が一念発起して1907年に上京し指物師前田桑明の門をたたいてから我が家の指物を中心とした木工藝の歴史が始まり、私が父の下で仕事に就いてからも半世起というわけである。しかしそれは人々が木を使ったモノづくりを始めてからの歴史に比べればほんのわずかな時間である。

 It has been exactly 50 years this year since I started woodworking. My grandfather, who was a shrine carpenter in Gifu, moved to Tokyo in 1907 and opened the door for Soumei Maeda, a sashimono craftsman, and this was the beginning of our family's history of Mokkougei(fine wood art), mainly sashimono making. However, this is a very short time compared to history since people began to make things using wood.

 木は焼き固めたり溶解したりという化学変化を必要とせず、すでにそこにある素材であり、ヒトが何か作ろうとしたとき真っ先に利用したはずである。木工が棒切れの利用から始まったにしても、今私がこうして木工藝家でいられるのは、その長い整史があったればこそであり、その末端に座している自覚は常にある。だからこそこの日本列島で取り組まれてきた木工の歴史を知りたいという思いは深い。「木工」という大きな世界の中において、私が取り組む現在の「木工藝」という機念は遡れば正倉院以降、人々が実用以上の美、「めでたきモノ」を求めた結果と言えるが、それには有史以前からの営々たる「木によるモノづくり」の助走期間がある。

 The wood is a material that does not require chemical changes such as burning, hardening, or melting. Even though woodworking began with the use of sticks, it is because of this long history that I am able to be a kogei woodworker today, and I am always aware that I am living at the end of this history. That is why I have a deep desire to learn more about the history of woodworking in the Japanese islands. In the great world of woodworking, the current “Mokkougei” that I am working on can be traced back to the Shosoin period, when people sought beauty beyond practical use, or “something to be appreciated,” but this was preceded by a period of “making things from wood” that began in prehistoric times.

 先日、長年の思いが叶って鳥取県の「青谷上寺地遺跡」を訪ねることができた。遺跡と言っても数次にわたる発掘調査はすでに終わり、遺跡の現場そのものはまた土の下である。

 The other day, I was able to visit the “Aoya Kamijichi Ruins” in Tottori Prefecture, fulfilling a long-held wish. Although we call them ruins, several rounds of excavations have already been completed, and the ruins themselves are under the ground.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/07/L1001242.jpg)

 この青谷上地遺跡は主に弥生時代のおびただしい数の多種多様な木工品が出土したことで有名である。なかでも高杯やスリット状の透かしの入った蓋付きの器など繊細な細工を施した木工品が多く、約500年後の正倉院に続く木工史の空白を埋める貴重な存在だ。訪問は実物の熟覧が目的だったが、県立の大型展示施設の本年度開館を前に既存の小規模な展示館が閉鎖され、そこに展示されていたレプリカを拝見するにとどまった。とはいえ精巧なレプリカから多くを学び刺激を受けることができた。

 This site is famous for the large number and variety of woodworks excavated, mainly from the Yayoi period. Among them are many delicately crafted woodworks, such as the tsukubai cups and slit watermarked lidded vessels, which are valuable in filling a gap in the history of woodworking that continued to the Shosoin repository that was built some 500 years later. The purpose of my visit to the site was to see the actual pieces, but since the existing small exhibition hall was closed before the opening this year of a large-scale prefectural exhibition facility, I could only see the replicas on display there. Nevertheless, I was able to learn a lot from the elaborate replicas and was inspired by them.

 一見轆轤成形のような高杯は石川県の西念・南新保連跡など日本海側の遺跡から多く出土し、轆轤か刳物かの論争が続いている。西会・南新保遺跡の高杯は近年CTスキャンなどを通じて轆轤成形という一応の結論が出ているが、その大きさや飾り突起の存在などから反論も多い。青谷上寺地遺跡のものは刳物という説であったが実物で刃物痕や削り肌、逆目の有無など確かめられず残念であった。高杯は杯部と台部を円筒状のホゾでつないだものがあるが、このつなぎ方、ホゾの作り方はいかにも挽物の仕事にも思え異味は尽きない。

 Many tsukubai cups that at first glance appear to be lathe-turned have been excavated from sites on the Sea of Japan coast, such as the Sainen and Minami-Shinpo Ruins in Ishikawa Prefecture, and there is ongoing debate over whether they are lathe-turned or gouged. Recently, through CT scans and other means, a tentative conclusion has been reached that the cups from the Sainen and Minami-Shinpo sites were lathed, but there are many arguments against it due to their size and the decorations. The cup from the Aoya Kamijichi site was thought to be gouged, but unfortunately we were unable to confirm the presence or absence of blade marks, shavings, or tear-outs on the actual piece. Some tsukubai cups have a cup and base connected by a cylindrical joint, and the way the cup and base are joined and the way the joint is made seems to be the work of woodturning, and is endlessly fascinating.

 青谷上地遺跡の遺物では長辺40cm弱の長方形の箱に特に興味を惹かれた。長手の側板には妻板（短辺）の収まる小穴（板状の部材などが差し込まれる溝状のホゾ穴）が彫られ、長方形の箱の側板を構成する。四枚の側板下部には底板の入る小穴が彫られ、繊維方向を長手にとった底板が入り、それぞれ木釘で固定している。妻板は現代の箱の作り方と違い底板と同じ繊維方向に使っている。これは木の収縮をそろえた結果のようにも思え、その知識と工夫に驚かされた。側板に施されたへび状の線刻とともにまさに完成した指物作品と言える。

 Among the artifacts from the Aoya Kamiji site, a rectangular box with a long side of less than 40 cm was of particular interest. The long side panel is carved with small holes (groove-shaped holes into which plate-like materials are inserted) for the short side to fit into, and it constitutes the side panel of the rectangular box. The bottom of each of the four side panels is carved with small grooves for the bottom board to fit into, and the bottom board with the fiber direction taken as the long side is inserted, each of which is fixed with wooden nails. Unlike modern box construction methods, the short side plates are made with the same fiber direction as the bottom plate. This seems to be the result of matching the shrinkage of the wood, and I was surprised at the knowledge and ingenuity of the craftsmen. Together with the snakelike line engravings on the side panels, this is a truly complete sashimono work.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Exploring angles at Somakosha
URL: https://www.paklan.org/exploring-angles-at-somakosha/
Last updated: 2025-07-10T16:00:24.000Z
In June, I returned to Somakosha to study compound angle joinery. The class involved making an [orthographic drawing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthographic%5Fprojection?ref=paklan.org), layout of that drawing on wood, and cutting and assembling those parts into a model of a hip section of a roof. Most people do not need know how to build a hip rafter. But the ability to design and layout joinery with complex angularity—in anything—is what I walked away with. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/07/L1001141.jpg)

The class took place in high heat and high humidity. Sweat dripped from my elbows and every thing felt warm to the touch as if a hair dryer had been blowing through the shop. At times, the mental fog matched the thick afternoon air. Many cold vending machine coffees and pocari sweat was had to stay awake and hydrated. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/07/L1009561.jpg)

The drawing was made on a piece of ply that allowed for a 1:1 scale drawing of the hip rafter model in plan and elevation views. The remarkable thing about the drawing is that every part was derived from an adjacent view using squares at 90 and other ratios to accurately replicate angles. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/07/L1009656.jpg)

Some triangles were drawn from obvious points on the previous part; some were transformations of several triangles using several shortcuts using the square. No trigonometry calculations were employed, only physical and mechanical markers. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/07/L1010766.jpg)

Someone from the US asked me if this kind of layout could be learned on their own in a few days. I told them that I doubted it. My mind was stretched, even with the support of the Somakosha master carpenters patiently explaining everything to me.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### The Kanna Dai (by Noboru Tsuchida)
URL: https://www.paklan.org/the-kanna-dai-by-nobori-tsuchida/
Last updated: 2025-07-09T02:57:13.000Z
[*Takanaka Carpentry Tools Museum*](https://www.instagram.com/takenakacarpentrytoolsmuseum/?hl=en&ref=paklan.org) *graciously gave us permission to present a portion of their 2024 Kanna exhibition brochure, in english. This essay is by Noboru Tsuchida (*土田 昇*), a legendary tool dealer in Tokyo who works only with Japanese professionals. This excerpt was translated by* [*Togo Miyashita*](https://www.instagram.com/wootogo.working/?hl=en&ref=paklan.org)*,* [*apprentice*](https://medium.com/@togowoodwork?ref=paklan.org) *of* [*Tak Yoshino*](https://www.paklan.org/interviewing-tak-yoshino-about-wood-culture/) *at Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society.* 

## The Kanna Dai, a plane body

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/07/L1001238.jpg)

治具付切削具と表現すると、いかにも固いイメージのものとなりますが、鉋あるいは台鉋と呼ばれる道具は、切削する鉋刃と、鉋刃が加工対象木材に一定度合で作用するための治具部たる鉋台との二つの要業で成立しています。鋸やノミや玄能、あるいはマサカリ、チョウナ、ヤリガンナの柄も、木製付帯部と解釈できますし、柄のできいかんにより使用感触は変化しますから、機能に大きく関連しますが、鉋台程には切削の質を決定するわけではないでしょう。鉋の機能をひき出すには、つまりより良い鉋削りを実現するためには、研ぎ以上に台の調整が重要であると言われるのはこのためです。

The term “cutting tool with a jig” seems to give the impression of a rigid tool, but a tool called a kanna, or dai-kanna, consists of two essential parts: a blade and a Dai(a jig that allows the blade to work on the wood to a fixed degree). The handles of saws, chisels, hammers, axes, adzes, and Yari-Kanna can also be interpreted as wooden accessories, and the usability of these tools varies depending on the quality of the handle, so they are greatly related to their function, but they probably do not determine the quality of cutting as much as kanna dais. This is why it is said that in order to bring out the function of kanna, in other words, to achieve better planning, the adjustment of the dai is more important than sharpening.

 かつて良質な鉋刃を所有しつつ、上手く使いこなせない職人を揶揄する言説はたくさんありました。宝の持ちぐされに類するそんな揶揄に対応するように、銘も知られぬ安価な鉋で見事な削りを実現してしまう職人こそが賞賛され尊敬もされたのです。

 In the past, there were many stories that ridiculed craftsmen who owned high-quality kanna blades but could not use them well. In response to such mockeries, craftsmen who were able to achieve excellent sharpening with inexpensive planes that had unknown names were admired and respected.

 木工芸作家であり国の重要無形文化財技術保持者（人間国宝）である須田賢司氏の御著者には興味深いエピソードが記述されています。須田氏の先々代、初代須田桑月は鉋削りが上手な指物師で、高価な鉋ではないものを見事に調整して使う、それを見た上等な鉋を持つ大工が鉋の交換をもうしでる、という話なのですが、道具は使い方次第である事を端的に示していますし、私には居職である指物師よりも大きなものを現場で製作する建築分野の職人の方が手間賃が良く、高価な道具を入手できる経済状況にあった事も読み取れ、心に残る記述でした。

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/07/L1001233.jpg)

 An interesting episode is described in a book by Mr. Kenji Suda, a Kogei artist of sashimono(Japanese traditional techniques of making fine joinery) and a holder of the national important intangible cultural heritage technique (Living National Treasure). His great-grandfather, Sougetsu Suda, was a skilled sashimono craftsman and used a non-expensive kanna with great skill and precision, and a carpenter with a superior kanna saw him use it and asked him to replace it. It was a memorable story that clearly shows that tools are dependent on how they are used, and it also shows that craftsmen in the construction field who made large objects on site were paid more for their labor and had access to more expensive tools than the woodworkers, such as the sashimono craftsman.

 もちろん鉋刃自体も優秀な鍛冶屋が製作した名品であるに越した事はありません。名品たらしむるべく名人鍛治は研究、精進しているのですから。よって使用者たる職人間に限らず、名人鍛治は注目され、スポットライトをあてられもするのです。比べて鉋台についてはどうでしょう。その鉋台が使用者自らが製作したものであるにしろ、専業化した台屋と呼ばれる職人が製作したものであるにしろ、一般的には刃部程には注目されません。

 Of course, the kanna blade itself should also be a masterpiece made by an excellent blacksmith. This is because master blacksmiths study and devote themselves to making their work a masterpiece, which is why they are not only noticed by craftsmen who use the blades, but by the public as well. In comparison, what about kanna dais? Whether the dai is made by the user or by craftsmen who specialize in the manufacture of the dai, it generally does not attract as much attention as the blade itself.

 たとえば職人に対して、その使っている鉋を指して「誰が作った鉋ですか」と問えば、必ず鉋刃を作った鍛冶屋の名前が答えとしてかえってくるはずです。鉋台はあくまでも付属品として認識されます。なぜでしょうか。おそらく鉋刃は使用者が自作する事が困難であるからです。鍛治技術は炎をあやつり金属を扱う分野ですから、大工仕事や木工作の延長線上にはありません。火床や金床が完備された場所で鉄や鋼を熱して適正な温度域で的確な打撃の下、刃物を作る熱処理をせねばならず、鉋やノミや鋸を上手く操作する技術ではまかなえません。逆に鉋台はノミと鋸と鉋で製作します。鉋使用者にとって刃部は研磨する事くらいでしかかかわれない対象なのです。よって鉋という道具において鉋刃は特権的な存在となり、その質や作者名が関心の的となるわけです。

 For instance, if you ask a craftsman, “Who made this kanna?” referring to the kanna the man is using, the name of the blacksmith who made the blade will surely come back as the answer. The kanna dai is recognized only as an accessory. How is this possible? Probably because it is difficult for users to make their own blades. Forging is not an extension of carpentry or woodworking, as it is a field of metalworking. In a place equipped with a fireplace and an anvil, iron and steel must be heated to the proper temperature range and heat treated under the right hammering to produce blades, which cannot be done with the skill to operate woodworking tools. For the kanna, the blade is an object that can only be sharpened. On the other hand, a kanna dai is made with a chisel, saw, and kanna. Therefore, blades are a privileged part of kanna, and its quality and the name of its maker are the focus of interest.

 さてしかし道具は調整の仕方次第、使い方次第のものであり、鉋においては、切削治具たる鉋台のできいかんで機能が決定されます。刃をどれだけ精密に研き上げようが、鉋台の台面整備（台直し）が精度の低いものでは屑すら出ません。

 However, tools depend on how they are adjusted and used. In the case of kanna, the function is determined by the quality of the dai, which is the cutting jig. No matter how precisely the blade is sharpened, if the sole is not properly adjusted, not even shavings will be produced.

 逆に研ぎが驚く程高精度でなくとも、台面の調整が高度になされていれば、加工対象木材の表面は、精度良くきれいに仕上がります。鉋台の重要性は使用者には周知されています。にもかかわらず鉋台製作者の存在は、おおよそ縁の下の力持ち的あつかいをされてきました。もちろん使用者自身が鉋刃を鉋台にすげ、台調整も行い、見事な削りを披露すれば、使用者は脚光を浴びもしましょう。しかし台製作の専門職、つまり台屋にしかしえない種類の鉋台もあれば、台材の樫の質の見極めにおいては、台入れを桁違いに多く行う彼らにかないようもありません。自らが使うものだけを製作するにとどまる使用者が及ばぬ能力を有しつつ、目立たぬ存在であったのが台屋です。そんな台屋の卓越を見直してみなければ、刃と台というたった二つの要素で構成される切削具の真の姿は見えてこないのではないかと思います。

 Conversely, even if the sharpening is not incredibly precise, if the sole is highly adjusted, wood surfaces will be finished cleanly and accurately. The importance of the dai is well known to the users. Despite this, the dai maker's work has been treated as a thankless job. Of course, if users themself set the blade on the dai, adjust the dai, and perform excellent sharpening, they will be in the limelight. However, there are some types of dai that can only be made by a professional dai makers, and there is no one who can match the skill of the craftsman who does an incredible number of adjusting blade insertion and determining the quality of the Kashi Oak, which is the wood used for most of wooden parts of all Japanese tools. Dai makers have a capacity that is beyond the reach of the users, who only produce what they use, and yet have remained a discreet presence. Without a review of the excellence of the dai craftsmen, the true nature of kanna, which is composed of only two elements, the blade and the dai, will not be revealed.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Japanese Woodworking and Carpentry Classes (2026-2027)
URL: https://www.paklan.org/japanese-woodworking-and-carpentry-classes-this-year/
Last updated: 2026-07-07T07:15:52.000Z
**TLDR:** [*I am happy to have put together this resource page for people interested in starting out in Japanese woodcraft*](https://www.paklan.org/resources/)*. Most 2026-2027 class schedules for my favorite woodworking teachers and friends are online.* 

[A list of classes and other resources](https://www.paklan.org/resources/)

A few years ago, during COVID, I was on the board of [Kezuroukai USA](https://kezuroukai.us/?ref=paklan.org) and trying to get a class video rental program started. In the end, the project was cancelled in favor of focusing on in person events and learning. I didn’t agree with the decision at the time, but In hindsight I understand their point. I believe video learning has a lot of potential with the right teachers but nothing will replace learning in person, where all the senses can be fully engaged.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/01/L1000068-2.jpg)

Michael (Chozen-ji) and Jon (Somakosha) inspecting the stream behind the temple

Jon Stollenmeyer of [Somakosha](https://somakosha/?ref=paklan.org) stopped in Honolulu last week on his way back to Japan after the holidays. I wanted him to meet Michael at [Chozen-ji](https://www.chozen-ji.org/zen-and-japanese-carpentry?ref=paklan.org) and talk about the temple grounds and buildings, in case there is a project 0r classes we can work on together. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/01/L1000079.jpg)

Unexpectedly, as soon as we got to my shop, Jon started giving me direct feedback on my tools and planing technique. You can imagine the kind of things he noticed as the American who has spent more time working in Japan as a carpenter than anyone else I can think of. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/01/L1007148.jpg)

Jon fixing my plane, described gently as "terribly" tuned.

Jon’s career has been split between both [Nakamura Sotoji Komuten](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/29/greathomesanddestinations/Traditional-Tea-House-Design-Endures-in-Kyoto.html?ref=paklan.org), and [Somakosha](https://www.somakosha.com/?ref=paklan.org) where he works with Yama-san and their team. I have written about Nakamura Satoji Komuten as the place where I first laid eyes on Japanese carpentry, and met Jon’s first boss, Yoshiaki Nakamura. The [NYT has written about this firm](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/29/greathomesanddestinations/Traditional-Tea-House-Design-Endures-in-Kyoto.html?ref=paklan.org) as such: 

> "My father hired the master carpenter with the reputation of being No. 1 in Kyoto who specialized in the traditional tea house design,” said Mr. Yabumoto. “His name was Mr. Sotoji Nakamura, and the name is now a brand continued by his son.”

> Until his death in 1997, Sotoji Nakamura was known for his work on tea house, or sukiya, designs. His credits include building tea rooms for two Rockefellers, including one at Nelson A. Rockefeller’s home in Pocantico Hills, N.Y., and at a city park in Munich.

> Nakamura’s son, Yoshiaki, who now runs the family business, says his father’s most important work was his commission for the tea rooms at the [Ise Shrine, the Shinto temple complex about two hours from Kyoto](http://www.isejingu.or.jp/shosai/english/index.htm?ref=paklan.org). Since Nakamura’s death, the company has handled projects such as the tea room at the Huntington library and gardens in San Marino, Calif., and the Edo Koji shopping alley at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo."

[Subscribe](#/portal/signup)

Jon's feedback was metabolized in any form. If he thought something I did was good, it was good to hear. If he thought something I was doing was ineffective or even terrible, it was good to hear. I was grateful to hear anything that would help me grow or to know I was headed in the right direction. I have no idea why this feeling exists in me, I just know that after 5 years, it’s only getting stronger. It probably has to do with just how hard it is to learn on island, and how difficult it is to travel to study. (Ask me anything about traveling with tools, stones, cameras and a toddler, all at once.)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/01/5CD4D1FE-8B8B-439C-9225-C8F7CE0F8F4F_1_201_a.jpg)

A different way of sharpening

For example, the way Jon uses a kanna is different from anything I’ve ever seen. I can’t explain everything because it’s not my knowledge to share, and I don’t understand everything well enough. But I got to see the sharpening method Somakosha developed in house that uses a deep hollow grind, two stones, including one final stone coated in 20k alumina powder of just the right consistency, and extremely small contact points requiring the balancing of the blade on the very edge, with no other contact on the bevel. (That is, in bicycle terminology, an endo.) 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/01/L1007159.jpg)

Jon on the stones.

Within 2 minutes, I am getting blades sharper than ever. 

(Jon Billing [wrote about a version of this way of sharpening a few years ago](https://www.bigsandwoodworking.com/sharpening-kanna-an-evolving-method-part-1/ ?ref=paklan.org), which I found effective. But this updated version, showed to me in person where I could observe more nuance and get more feed back, works even better for me.)

Jon's visit also answered a 2 year old question raised by his partner, Yama-san, when I studied under him in Idaho. Yama-san began to tell me about a method of supporting the dai on the work piece, that he described as "crazy", before he decided that he couldn't explain the method well enough to me. At first he said he didn't have the vocabulary in English but the next day I asked him if he just didn't want to confuse me at the level I was at. He nodded.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/01/IMG_3057.jpg)

Both Yama-san and Jon have tuned and pulled this plane, a nondescript, mid range white 1 plane. Even though I have outgrown its steel, it has sentimental value to me and practical value as a study piece. The gouge to the tsutsumi came from a piece of bark that caught on the edge on the Idaho bell tower project. 

Asking Jon about this method, he answered by showing me how he likes to provide contact around the entire mouth. This was something he learned from his bosses at Nakamura. But I was told this way is used by some of the highest-end firms to control tear out on the finest work. It also is something I have not seen others in America practice. Again, I'm being a little vague--if you want to learn, you need to study with Jon and Yama-san and ask them directly. 

Overall, this is a unique, rare and advanced take on setting up a plane specifically for the pace and quality of work done at Somakosha. And it is incredibly exciting to see craft and tradition grounded in over a thousand years of tricks and methods passed down from master to apprentice, but also expanding, live and in the present. 

In a few short minutes, I learned something I could not learn from 10 years on my own–or 10000 years on Youtube. And we're not even getting into architecture or building or design or joinery, yet. Jon said, “thought I could come to Japan for 3-5 years and learn a lot of what I needed to know, now im 15 years in and I feel like I need the rest of my life to really get anywhere with it.“

My point is, to learn from someone who knows, in person, is fast, efficient and beautiful. 

It would be worth your time to visit their school, or any school by professionals. I am signed up for 6 weeks of classes, in May, June and July, with them, along with some sessions with Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society, in 2025\. (If you sign up for any programs at these places, please drop me a line.) 

If you are starting out, I recommend starting with a teacher in your region to learn fundamentals of joints, tools and sharpening. There are teachers like Yann and Dale in the Ashland and Seattle, Jason Fox in Maine, Ziggy in Kentucky, Alfred in France. For those who know they are going to continue on, there is Japan, waiting for us. 

One beautiful part of this culture is the emphasis on observation and modeling, and doing, and less on [asking or hearing](https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/02/first-lesson-in-japanese-boatbuilding-dont-speak/?ref=paklan.org). 

I would also warn against learning from people on facebook or youtube without asking them how they know what they are trying to teach you. The advice on these platforms is sometimes a little short on context. So far.

Peers are also amazing for encouragement and sharing of lessons without annoying the boss. Aside from craft being alive, Jon also believes in not trying to learn alone. “When I find people who try to do everything alone, I feel a little bit of sadness because there is no need to and it's a bit slower route. And we can all be partners in learning this stuff. But yeah I mean, it's so deep, and im constantly feeling lucky to have Yamamoto with me.

Jon and I talked about openmindedness when learning. I find it curious how many people doing this work outside of Japan refuse to acknowledge developments in technique and tooling, like use of heavy alloys and diamond resins and grinders to help them do better work, faster for the sake of clients and their families alike. “The best carpenters do fast and beautiful work,” said Jon. He continued, “At Nakamura, I met all these aboslutely incredible carpenters who were excellent at what they do in various ways, but also open to learning, even people who were in their 50 snd 60s who had done amazing things in there career and they still had that curiosity. And hopefully we can learn that forward. ” 

[Subscribe](#/portal/signup)

In the end, at some point, if you really want to learn this, some feel that apprenticeships and actual work are the only way. I noticed that for people who took this route, there was an initial risk of being annoying by asking too many questions or being around long enough to be first noticed and allowed to be around as an irritation. And then perhaps be ready and given the opportunity to do some real work. And over time, to be less of a burden and annoyance to your bosses. Of course, this is just second hand information, as someone who has never done professional work for a professional for any great amount of time. But it is what I have noticed in a number of professionals, including Jon, who was told he would never be hired at Nakamura, but showed up every day for months on end to help out, regardless of the futility of it.

For the rest of us who can’t take that route, there are still ways to fight to learn and practice and build, even if they are not as straight forward.

For now, go get a lesson from someone who knows. 

[A list of classes and other resources](https://www.paklan.org/resources/)

***For members only, a tool for sale that I used on the koi pond project:***

I do not want to be a tool dealer. But I started a secret store for selling some of my personal tools that have been used in some of my projects, as I make room to try out other steel. This plane I am selling is solid. Of the 8 or so planes I started with, by the end, I was only finishing with a Yamaguchi super blue 70mm kanna, which is not really easy to find these days. It is a usually $300 dollar plane that can outperform many planes costing 2-3x. It's priced well, and set up as a study piece using the methods above. [This part of the site, and this tool, is only available for members of Paklan.](https://www.paklan.org/secret-shop/)
### Ton Ton with Somakosha
URL: https://www.paklan.org/ton-ton-with-somakosha/
Last updated: 2025-07-10T08:34:40.000Z
*This post will* [*look better*](https://www.paklan.org/ton-ton-with-somakosha/) *on a computer screen.*

After studying at Mount Fuji with Togo and Tak San for a few weeks, I made my way to Okayama to visit [Somakosha](http://somakosha.com/?ref=paklan.org). Luggage limits were reached, with 85 kilos of cameras, tools and just a few pieces of work clothing. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/06/somakosha-ton-ton-62.jpg)

Near Okayama Station

The last time I was in the area, about 7 years ago, I was passing through by ferry to [Naoshima](https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/220/?ref=paklan.org). This time, I was in town for the first [Somakosha Intermediate Japanese carpentry class](https://www.somakoshaschool.com/intermediate?ref=paklan.org) with [Jon Stollenmeyer](https://www.paklan.org/somakosha-in-the-new-york-times/) and Kohei Yamamoto. This would be my first time studying with Japanese carpenters in Japan, and the second time with Somakosha.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/Paklan-Line-B--2---1-.jpg)

The first time I studied with Yama san was during a bell tower framing project in Sandpoint, Idaho, 2 years ago. The project was put on by [Collin Beggs](https://www.collinbeggs.com/?ref=paklan.org), and hosted by the [Timber Framers Guild](https://www.tfguild.org/?ref=paklan.org). The building was made for a park in the area. The class was taught by Yama san and Yann Giguere from [Mokuchi](https://www.mokuchiwoodworking.com/?ref=paklan.org), my first and long-time teacher. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/06/DSC_3184.jpg)

Yama at Sandpoint, Idaho. Photo by [Ash Ngu](https://ashngu.com/?ref=paklan.org)

The student body for the Idaho program was about 25 people, and it sold out before it even went public. (I found out about it early from a secret tool dealer who also traffics in gossip.) This was one of the first structural programs in the US with instruction from Japan, post COVID. There were a handful of hobbyists with some training and tools. And about 20 professional western framers from Collin’s shop nearby, as well as some from further away like [Jordan Finch](https://www.instagram.com/finchwoodworks/?hl=en&ref=paklan.org), who travelled to the workshop with his son from West Virginia.

The Idaho frame design was ambitious for a student project. The structure was built upon four canted posts we would round by hand, and a curved roof. At the last minute, the frame was improved with a scribed oak beam. The class was two weeks long. Through some logistical confusion, the majority of students brought zero japanese tools or stones. So a last minute run to Woodcraft a few hours away was necessary. Because no other students had planes set up, I got to plane the frame by myself for a few days. It was my first construction project, and I made many mistakes, and was slow. All that theory rattling around your head falls apart when its time to work big posts and beams with hand tools, and your plane is hitting the high points on a roughly sawn beam in a rain storm. Here, only experience will amount to anything. And if you don't have any, well, you find out what that is worth, too, very quickly. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/06/DSC_3039.jpg)

Sandpoint Idaho Belltower project being raised. Photo by [Ash Ngu](https://ashngu.com/?ref=paklan.org)

The worst and first mistake I made was overcutting the ridge beam with a floppy 300mm saw that I was warned would wander badly if we lost focus. I lost focus. And the far end of the saw drifted a cm into the beam. 

This was the incident that helped me understand that my high energy and enthusiasm could cause problems at the start of a project. Sawing like a maniac is never a good idea unless it is a rough cut, and then, it’s better to use a power tool. The look on my teacher's face when I showed him my mistake, I will never forget. The only good part about this mistake was that other students were able to learn from it, and no one duplicated my error. It’s the kind of mistake you carry with you as a tool to stay in the right mental zone, but hopefully not so much so that it itself becomes a distraction. I was given the task of cleaning up my error with a small hand plane.

This was also my first chance to build under consequence, where my mistakes would affect others. I mark this structure as the beginning of my long, slow climb out of what some teachers refer to as chit-chat internet woodworking. Chit-chat Internet woodworkers are filled with theory and spend more time debating tool smiths in Facebook groups rather than making things. Since we don’t know what we don’t know, there is an underestimation of the total possible body of knowledge. By proportion, there is an overestimation of our position in that body. (See: Dunning-Kruger[ effect](https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/dunning-kruger-effect?ref=paklan.org)).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/06/somakosha-ton-ton-64.jpg)

Yann at Sandpoint, Idaho. Photo by [Ash Ngu](https://ashngu.com/?ref=paklan.org)

But the majority of the Idaho students were professionals, regardless of the culture they came from. The frame was only possible because a good timber framing pro from the West can learn how to use Japanese hand tools pretty quickly. And then all the instincts around how wood acts and is worked come into play. I remember seeing all these burly timber framers standing in a circle, reciting poetry before we got to work, the dappled sun falling across their beards and overalls through the cedar grove. 

Always nervous around real professionals, I remember sharpening in front of Yama-san, who I think was just starting to be exposed to hobbyists. I was sharpening a tataki that had a rounded bevel and starting slow. Yama exclaimed, “You better sharpen faster and practice more!” almost involuntarily. He seemed as surprised as I was that he said it. I responded weakly, “I practice a lot, but I’m still not very good! Thank you for the advice.” It stung, to be honest, but it was true. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/06/somakosha-ton-ton-63.jpg)

Fixing my sawing error by plane. Photo by [Ash Ngu](https://ashngu.com/?ref=paklan.org)

This direct feedback was also the most potent fuel. I was able to metabolize this single phrase over the years to motivate my practice. Another side effect of this feedback is that no judgement about my work ever stung again—a true superpower when it comes to learning, and all too rare.

He also showed me the way that Somakosha sharpens, for the first time. This method is currently at the core of my process. Jon Billing, who had worked there for several years before refocusing on furniture, detailed a prior version of what they practice now. This set of articles details the style of that time, which is close enough to their modern style. ([1](https://www.bigsandwoodworking.com/sharpening-kanna-an-evolving-method-part-1/?ref=paklan.org), [2](https://www.bigsandwoodworking.com/sharpening-kanna-an-evolving-method-2/?ref=paklan.org), [3](https://www.bigsandwoodworking.com/sharpening-kanna-an-evolving-method-part-3/?ref=paklan.org), [4](https://www.bigsandwoodworking.com/sharpening-kanna-an-evolving-method-part-4/?ref=paklan.org), [5](https://www.bigsandwoodworking.com/sharpening-kanna-an-evolving-method-part-5/?ref=paklan.org), [6](https://www.bigsandwoodworking.com/sharpening-kanna-an-evolving-method-6/?ref=paklan.org), [7](https://www.bigsandwoodworking.com/sharpening-kanna-an-evolving-method-7/?ref=paklan.org))

I don't exactly copy their sharpening method; Not that I’ve found something better, but that I want to keep exploring and experimenting so I always sharpen a bit differently, depending on both context and my mood. After a while, all the sharpening becomes something like jazz, anyhow.

That trip, Yama san was also handing out flyers announcing that Somakosha would open a school. 

I emailed every year to ask if the school was opening. When it finally did, 3 years later, I signed up for 3 classes—intermediate in April; then advanced, and door making, which take place in June and July.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/Paklan-Line-B--2---1-.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/06/somakosha-ton-ton-46.jpg)

Somakosha, at last.

Walking into the workshop for the first time felt like a kind of strange homecoming. The shop is built around scaffold framing, with air and light flowing freely through openings in the wood panels. It is organized, beautiful, and dynamic. Secondary roofs jut out through open spaces in the walls, and lumber is stored everywhere that tools aren’t. Some small cubbies exist for apprentices to rest in, and there's a small kitchen, table, and office for design and lunchtime or meetings. It sits at a crossroads in the country, with a small set of vending machines and a cafe within a short walk.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/06/somakosha-ton-ton-25.jpg)

Jon

The project the class was built around is a small section of a wall, from the ground to the roof, comprised of various joints, including mortise and tenon, shachi with a floating tenon, dovetails, and, if a student opted in, a scribed post and beam. This class structure has evolved over the years, first taught at [The Year of Mud](https://theyearofmud.com/natural-building-workshops/japanese-carpentry-workshop/?ref=paklan.org), Ziggy’s well-loved Japanese carpentry program in Kentucky.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/06/somakosha-ton-ton-10.jpg)

Lee

Yama-san and Jon are a dynamic teaching team. Often, Yama would quietly observe and set the example with a demonstration, while Jon would narrate energetically and eloquently.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/06/somakosha-ton-ton-15.jpg)

Yama, Jon and the first intermediate class students

The rest of the team at Somakosha had something in common: a strangely large heart for this work, often finding themselves working here against some odds. Ken san, a cheery man who we could hear laughing or whistling through the day, had just come back from working for ages on a castle in Okinawa; Clark had dropped out of Yale architecture grad school to apprentice; Yoko san who had fought her way into carpentry as a woman in Japan; Shinwa, injured his hand in the jointer the first month on the job; and Lee, the contractor and designer who left his practice in Singapore to apprentice at Somakosha and start the school program. In the past, and now, Somakosha seems to be more open to foreign apprentices than other firms. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/06/somakosha-ton-ton-33.jpg)

Ken san and Clark

Despite having built and cut joints continuously for many months, I still felt nervous about joining in front of my teachers. I had just come from Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society, working at the delicate scale and pace of sashimono work, so most of my feedback was advice on how to speed up. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/06/somakosha-ton-ton-13.jpg)

Clark planing

When the project was started, my layout was rough. I built a story stick for the project, but I made enough mistakes in the pole that I had to redraw it several times. Besides triple-checking the layout, what I needed to do to improve came down to a more gentle, sensitive layout. In essence, layout being light allowed for more accuracy, thinner pen lines, shallower knife lines, which made for less effort planing off. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/06/somakosha-ton-ton-9.jpg)

Clark

I was also surprised to hear there was such a thing as having too delicate a line. Yama preferred a 0.7mm mechanical pencil, which made sense for the tolerances of a building. A 0.3mm pencil was complicated in that the line is either present or completely obliterated. And even when you split the lines correctly, the tolerances are too tight, so one line must always be omitted entirely. At that point, you lose your reference. So, having a thicker line, to a certain point, makes sense for a certain level of fit.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Interviewing Tak Yoshino about Wood Culture
URL: https://www.paklan.org/interviewing-tak-yoshino-about-wood-culture/
Last updated: 2025-05-07T13:38:55.000Z
Last week, in the Chair Lab, I interviewed Tak about the Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society’s origin and future, his attitudes towards building skill, sashimono, and wood culture itself. Tak is also holding some special events they have coming up in collaboration with World Wood Day, an organization that influenced Tak to share wood culture with the world at large.

[Subscribe](#/portal/signup)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/Paklan-Line-A--3-.jpg)

*World Wood Day and it’s parent organization, the international Wood Culture Society were an influence on Tak Yoshino, making him realize that he needed to share wood culture with more than just woodworkers. This year,* [*Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society*](https://www.mtfuji-wcs.org/?ref=paklan.org) *is hosting 3 different World Wood Day events that are open to the public. The first is a woodturning demonstration on* [***May 31st - June 1st***](https://www.worldwoodday.org/2025/regions%5Fevent/41?ref=paklan.org)*.* 

*The second is a presentation on* [***July 26th***](https://www.worldwoodday.org/2025/regions%5Fevent/42?ref=paklan.org) *where woodworkers like Tak Yoshino, Michael Fortune, Wendy Maruyama, Tai Lake and others work on a project for a week with a day where the public can observe the masters working.* 

*The third is a collaborative single piece between master woodworkers between* [*August 21st and September 3rd*](https://www.worldwoodday.org/2025/regions%5Fevent/87?ref=paklan.org)*, with a date to be announced in the future when the public can see the project.* 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/Paklan-Line-B--2---1-.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/05/tak-yoshino-interview-09.jpg)

**What is your connection to World Wood Day and the International Wood Culture Society?**

When I met them in a furniture exhibition in Philadelphia around 2016, they made me realize that I have to make a community with not only woodworkers, but also the people who love wood. People should spend time with wood in general, rather than only furniture.

**How is wood culture different than modern culture?**

In the ancient age, Japanese people used the forest in a sustainable way. People kept the forest very healthy, and cut trees to build houses that could last more than 100 years. But nowadays, people don't —especially Japanese people—don't think about that. Building houses with imported wood or iron or concrete means they don't know where the material comes from. The result is that nobody takes care of the forest.

**Where did this concept of wood culture come from?**

I've lived as a woodworker past 45 years, but I realized it comes from Japanese traditional wood culture, not me. I learned it from my masters, Kenji Suda and Jiro Hayashi, and also through my study of forestry. After those experiences, I could appreciate the history of Japanese wood culture. I then decided I had to work to spread Japanese wood culture to every person. This is the purpose of my organization.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/05/tak-yoshino-interview-12.jpg)

**How can wood culture change people’s lives?**

All attendees told me they are moved to think not only about making furniture, but also about the balance of forestry and the overall environment.

**I noticed some students that I've seen over the last year come here have become calmer. Have you noticed that?** 

Some realize they don't have to rush. Since they came here they were able to observe how to work very calmly and peacefully.

Also, when you face a tree, you have to listen to what it says. You can't go at your own pace. It's nothing like working with plywood. We have to have conversations with wood. We have to see, and watch it carefully. And then work with it. Everybody these days is going faster, faster, faster, and usually thinking about getting more money for only themselves. They don't think about the balance of nature or environment. But wood culture is in harmony with wood.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/05/A-longer-bloom-03.jpg)

A bubinga box—The piece Tak entered his first major craft exhibition with, at age 26.

**You've been open three years. What do you want the next three years to be like at the Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society?** I want to return back to our woodwork more. When I established our organization, I wanted to work half of the year for the organization and half of the year for myself making furniture.

But now, three-fourths or four-fifths time is time put towards the organization. I want half and half of our effort to go towards the organization and woodworking itself. Because if a student comes here, they can look at my pieces and realize what I'm doing. But I want to keep going and see what I can do at the next level. I'm very curious about what I can do next. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/05/tak-yoshino-interview-10.jpg)

**Why do you think more people are not studying traditional sashimono outside of Japan?**

They probably don't know about sashimomo; probably by just looking at it on a website or on a picture, they cannot understand how to do it.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/05/tak-yoshino-interview-11.jpg)

**Do you think it is a little bit too difficult? There aren't even that many woodworkers doing mortise and tenon these days.** 

Convenient stuff or fast stuff is dangerous. If you use that, your ability decreases. For example, I know there is a good dovetail jig in the US. I know that you can make a dovetail with a router. But compared to the smallest dovetail router bit, the smallest dovetails are too small for those bits. They say they can't do it because they don't have a router. So, I think they're lowering their ability.

If you do it by hand, you can cut it using any method. I think it's dangerous to use convenient stuff because it takes away their ability.

If you want to improve your skills, you need to practice by hand. You can't do it by machine. If you go beyond the machine's limit, you can do anything. If you want to make something, you need to have an image of the product, of the piece. But they will give up if they don't have machines to make it. But if you have a skill, then you can make whatever you want.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/05/tak-yoshino-interview-16.jpg)

**Do you feel like modern people care too much about tools and not enough about skills?**

I'm not sure. But taking care of tools is a very important thing to go to the next step.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/05/tak-yoshino-interview-13.jpg)

**Do you think you'll ever teach an advanced class on sashimono?**

I will have an advanced course on sashimono, alternating every year with the advanced chair class. 

**Save me a spot!**

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/05/tak-yoshino-interview-15.jpg)

Tak and his apprentice, Togo, in the Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society's Chair Lab. May 2025

***More information on Mount Fuji's events and classes*** [***here***](https://www.mtfuji-wcs.org/?ref=paklan.org)***.***
### A longer bloom
URL: https://www.paklan.org/a-longer-bloom/
Last updated: 2025-05-05T17:00:53.000Z
*This post will* [*look better*](https://www.paklan.org/a-longer-bloom/) *on a full sized screen.*

I finished the [last project ](https://www.paklan.org/a-long-bloom/)on a Saturday night, just in time to catch the last 20 minutes of a [Yoshio Suzuki concert](https://www.fondsound.com/yoshio-suzuki-morning-picture-1984/?ref=paklan.org) at the Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society's chair lab. Yoshio played with Art Blakey, Stan Getz and Sonny Rollins and lived and performed in New York. I felt my fingers and arms and mind, tense from focus on sashimono work, unwind to the music. 

The next day, while listening to Suzuki san's [Morning Picture album](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/yoshio-suzuki/260244772?ref=paklan.org), I started practicing a three-way miter joint in keyaki. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/05/A-longer-bloom-30.jpg)

This joint's construction is smaller than the average three-way miter, in stock under an inch thick. Due to my own habit of repeating fundamentals endlessly, I had never cut this joint before. I noticed that the sample joint at the school had partially broken from repeated fitting and disassembly by the students. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/05/A-longer-bloom-19.jpg)

So I modified this one with a heavy chamfer on the corner of the mortise where it ran close to the miter. I also tapered the tenons along this chamfer, so that the joint would draw the other two pieces together as it fit. It worked well enough that it was almost impossible to disassemble. The three-way miter is For all my fear of this joint over the last half decade, it was not too bad to cut. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/05/A-longer-bloom-31.jpg)

So far, my tests had gone well. By this time in the residency—about ten days in, with ten days left—I was running out of time to only practice. I needed to start on a more ambitious project. I was having difficulty knowing what to do next and feeling demoralized. At this point in a student's studies, I should copy masters according to 守破 離 ([Shu Ha Ri](https://medium.com/@togowoodwork/2-sayings-you-can-learn-from-japanese-apprenticeship-philosophy-77a53e1b66bd?ref=paklan.org)) learning principles, not designing my own pieces yet. I was also starting to miss my daughter.

And, from sitting on the floor at Suda Kenji's old atedai, my 47-year old body started to ache. Some enthusiastic new students filled the shop, and due to some project deadlines, the machines were also running morning to late night. A bit overstimulated, I retreated to my room with a pile of books to figure out what to build next.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/05/A-longer-bloom-25.jpg)

I learned that this was not all an uncommon feeling. Traditional sashimono from this lineage have had a habit of working from 4pm to 4am, to avoid distractions.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/05/A-longer-bloom-33.jpg)

No matter what, I could sneak down late in the quiet night to work alongside Togo, who was working on casework for his craft exhibition piece.

One night, flipping through an [old magazine](https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E3%81%AE%E7%BE%8E%E8%A1%93-no-303-%E6%9C%A8%E7%AB%B9%E5%B7%A5-%E6%96%87%E5%8C%96%E5%BA%81/dp/4784333037?ref=paklan.org) that Suda san had given Tak san, I found a beautiful small table. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/05/A-longer-bloom-36.jpg)

Tak later told me it is a table used to carry burning incense called a 平卓 (hirataku). Instead of this two-level table, he suggested I try a different table with fewer parts but a more tricky corner detail between different-sized parts. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/05/i-img1000x750-16800162736iwvqd13049.jpg)

He said he had seen this kind of table in 15mm leg thickness before, so he knew it was possible. I told him that I already cut my leg material in 12mm thickness, so I would try to do it in that stock, making the project more difficult. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/05/A-longer-bloom-27.jpg)

To make my frame joint more accurately, I first rough-milled the wood and let it sit for a day before doing final milling. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/05/A-longer-bloom-18.jpg)

Then I super-glued some ebony inlay into rabbets, finished by kiwa-kanna (rabbet planes). Matching the grain of the ebony and the keyaki frame pieces, I planed the ebony flush to the surface of the keyaki using a brass-mouthed high-speed steel small plane. 

It was time to cut the mortise and tenons frame pieces.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### A long bloom
URL: https://www.paklan.org/a-long-bloom/
Last updated: 2025-04-23T15:14:29.000Z
*This post will* [*look better*](https://www.paklan.org/a-long-bloom/) *on a browser, on a larger screen.*

I feel lucky to return to Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society, to study with Tak Yoshino. This trip—my third in a year—also coincides with the arrival of sakura blossoms.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/04/A-long-bloom-23.jpg)

When I entered the shop on my first day, Tak-san suggested I use a small bench near the sharpening sink instead of being asked to work on the usual benches.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/04/A-long-bloom-19.jpg)

The bench was nothing special, to my eye. It was a non-descript slab sitting on a cabinet, lacking a vise or other modern holding fixtures, and dirty from being used as a place people would rest freshly sharpened tools on, sometimes covered with wet grit. I wasn't eager to try it until he explained it was his atedai. And that it had belonged to his sashimono master, national living treasure Suda Kenji. I cleaned it best I could, and we carried the slab down to the floor. Tak brought me a pair of zabuton to work on. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/04/A-long-bloom-24.jpg)

The atedai's work surface was a 140x38x12cm keyaki slab with stops on one end. I might draw up plans if anyone is interested. I wonder if sitting zazen at Chozen-ji helped me work on the floor for the week. It wasn't always comfortable, but I felt intimate with my work and tools.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/04/A-long-bloom-16.jpg)

Free of distractions, Tak's apprentice, Togo, worked late each night. Even while he recovered from an injury on the table saw. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/04/A-long-bloom-18.jpg)

I still remember watching Togo, about a year ago, planing a huge keyaki slab and finishing it in urushi. And 6 months ago, cutting some of his earlier boxes. This trip, I watched Togo prepare to enter a craft exhibition with a small cabinet comprised of nested boxes and drawers. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/04/A-long-bloom-04.jpg)

His dovetails were so crisp, so I asked him for advice on how I could cut joints as well as he did. He mentioned, on top of sharpness, a method of chiseling that seemed to make a difference:

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Odds and Ends (and a 2-Micron Shaving)
URL: https://www.paklan.org/odds-and-ends-and-a-2-micron-shaving/
Last updated: 2025-04-15T01:01:40.000Z
Since I last wrote, I went to Hong Kong for my father's 80th birthday. I had no luck finding a traditional Chinese furniture maker to visit. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/04/000982170016.jpg)

But in the Palace museum gift shop I found 30 pounds of books on the subject. It's just amazing what certain cultures were able to build hundreds and thousands of years ago.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/04/IMG_5523-1.jpeg)

The museum is beautiful!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/04/hk-2025--209.jpg)

When we returned to Honolulu, I worked on a temporary sink grill for a tea room mizuya. It was for Yumiko, a tea master who trained in Kyoto who is married to Chozen-ji's abbot. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/04/L1000021.jpg)

There are no texts on the traditional design of these in English but I was told by a sukiya carpenter they are regularly made in bamboo, and joined by nails. It's interesting how often you see them in America built in so many other styles and materials. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/04/L1000035.jpg)

The temporary one will be replaced by something else after I find someone to learn how to make a better one from. And from bamboo, which has its own building peculiarities.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/04/L1000046.jpg)

I also finished up a small frame to hold a koi pond feeder, mounted on the side of the walkway. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/04/L1010030.jpg)

And got half way through a frame for a piece of art for a friend, inspired by the large calligraphy frames at Chozen-Ji. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/04/IMG_6028-2.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-9.19.49-PM.png)

I mean, it's basically one saw horse.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/04/IMG_3837.jpeg)

I've also been working the tiniest bit on the [Ossipoff Cabin](https://www.instagram.com/ossipoffcabin/?locale=ja%5FJP&hl=en&ref=paklan.org) with my friends.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Zen and Carpentry -- Finish
URL: https://www.paklan.org/zen-and-carpentry-finish/
Last updated: 2025-03-31T16:00:47.000Z
*This post will look much better viewed in a browser, on a larger screen.* [*Give it a try*](https://www.paklan.org/zen-and-carpentry-finish/)*.*

By [the second week](https://www.paklan.org/zen-and-japanese-carpentry-begins/), everyone was capable of basic sharpening, chiseling, planing, and joining wood. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/03/Chozen-Ji-Never-Stop-Building-Paklan-Zen-and-Carpentry-week-2-82.jpg)

We outsiders also reached a less offensive and rudimentary harmony with the practices of the temple. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/03/Chozen-Ji-Never-Stop-Building-Paklan-Zen-and-Carpentry-week-2-40.jpg)

Now, the students were ready to begin working on the frame. As much as people with one week of experience could be.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/03/Chozen-Ji-Never-Stop-Building-Paklan-Zen-and-Carpentry-week-2-11.jpg)

The frame was meant to be a gift to my partner, to house her ceramics wheel and kiln. As that relationship gently ran its course over the last year, the frame became a frame for the sake of this class. 

I privately found myself putting my feelings of loss into my work; Into my sharpening, my refinement of my tools, my sawing and chiseling and planing. Sometimes, it was as fuel, sometimes as a distraction; it was a matter of returning to my senses and getting back to work before I was injured or damaged some work pieces.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/03/Chozen-Ji-Never-Stop-Building-Paklan-Zen-and-Carpentry-week-2-03.jpg)

The frame’s structure stood on nine posts, ishibatate style, where the posts rest on stone bases. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/03/Chozen-Ji-Never-Stop-Building-Paklan-Zen-and-Carpentry-week-2-01.jpg)

Custom poured concrete footings with through bolts were used. Since the structure is open-walled, I wasn’t worried about lift from hurricanes, so there were no plans to link the footings to the ground below. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/03/Chozen-Ji-Never-Stop-Building-Paklan-Zen-and-Carpentry-week-2-22.jpg)

Michael experiencing a paring chisel.

At the structure’s opening, we placed the two most beautiful and stable posts we could find, joined across the top by our natural beam. Above the natural beam was a small riser post, a tsuka, and a small cross beam to support the taller part of the roof. Above everything were three long beams which would support the rafters. 

Ishiibatate-style buildings can’t just plug the posts into a mudsill (a beam that sits on a foundation). So the joinery for the lowest beams is more complicated than a simple mortise and tenon. Some of the tenons were drawn either oak pegged (at the corners or tops of posts). Or, drawn with a shachi joint using a floating oak tenon and some wedges into mortises on the beams. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/03/Chozen-Ji-Never-Stop-Building-Paklan-Zen-and-Carpentry-week-2-73.jpg)

Most classes in this country do not teach power tool joinery.

It was a lot of work. So Jason opted to use production-minded professional practices over hand cutting of joints to get things done quickly. We did a lot of practice mortises by hand, but none for the frame. Tenons were sawn by hand, mostly.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Zen and Japanese Carpentry - Begins
URL: https://www.paklan.org/zen-and-japanese-carpentry-begins/
Last updated: 2025-03-31T00:25:05.000Z
I have heard there isn’t much use in talking about Zen. So I'll talk about our time [woodworking at Chozen-ji.](https://www.paklan.org/zen-and-woodworking-final-preparations/)

Teachers, priests, monks, and students gathered at the temple on a Sunday afternoon, in the back of a valley.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/03/Chozen-Ji-Never-Stop-Building-Paklan-Zen-and-Carpentry-week-1-20.jpg)

After a scramble up the hill, looking down at the grounds. Photo by [Shan Liljestrand](https://www.liljestrandphotography.com/?ref=paklan.org), a student in the program.

The students were orientated on Chozen Ji's history and the temple's ground rules. Like the schedule. And discouragement from things like distracting chatter or wearing shorts on the grounds. We also shared the program's thesis: to explore the shared culture between Buddhism and Japanese carpentry. 

As Yoshiaki Nakamura, Jon Stollenmeyer’s first boss had suggested to me 7 years ago, if you want to understand Japanese carpentry, you have to understand buddhism. So, we were here to try the tiniest bit of zen training, while building a small frame. None of us knew what to expect.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/03/Chozen-Ji-Never-Stop-Building-Paklan-Zen-and-Carpentry-week-1-29.jpg)

But, even diluted to 10% of the formality that monks experience, the strength of the zen side of the program took us all by surprise. In the middle of the first night, one person emailed us to say they were quitting and departed before the first light.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Zen and Woodworking: Final Preparations
URL: https://www.paklan.org/zen-and-woodworking-final-preparations/
Last updated: 2025-03-18T05:08:43.000Z
The [Zen and Woodworking class at Chozen-Ji](https://www.paklan.org/zen-and-japanese-carpentry-workshop-in-honolulu/) ended a few days ago, but I'm still processing the experience (and a couple thousand images.) Especially interesting to me was the prep work that is involved in a framing class, which I have never experienced before. Between student practice pieces, [sawhorses](https://www.paklan.org/somakosha-in-the-new-york-times/), and the frame itself, we milled about 65 pieces of 4x4 or 4x6 lumber in my relatively small shop.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/Paklan-Line-A--3-.jpg)

[Jason](https://neverstopbuilding.com/?ref=paklan.org) would be arriving a week before the class begun. Most of that time would be spent on layout, so milling needed to be as finished as possible before his arrival. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/03/L1000606.jpeg)

The wood from Metcalf, being stacked by my brother Adam.

[Matt Metcalf](https://www.metcalfsawmill.com/?ref=paklan.org) quickly sent out the order, ahead of schedule, so wood had been sitting under tarp for 3 weeks. It was air dried, but arrived with a moisture content of about 15%. The grade of port Orford cedar was to be knotty (hard). But by large it was the same or better grade than some clear grade I ordered from another dealer 2 years ago. The machine I used to mill them, a SCM FS52es jointer/planer combo, will get fresh tersa blades, either chromium or hss coated ([M+](https://tersaknives.com/products/m42?ref=paklan.org)) to deal with the typical grit contamination and this scale of material 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/03/L1000694.jpeg)

Aigner extensions on the SCM fs52es jointer/planer, a 10hp 3phase machine.

To more accurately deal with long stock on the jointer, my brother helped me mount the rails that the [Aigner extension tables](https://www.scosarg.com/aigner-folding-extension-table-for-machines?ref=paklan.org) sit on. We opted for the [530mm wide rails](https://www.scosarg.com/aigner-mounting-rail-open-ended-530mm?ref=paklan.org) on both infeed and outfeed. With the infeed and outfeed extensions on the total length of the tables will be about 14 and a half feet long. I also have one of these rails on my bench, so I can plane extra long material without a planing beam on saw horses.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Somakosha in the New York Times
URL: https://www.paklan.org/somakosha-in-the-new-york-times/
Last updated: 2025-03-05T02:19:18.000Z
I had the opportunity to[ interview Jon Stollenmeyer of Somakosha about his path becoming a carpenter in Japan for the New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/03/arts/design/carpentry-japan.html?ref=paklan.org) about his start at Nakamura Sotoji Komuten and most recently at [Somakosha](https://www.somakoshaschool.com/?ref=paklan.org) with [Kohei Yamamoto](https://www.instagram.com/ymtkhi/?ref=paklan.org). The interview was about 4 hours formally, and about 7 days, informally on a visit to Honolulu. Naturally, a lot of our conversations were condensed for clarity in the final piece. I wanted to include some section of Jon's interview in audio form because his explanations are quite flowing and at times detailed in ways that would not fit on the printed page and work better coming from him directly. The transcription will have some errors from software, but the real treat is listening to Jon tell his story in his own words because they roll like a boulder. A warning, the dream he is describing is and living might be a bit hard to follow, but the feeling is very clear.

By the way, I have updated the class listings with schedules for Emi Shimamura, Andrew Hunter and Eric Baker / Wellington Dong at Hida.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### A Dozen Sawhorses
URL: https://www.paklan.org/a-dozen-sawhorses/
Last updated: 2025-02-22T21:55:50.000Z
Preparations for the class at Chozen Ji are underway. 

The wood for the frame had showed up. But before I could get to milling it up, I needed to build some sawhorses.

There's an idea that to improve, repeating fundamentals is key. At Chozen-ji, that is how they approach ceramics, for example. The idea continues that after doing a simple thing many, many times, even a hard thing becomes easier. 

Sawhorses are something I've made a few times for practice and practical shop use. Stout ones, low ones, skinny ones, tall ones. They have always been made with draw bored mortise and tenon (my favorite). In most sets, the joinery was cut by hand. But the last few, by machine. Of course, I didn't need to make horses [quite as nice as the ones Jason Fox drew plans for](https://www.neverstopbuilding.com/store/sawhorse-pans?ref=paklan.org), for student work. But I made them with the intent that we will leave them at Chozen Ji. And, one day, we might use them for other classes, and with enough luck, to build a workshop and tea house on them. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/02/L1000611.jpg)

I made a few changes to Jason's plans based on the styles inherited from people I've studied with. I used square rather than diamond pegs. The peg orientation that [Somakosha](https://www.somakosha.com/?ref=paklan.org) and its former apprentices like Jason use have some practical benefits in seismic activity, but I wanted square pegs and squared off stock to match the extremely direct spirit of Chozen Ji, and to match the style of my first [carpentry teacher](https://www.mokuchiwoodworking.com/?ref=paklan.org). I decided to eliminate the pegs on the stretchers to save another 24 pegs and mortises. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/02/L1000636.jpg)

Because of the number of mortises to cut, I initially set up a 1" hollow chisel and bit in the Oliver 91-d mortiser with the intent of cutting a three-by-one-inch mortise in three plunges. What a dream! Short of a beam mortiser, most modern machines could never take such a large bite.

I bought the Oliver from the Plumier in Hudson Valley, NY, and had it shipped by truck and ocean liner to Honolulu. It was restored by [Darcy Warner](https://www.paklan.org/japanese-woodworking-and-carpentry-classes-this-year/), who is sort of a maniac genius at dealing with machines like this. They probably spent $25k on the machine and restoration but I got it for less than a third of that. Crated for freight. The play in the bushings is nonexistent. It is a very stout machine. The XY table is almost 3 feet long and has stops for material and travel. It has a few brass parts due to it having taken a tumble at sea in a machine room on the USS Vulcan, a WW2 repair boat, which the machine was used on in the 1940s.

Less interesting is the second mortiser, a Powermatic 719T, that I use on small stock or peg holes. I loaded that with a 1/2" bit. This machine is arm actuated, which makes it a bit more precise and useful for furniture or lamps.

Although many people try to avoid sharpening regular hand chisels by getting these machines, you really cannot get the best out of a mortising machine without tuning. These machines work like junk (bad cuts, smoke coming out of mortises, squealing bits, bluing of augers, racking workpieces and jammed chisels) if you cannot tune them. \[1\]

The 12 horses (six pairs) have about 120 mortises, if you include peg holes, across about 24 pieces of 4x4 cedar. That equates to over 1000 plunges on the mortiser. To save more time, I did layout on out one piece to set fence settings, and cut all the remaining pieces by trusting those fence settings. I frequently checked the mortises and tenons with calipers to make sure fence settings didn't drift and double checked the fence locks every few cuts as well. I also duplicated tenon dimensions (3"x1" on the foot and tops) to save time on machine set up and to avoid confusion. 

To help deal with the repetition, I also installed some low-end [pneumatic clamps](https://www.rockler.com/rockler-pneumatic-clamping-system?ref=paklan.org), since the replacement brass mount to the screw clamp was starting to show a lot of wear, and was racking a lot. Suprisingly, the pneumatic clamps, two horizontal and two vertical, had enough force to hold the work piece as long as the piece did not rack or the chisel got somehow stuck in the mortise due to a chip wedging between the piece and the chisel. It's nothing [like the crazy kinds of pneumatic clamps](https://brianholcombewoodworker.com/?ref=paklan.org) that Brian Holcombe builds for himself, or the clamps on my sliding saw by [Mac Campshure](https://www.airtightclamps.com/?ref=paklan.org). But it will work for now.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/02/L1000641.jpg)

Tenon shoulders were cut on the sliding saw, using digital stops and blade height to tune in the fit to 1mm oversized. This allowed for a compression fit that would still easily enter the mortise with a 2mm chamfer. This wood was extremely soft, so I probably could have gotten away with a tighter fit, but I also decided to use glue to also deal with the idea that over time such a soft wood could work itself loose, even if drawn with a peg. The cheeks were cut with an accurate bandsaw. The roughness of the mortiser and bandsaw made a friction fit easier than if both pieces were smooth. I could have gone for a tighter fit with [kigoroshi](https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=kigoroshi&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&ref=paklan.org), and probably should have made things 2mm oversized and crushed the fibers of the tenon with the round face of a large hammer. 

Before finish planing the piece, I machine planed 2mm off each side of the posts, in order to accommodate a 2mm chamfer on the legs and tops, and create a subtle shadow line. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/02/L1000657.jpg)

The material was really kind of difficult to finish, by accident. I choose some clear as possible fencing 4x4 at Home Depot, labelled as mystery cedar. When I got home, it was apparent I had picked up something like western red, an abrasive but soft cedar known in the community for being able to destroy a lesser blade edge quickly, and then proceed to crush and tear out under that compromised edge. Compounding the issue is that this batch had a lot of sap wood. The sap wood had even less structure than the main wood. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/02/DSCF6877.jpg)

To cope, I had to be on my best sharpening. And, had to set up a finer blade I'd had in a drawer that was sharp enough and long lasting enough to deal with the sap wood. \[2\]

Regardless of the blade, to deal with the sap required constant sharpening. Using the method Jon Stollenmeyer taught me last month made a huge difference in my ability to touch up a blade to the level where hairs could be cut in mid air, within 2 minutes.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Quarter-Ton Dog Step
URL: https://www.paklan.org/quarter-ton-dog-step/
Last updated: 2025-02-04T15:42:23.000Z
Happy New Years. I took a week off and it nearly drove me crazy. What is it about rest that is so violent to people who are busy? It's something to think about. But not too long, because there are a lot of things that need to be built. And building is more fun than thinking.

First, an update on the class prep. You could not imagine a more hostile place to try to practice japanese carpentry than Honolulu. Specifically, I am referring to locating suitable species and grade of lumber here. We might need to experiment more with local sugi (big island) and eucalyptus but I hear only discouraging things about these trees in practice. We will have to see. Maybe there's a hoard of old growth redwood reclaimed from water towers for us, but that stuff is not inexpensive. Invasives we know of are not resistant enough to weather or pests. For now, we are looking outward for our material. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/01/7D993186-A06B-4C65-A9F6-3E8BB2F65F3F_1_102_a-1.jpg)

Last week, we finally found a good last minute supplier for our Port Orford Cedar for the Chozen-ji project. After determining no one on island would be able to supply anything close to what we needed, in the time frame we needed it in, we found [Matt at Metcalf in Oregon](https://www.metcalfsawmill.com/?ref=paklan.org). He had great prices and grades and we choose a grade with hard knots to save money and give the students some knots to deal with, as well as less pressure to do perfect work on perfect wood. For a shed type structure, it will be fine, but Matt double checked this grade would be good enough for our work. [Lucas Benjamin](https://www.instagram.com/coyotes.bones/?ref=paklan.org) and Yann both pointed me his way and I had to thank him for his caring attitude during the process. There is a point where a craftsperson is experienced enough to do the job well, but still establishing themselves to the point they will deal with smaller customers. I am grateful for his existence and what that means to do this kind of building in America.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/01/L1000191.jpg)

Keola ready to section off our log

On island, my friend [Keola](https://www.instagram.com/kukona.woodworking?igsh=ajZlc2JjZmNtcXA5&ref=paklan.org), who is serious enough about forestry to train on the mainland, helped us track down a strawberry guava log suitable for the class project's natural beam. We got it from a homeowner's property in Manoa, and some monks helped us haul it back to the temple where we seasoned it with some borate. Like a lot of fruit wood, it isn't exactly resistant to bugs (at all) and borate is part of the long term fix. The wood, when finished, is more uniform but not dissimilar to cherry in feel. Possibly a little softer. It's not often used for fine work, but I think it has potential. It's also an invasive species and culling it is welcomed, culturally. It also happens to be a beautiful tree, and commonly used in japanese-esque landscaping here. I have a few at our house.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/01/FC0F4B41-8374-436B-B50D-37F95BE509C1_1_201_a.jpg)

Michael and Eric Chozen-ji showing up last minute on a Sunday to help clear branches and load the the log for transport.

[Subscribe](#/portal/signup)

The log wasn't large but it also wasn't something one person could deal with. At one point, unloading the log, it tumbled to the gravel behind the workshop at the temple. It's just a part of being interested in this kind of work but I find myself always wishing for a larger truck and shop at times like this. And more friends interested in this kind of work, on island. Strong, crazy friends. I guess that's why we have Jason coming out. And others we have planned.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/01/F1E5E2F0-5BF8-4962-BB20-F32BD65B4A56_1_201_a.jpg)

[Class is almost full](https://www.chozen-ji.org/zen-and-japanese-carpentry?ref=paklan.org). Watching the temple staff vet the personalties of the students to make sure they will handle the zen training well is something I don't think any carpentry class has had. But I do know on small builds, some teachers are doing the same kind of vetting. Carpentry is a team sport, which is part of why I do it, since I am not always good at depending on other people. It's good practice for me to also live up to the expectations of others, these days. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/01/L1000201.jpg)

Lastly, we have a pile of cedar 4x4s from Lowes that are to be made into sawhorses. They will stay at the temple long after the class is done. Maybe one day they can be used to build structures for the grounds, so we are making them ready for larger structural members. We will be using [Jason's specs for this set](https://www.neverstopbuilding.com/store/sawhorse-pans?ref=paklan.org), rather than the kind that I developed studying [Yann](http://mokuchiwoodworking.com/?ref=paklan.org) and [Dale's](http://japanesecarpentry.com/?ref=paklan.org). 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/Paklan-Line-B--2---1-.jpg)

Onto this ridiculous dog step.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/01/Screenshot-2024-12-31-at-4.11.10-PM.png)

A part of my dream of becoming a better craftsperson is to increase the service I can provide for my friends and community. This is the thinking behind trying to build faster--not to mention teachers constantly setting the example of working faster themselves. Of course, you have to work perfectly as possible and as fast as possible. So, one is constantly being berated for one or the other, in an ideal learning environment. 

My friends have an old Shiba Inu. They have been waiting for me to build a platform for their aging dogs to use to climb into their bed. The dog looks about 20 pounds. But I felt that I had to make a bench type structure that supported over 500 pounds, to be safe. That's because my friends are 200 and 240 pounds respectively, and if you add in the extra forces from stepping up and down to the bench, I felt uncomfortable making something of average strength. 

Overbuilding is frowned upon in furniture building, but for someone with my tendency to over do things because of concern and lack of experience, it's a thing I like to do. It's also because of the feelings of safety one gets from stouter timber frame carpentry design languages. So I don't mind going really crazy on strength. I had a wide board of red oak and some white oak scraps that I thought would be good material for this project and too coarse for other things. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/01/000950070033.jpg)

The stuff was only an inch thick, and quite warped, so I knew I would be lucky to get 7/8ths out of it after milling. By cutting things shorter, and cutting out the most awkward twists, I did achieve that thickness. As usual, avoiding anything that is dimensionally similar to plywood is important for not just building methods in this type of work, but to let people know that these things are not made of ply.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/01/L1000014.jpg)

If I had 8/4 material, I would have done 4 compound angled legs and plenty of stretchers. But, to gain strength from relatively thin material, I added some extra legs, kept the legs as boards, and added two relatively tall stretchers/aprons below each of the two tops. The top was joined by 16 tenons, 8 of which were angled 5 degrees in. The trigonometry on an 8-inch leg angled 5 degrees is like nothing, so things just had to be a millimeter longer on that end to account for final angled feet and tenons. I tend to use an app called [trig solver](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/trig-solver/id398450227?ref=paklan.org) for this kind of situation. Trig solver tells me that an 8 degree leg angled 5 degrees ends up being 8.03 inches, or about 1/64th longer. 

No big deal at this length of material. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/01/L1000008.jpg)

Hss 15mm timber chisel. A great tool for chunking out oak. If you can sharpen it quickly, it can save you time.

Mortises were drilled out, cut by hand using HSS timber chisels (real bangers, those things) and a heavy hammer. Angled mortises were done by connecting the top and bottom lines and keeping an eye on the layout line on the edge of the board. Not too bad.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/01/IMG_2569-1.jpeg)

Roughing out

Tenons were really long, with 1/8th inch shoulders on the straight legs, so I tried a rocker tenoning jig. It was terribly inaccurately and sloppy for a 12 inch long shoulder. Tak san would have made this cut on a table saw, with a tall fence. I'll probably build a tall fence as well, for this purpose. The bandsaw was used to cut the shorter dimension of the leg tenons, and since there were 8 identical cuts per leg, 32 total, just reusing the fence position for each of them, saved a lot of time in layout. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/01/IMG_2625-1.jpeg)

Narrow chisels are so useful for cutting deeply with little effort, provided they are stout enough to handle the force.

The angled legs needed to be chiseled out to the shoulder line, which I did by eye using layout lines on the edge. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/01/IMG_2631.jpeg)

The stretchers were notched 1/3rd of its height to preserve strength and the legs were notched to accept the stretchers. The angled legs needed to be done with angled end grain for fit and support. 

Before assembly, the angle legs were trimmed, and everything was chamfered and refinished. Each of the legs were given a 5 degree angle on the outer edges to mimic a compound angle leg structure without really doing any compound angle construction. Quick and dirty.

Assembling the angled legs, since in conflict, required the stretchers and straight legs to be placed in first, and then the outer legs placed into the stretcher and top one at a time. Everything was glued together with Titebond ii extend, because I am terrible at glue ups, because I rarely use glue.

I used a HSS plane to shape out rough wood on the outer corners of the room-facing side of the bench, and the bed side was shaped into a small crescent to remove some splintery sap wood.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/01/L1000018-1.jpg)

After that, I gave it a basic finish plane, but nothing too crazy as the mortises and legs had tensioned some of the flatness out of the top boards, making a more pristine finish difficult.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/01/L1000025-2-1.jpg)

A electric branding iron was tested for the first time, in an inconspicuous location.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/01/L1000027.jpg)

A few of the mortise were chipped out from rushing from one side, and one of the tenons needed to be patched because I glanced it with a band saw blade. I probably could have done some thing more ornamental to the ends of the stretchers, even though they will be invisible most of the time.

I told Michael, head priest at Chozen-ji, I realized the last half dozen mistakes I had made had occurred when I was distracted by a similar thought: That this practice I was getting would one day make me a good craftsman. He responded by telling me the most dangerous moment in kendo is the moment after you score a point, if you dwell on it. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/01/L1000023.jpg)

Jumping up and down on the modest bench, I felt it would meet the full force of my friends, without flinching. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2025/01/L1000020-1.jpg)

***This piece was built without plans, but here are some thrown together from memory, in case anyone is interested in understanding the structure more:***

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### A Table for Liljestrand House
URL: https://www.paklan.org/a-table-for-liljestrand-house/
Last updated: 2025-02-04T15:43:13.000Z
I am fortunate enough to be able to volunteer at the [Liljestrand house](https://www.liljestrandhouse.org/?ref=paklan.org). The house is a mid-century home designed by the family and architect Vladimir Ossipoff, who grew up in Japan. The family turned it into a non-profit, for public access and preservation. As is typical for all historic homes in Honolulu, finding contractors with the skill and patience to do things thoughtfully and sensitively is difficult, so we often have to figure out ways to do things ourselves.

I’ve rebuilt a screen for them in the past, but this time, I was to replicate one of two tables thrown together from framing material offcuts and nails by the original carpenters and architect. The design made for an interesting challenge for someone who prefers to build things with a certain type of joinery.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/DSCF5254.jpg)

There isn’t much backstory to share about the table set. One was placed under a generous eave, and has aged well. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/B0005808.jpg)

And one was placed in the garden where the nails rusted and redwood eventually decayed due to water being trapped between members. The worn table is covered in moss and lichen and had stretchers tacked on at some point to hold it together. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/B0005815.jpg)

The original that was kept in the garden

At some point, the family dobermans used the tables as shelter while sleeping on the lanai.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/DSCF5211.jpg)

I decided to built it with the type of joinery I prefer, rooted in Japanese carpentry, but maintain as much of the appearance as possible. 

[Subscribe](#/portal/signup)

The top would be a little shorter and one board more narrow, as requested by Trudy Couillard, caretaker for the property. The originals are roughly 6 by 2 feet long. This new table would also be smaller; about 4 feet and one 2x4 less in width.

 I had some spare 6x6 redwood lying around that was originally cut into a shape that was meant to hold a tapered dovetail cleat and be as tall as possible to provide room for large tenons to strengthen the legs. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/L1007092.jpg)

The redwood cross beams, salvaged from an old water tower on Tantalus

Cutting this shape of part meant the tenon couldn’t be easily sawn out because the cleat area was in the way, so I ended up roughing out with a mortiser. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/DSCF5208.jpg)

Roughing out the tenons on a mortiser, since the ledge below it would make sawing difficult.

This way of working is less accurate in my shop than sawing close to a line and finishing by chisel, but good enough for this kind of relatively rough work.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/L1007088.jpg)

The Oliver 91-d doing quick and accurate work; mortise chisels honed by hand to 12k help them perform a lot better than average.

Matching a nailed-together design with joinery was problematic in other ways. The cleat stopped making sense once I realized I didn’t want to join individual boards (spaced by about ¼” in the original design) or mount them this way individually. Either of which would have been fussy with great potential to weaken with even the slightest wood movement in an outdoor environment. That is even considering the relative stability of redwood.

I also oversized the tenons by about 1mm to account for how redwood can crush and get much weaker over time. But given how strong the beam wood was (old growth, very dry) I think that may have contributed to some of the inaccuracy I saw on assembly in that area, later on.

I could have done a series of housed laps in the cross beams, using its height and overall mass to cut deeply for solid registration. But the distance between boards would have meant for short grain on the beam between each lap--a tiny sliver of wood with grain oriented in such a way it could snap off easily. I could have cut out narrow dadoes and inserted spacers across the beam to support the pieces, but it felt a little out of hand. Also, I preferred to avoid cutting anything that would collect water and expose end grain into the beam, given how the other table died.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/L1007090.jpg)

Instead, I utilized many floating tenons, 4 per board. This meant the project had about 48 invisible joints. I used some white oak ½” stock and a hollow chisel mortiser to make quick work of it, but cleared the bottoms and corners with a chisel. The boards were also given a 1/4" deep lap using a new cutter I had for my saw, an adjustable dado cutter with carbide inserts. Any roughness was cleaned out with a rabbet plane.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/DSCF5258.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/DSCF5257.jpg)

Some odds and ends like tapering legs and installing them with 1/4 oak pegs and we were on to assembly.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/DSCF5262.jpg)

Tapering the leg using a ceiling mounted laser as an approximate guide, and a fritz and Franz jig on the slider.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/DSCF5273.jpg)

The block used to set the leg is of a slightly harder but not much harder wood, that is also chamfered to avoid damage.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/B0005774.jpg)

I have a bad habit of blowing out pegs that are too tight so I've started to chamfer the ends to a very sharp point to better weave the peg through the offset built into the tenon.

For all its quirks, the original table gained some strength from an extra 2x4 fastened to the outermost top boards. Mine couldn't go through the leg like theirs did, without causing some problems with post joinery. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/B0005788.jpg)

Joining a board, as the original had, for reinforcement from sag and racking.

So I joined them to the top in 3 separate parts using floating tenons, butting into the leg and providing some racking resistance that the original did not have. The extra boards have a little support from some open mortises that receive short tenons.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/B0005773.jpg)

A little clean up after the router.

The legs were through mortised, and drawn with ¼” white oak pegs. With laps, leg and peg mortises, about 70 joints.

Material for the top parts were donated by my friend Kanoa. Planing it was fun, as planing always is. 

Redwood is interesting in that it is soft, but abrasive, so it can usually destroy a blade edge quickly which then leads to tearing of the soft summer wood that shows up as roughness. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/DSCF5268.jpg)

See it? The surface was a little rough at this level of sharpness, and a shaving too thin for this level of sharpness.

A test of 6 clean boards with a super blue blade showed roughness by the 6th face (just the tops!). Redwood acts similar to sugi cedar or western red cedar in this way, albeit in different proportions of softness and abrasiveness. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/DSCF5272.jpg)

A better surface, after the advice from a teacher.

A teacher gave me some tips on how to sharpen some of the heavier alloys I favored, and it made an enormous difference, immediately. \* I look forward to practicing this method more, soon.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/L1002487.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/IMG_2316-1.jpeg)

The beams, being mostly flatsawn, definitely benefitted from the new sharpening technique.

Shan Liljestrand, who helps run the foundation, came by to help me with chamfering of the floating tenons with a chisel, and glue up. He also took some of the better photos using a really beautiful Hasselblad camera his father left him.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/DSCF5290.jpg)

Maybe I've recreated some of the mistakes from the past in the design of this table. If I had more time, I might have added a single stretcher between the cross beams. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/DSCF5296.jpg)

An additional stretcher would have prevented racking and added a lot of strength. There’s still the possibility of adding that later, with a piece with dovetails on each end. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/L1007102.jpg)

But it had to be done in time for a Christmas party, so that was the compromise. We'll see how it does over the next few decades.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/L1002491.jpg)

After we finished the table, Shan Liljestrand looked through the house's archive room and found plans for the table. It was originally designed to fit under the kitchen window. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/Screenshot-2024-12-10-at-4.57.01-PM.png)

More details from the plans, and some advice on sharpening HSS planes, from Jon at [Somakosha](http://somakosha.com/?ref=paklan.org), below. 

\*

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/Details-Kitchen-Deck-Gray.jpeg)

  
\*When planing, I took some dusty shavings and showed them to Jon Stollenmeyer at [Somakosha](http://somakosha.com/?ref=paklan.org). Jon gave me some advice around using 20k grit powder to help work a high speed steel blade and that improved the finish. I followed that up with a more finely set super blue blade by Yamaguchi. I could have used a carbon steel blade but I wasn't sure about the resistance to abrasion which was definitely on the higher end for these pieces of wood. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/B0005805.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/B0005786-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/--2.jpg)
### Visiting Nakashima Woodworkers
URL: https://www.paklan.org/visiting-nakashima-woodworkers/
Last updated: 2025-02-04T15:44:05.000Z
When my buddy, an architect and art collector, sent me various auction listings for George Nakashima dining tables, I proposed an alternative plan. I said, maybe you want to go visit Mira, his daughter, to design a table together. He followed through on the idea, and we put together a flat packed trestle table the other day. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/L1007065.jpg)

The crating was beautiful – I always enjoy a good crate! – and of course, everything was wrapped perfectly. The table was held together with two tapered dovetail wedges on the stretcher, and hand finished cone dowels that held beams together. 

[Subscribe](#/portal/signup)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/L1007058.jpg)

Assembly took less than 5 minutes with a rubber mallet (non marking of course). I was told that this is the only table design they make that is flat packable. That alone is a serious consideration that allowed shipping to be a lot less, and to have the table delivered to Honolulu by air freight.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/L1007070.jpg)

Several years before this, I also had a chance to order some Nakashima pieces for my place. I visited a few times, enjoying the campus, and beautiful structures. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/L1007078.jpg)

During tours, photos are restricted from what I recall. But working with designers and choosing pieces, photos were allowed. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/IMG_4774.jpg)

I ordered a low table that was half way between the height of a Japanese low table and coffee table, an asanoha lamp, a widdecomb sofa, a conoid chair, and a credenza. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/L1007083.jpg)

All of this was purchased well before my interest in hand tool work and joinery, and I consider it influential in my decision to pursue wood craft. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/IMG_0748.jpg)

The lamp was used as a jungle gym by my daughter and the shade was smashed and need of repair, which I will get to one day.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/IMG_4827.jpg)

Design comes in the form of browsing suggested slabs marked with chalk rough lines, and selecting them together. Drawings are made and approved, and then sometimes the designers come up with alternative pieces that might work better in terms of color or balance. At the end of the process I requested the drawings, which I think is uncommon.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/L1007082.jpg)

I highly recommend visiting and considering experiencing the design process with Nakashima if you have the opportunity. Or any local furniture builder. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/12/IMG_0782.jpg)

\-[Nakashima Woodworkers](https://nakashimawoodworkers.com/?ref=paklan.org)
### A few frames from Kezuroukai Japan 2024
URL: https://www.paklan.org/a-few-frames-from-kezuroukai-japan-2024/
Last updated: 2025-02-04T15:45:00.000Z
In early November, I returned from Japan to Honolulu for 3 days to drop off my tools. Then, I picked up as many cameras as possible and flew to meet my friend [Andrew Ren](https://www.instagram.com/xtol.ren/?hl=en&ref=paklan.org). 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/000979220008.jpg)

Andrew Ren

He would compete in the annual Kezuroukai Japanese hand plane competition an hour west of Tokyo. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/000475320008.jpg)

Andrew Ren competing in Oganna.

[Subscribe](#/portal/signup)

I also looked forward to seeing friends and teachers from [Somakosha](https://www.instagram.com/somakosha/?ref=paklan.org), [Kezuroukai-USA](https://kezuroukai.us/?ref=paklan.org), and [Mt Fuji WCS](https://www.instagram.com/mtfujiwcs/?ref=paklan.org), too. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/000475300008.jpg)

Jenny, Yama-san, and Zac, of Somakosha

And [Morgan](https://www.instagram.com/barstow%5Fpark%5Fservices/?ref=paklan.org), who apprenticed with [Jason Fox](https://www.neverstopbuilding.com/?ref=paklan.org), and is now adjusting to his apprenticeship in Japan with Matsumoto-san. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1006716.jpg)

Teachers have told me that practicing to compete in Kezuroukai is a great way to enhance your sharpness and planing ability. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/000475320010.jpg)

I have too much building to do to get obsessed with a planing contests, so I was happy to relax and focus on watching the competition. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1006893.jpg)

Kubo-san, about to place 2nd in the 70mm class

Despite that, I try to keep up with Kezuroukai competitor habits, for whatever might help me in the context of building things with sharper tools. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1006779.jpg)

Most competitors observe each other's work, but since it is a competition, habits are kept somewhat secret.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/000475330003.jpg)

I did notice a few things, though. I was told that this year, more competitors brought more planes sharp and ready to go, and fewer or no stones to sharpen. Some tools were vacuum sealed. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/IMG_1597.jpg)

Popular stones are the Naniwa 2000 kez stone and Naniwa 12k stone as a finisher or last synthetic stone. Kensyou man-made stones are popular, too, for people lucky enough to find them. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1006794.jpg)

Since kez is like a Formula One type of scenario where every variable matters, you can't really compete with just good sharp steel and perfectly tuned planes if your planing beam (used for qualifying for finals) is not of extremely high quality. Some beams were vacuum sealed, and Yama-san brought his beam in a PVC pipe with screw caps on the ends.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/000475330011.jpg)

Yama-san had brought a couple of interesting planes. One had ebony beams along the side, inset in grooves, holding in brass bars meant to stabilize the dai. He also had a unidirectional scraper plane with a reversed blade, so that it had full support on the back, with the bevel side doing the scraping. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/000475290004.jpg)

There was also some effort put towards spreading the shavings to avoid doubling up under the micrometer when being measured. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/000475300005.jpg)

Although some people went too far and judges had to implement a rule asking people not to spend more than 15 seconds doing so.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/000475330010.jpg)

Andrew's son, Alvin, has been assisting his father long enough that he can guess the thickness of a shaving within a micron, by eye

Some of what kez competitors do applies to building, and some of it doesn't. Sharpness does. Dai accuracy does. What else? I don't know.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/000475290003.jpg)

Andrew Ren is a stoic guy, but I captured some of his emotion and intense focus through the weekend. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/000475290001.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/IMG_1613.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1006657.jpg)

He is already preparing for the next competition that happens in Osaka, April 2024.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1006725.jpg)

More images below:

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Studying at Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society
URL: https://www.paklan.org/studying-at-mount-fuji-wood-culture-society/
Last updated: 2025-02-04T15:45:50.000Z
I am just wrapping up another month of study in Japan. Last time I was here, it was for a general intensive Japanese woodworking program over 4 weeks at the [Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society](https://www.paklan.org/mount-fuji/)—this time, for an artist in residency program to study sashimono. I thought I would have time to drop some updates along the way, but work was all-consuming. 

My goal this past month in Japan was to study box making—and, even more specifically, to improve my secret-mitered dovetail techniques. My project was to be a box that Tak-san had loosely designed the [last time I was there](https://www.paklan.org/mount-fuji/). This box wasn't made because I was focused on creating and modifying planes, but I wanted to finish it this time.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1006081.jpeg)

Rough drawings for a set of nesting boxes and base, with dimensions but no joinery

Before discussing this Fall trip, I need to tell you more about the [four-week intensive program](https://www.mtfuji-wcs.org/programs?ref=paklan.org) that I took over the Summer. I was very pleased to see so many of those fundamentals come up as critical skills the second visit, so it would be hard to explain the second month without the context of the first. 

That class is meant for people with little experience. But from what I've seen, Western-style woodworkers or even carpentry-oriented Japanese woodworkers of various experience levels can benefit from the program. 

[Subscribe](#/portal/signup)

Even though this post is over 5000 words long, I estimate it only covers about 10% of what I studied at the school over the month. I highly recommend it for anyone who can take the time to go and has an interest--with experience or not--in woodworking in a powerful and refined style.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/000752320034-2.jpg)

Tak demonstrating sawing

Before woodworking, class gently started with the ins and outs of living on the grounds. It’s a place with a kind energy, reflective of the staff’s spirit.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/IMG_6234.jpeg)

The hand tool shop, early morning during the summer.

There was a tour of the hand tool shop, where students get benches with vises and interesting adjustable planing stops of 15mm hardwood boards held in place with two bolts and infinitely height adjustable—ideal for planing thin stock for small projects. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1004855.jpg)

The planing stops on the school's benches are infinitely adjustable, ideal for thin stock

The machine shop is filled with classic Japanese machines like a rip saw with tenoner, sliding crosscut saw, square hollow chisel mortiser, and a very large overhead router. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1003390.jpeg)

A Japanese mortiser

Powered saws were typically equipped with larger-than-average diameter blades with 2mm width, and I learned to rely on their precision. The crosscut slider was particularly tuned well and was suitable for producing square stock and rabbets for hyper-accurate joinery. I came to depend on it greatly, but note that the micro adjust is less dependable than just bumping and checking a piece of scrap of identical dimension for the depth and width of cut you want.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1006007.jpg)

The slider, maybe my favorite machine in the school's shop. 

There was no router table, but other familiar machines to westerners, like jointer, planer, drill press, belt sander, lathe and a big old bandsaw. 

During the summer, gentle morning light rakes across the benches; in the fall, sunlight is more muted but still easy to work under. One of the things we would learn, however, is how useful an architect's lamp is for moving our light to suit our needs when sawing or chiseling. And to check, with raking light, the evenness of planed surfaces, flat or curved, when roughing or finishing. \[2\] 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1001578.jpg)

Simple architect lamps were powerful for aiming raking lights, necessary for inspecting how clean planing went

There are also walks through the forest (including tours of the sawmill and the treehouse), and the chair lab, which is filled [with hundreds of chairs](https://www.paklan.org/mount-fuji/). Upstairs, he showed us his sashimono work and the [chairs he made himself](https://www.paklan.org/mount-fuji/), including his Zen chair, inspired by zazen. One of the most spectacular chairs was one with a curved backrest made not from bending but from scarf joints.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/IMG_7305.jpg)

Three scarf joints help this chair's back curve aggressively.

Half the student lodging is in the main house, a hotel built in the 1990s and recently converted into Tak and Junko's home. Volunteers live there, too. There are also three bedrooms and a kitchen above the shop, which I have stayed at twice now. (My favorite room is the one in the far right corner past the stairs, which has a spectacular view of Mount Fuji.) \[3\]

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1000770.jpeg)

The view of Fuji-san from the chair lab

On top of being introduced to your quarters, you'll get some space in the kitchen and fridge; you will also be initiated to the dark arts of Japanese garbage disposal, the one thing you’ll learn there that is perhaps more difficult than sashimono.

Supermarket runs happen twice a week, Monday and Thursday. There are sometimes 7-11 runs (if you're lucky.) From what I've seen, the groups that decide to share in duties, and perhaps even cook together save a lot of time and eat better. (Monopolizing the rice cooker for just one person makes no sense.)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/IMG_7084.jpeg)

Togo’s recommendation for combini ice cream cone was A+

Every day, voluntary group meditation happens on the southern covered deck at 830am. Some people skip out on it, but it undoubtedly elevated my mood, focus and quality of work. So I would rarely pass on the opportunity.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/000752310029.jpeg)

The porch we meditate on

As I mentioned, the first week starts with sharpening techniques and setup of tools. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1003872-2.jpeg)

Yen-san inspecting her sharpening

Chisels and planes were mainly smaller than what you'd see in carpentry contexts, and that made set up of tools pretty easy. Partial flattening of just the last centimeter or so of plane blades was preferred over referencing the entire back. Smaller blades have naturally shallower and less precise back hollows, so I imagine this flattening style allows blades to keep their ura in good shape longer. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1003658.jpg)

Tak-san demonstrating his sharpening style

And uradashi, or using a hammer to bend over steel to help flatten the back, was not used as readily here as I've seen in carpentry. \[4\]

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1003883.jpg)

The sharpening sink. Wash it down at the end of the day, please.

Tak also sharpened with 1000-6000 grit stone sequences, sometimes going higher to natural stones for finish planing. The school also taught higher bevel and blade angles than typical in softwood carpentry contexts. \[5\] 

Later on, he would also explain his technique for rounding the corners of the plane to eliminate track marks on surfaces, flat or otherwise. Side sharpening was a common technique in the shop, blade parallel to long edge of the stone.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/IMG_6877.jpg)

There are at least 3 secrets in this photo. 

One day, we went to a tool shop in Tokyo. The store was over 100 years old. I had heard that George Nakashima had shopped for tools there decades ago. I found some of the knives Tak-san used for sashimono. Aisuke, is what he called them, and they are basically straight, flat carving knives. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1003684.jpg)

Shorter than chisels in height and length, they lack beam strength. Their shortness helps them resist bending but they are not meant for anything but the finest trimming. I picked up some in 12, 10.5, 9, 6, 4.5, 3 and 1.5mm. I turned the 1.5mm blade into a banana sharpening it one time, and I realized I needed to be a lot more gentle with these tools.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1003676-2.jpg)

For the 1.5mm blade, drag strokes help on the finish stone. 

Tak also provided instruction on sharpening curved tools like uchimaru gouges and spoon planes. Until now, I hadn’t really been able to get these tools functionally sharp enough to work with.

Tak taught us how he likes to saw. He sawed with an eye on each side of the saw and used finer disposable saws. Finish cuts were made with chisels, paring jigs, or knives. Sawing was mainly for roughing. He also cocked his head to the angle of dovetails when cutting them. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1003897-2.jpg)

Tak kept his eyes on both sides of the saw.

His general pattern of sawing, say a box joint, was to cut a v pattern, first front, then back, and then connect them down the middle. (In carpentry, many teachers draw a shallow line around a tenon shoulder to follow deeper to the tenon itself. Basically the same, but around a post versus at the end of a board.)

As Tak said to me in discussing all these differences, "skill is personal." Which is to say, there are a lot of different ways to work and so many of them are valid depending on the context.

After students set up and sharpened their small flat planes, we practiced creating curved surfaces from square stock. First we drew the curve we wanted to create on the end grain. Then we roughly planed the edge into three faces, and then planed down those edges to create seven faces, and so forth. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1000780.jpg)

layout for splitting facets

We created these curves on one axis and then the other axis. And finally, across both axis. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/IMG_6270.jpg)

Shaping curves like this, with flat small planes

After those exercises, students were also asked to use their plane to create a simple tea ceremony tray. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1003711.jpg)

First, the boards we chose were milled by hand to be square and true. Then, we added large bevels to the bottom side by drawing pencil lines and planning them.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/IMG_6400.jpg)

The tea trays receive a finishing detail on the left corner nearest to the server: a sawn and steam-bent corner fixed with a glued-in wedge. First the panel is sawn, leaving a tenth of a millimeter of wood left to hold the dog ear on.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/IMG_6405.jpg)

The sawn off wedge, about to be planed flush

The bent corner detail is evocative of that corner traditionally being used with a cloth to wipe clean a serving knife. The trays were then finished in urushi over several coats applied throughout the rest of the month while we worked on other projects.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/IMG_6426.jpg)

After stone grit wash, but before the first coat.

We went over things like urushi's preference for humidity when curing, and the use of stone grit laden water to pre-finish the surface. Also, how to sand between coats. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1003754.jpeg)

Tak also introduced some of his specialties, including how he creates planes of any curvature to shape his chairs and boxes. He uses radius templates he created to create sanding blocks, which are used, after roughing on machines, to finalize the shape of the sole. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/IMG_7102.jpg)

Whem making custom a plane, Tak starts with regular flat bottomed koganna from the blacksmith komori, with a thicker than average dai and longer than average blade, so that the planes are not too thin after they are shaped. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/IMG_7103.jpg)

Since compass (one axis) and spoon (two axis) planes receive extreme wear at the point where the curve of the plane touches the flatter workpiece, the mouth can be deformed very quickly. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1004702.jpg)

To deal with this, several decades ago, Tak heard from Tsuchida-san, a legendary Tokyo tool dealer, that a carpenter was experimenting with brass mouth planes. So Tak started trying as well. \[6\]

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1003329.jpeg)

His cabinet of planes is full of decades' worth of trials and errors, leading to refined modern examples. Since different projects require several radius planes to complete, Tak's cabinet has almost 300 planes for various functions, most of the curved ones with brass reinforcement.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1006407.jpg)

We also got the chance to set up a spokeshave. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1003791.jpg)

When spokeshaves were set up, we carved spoons, quickly learning how to control the shaves. We also tuned the handles of the spokeshaves to align with the mouth of the blade for more control and feedback from the tool. Working the spoons, we were asked to read the grain direction as it pertained to how the tree grew but also how the shape of the surface affects how the edge and the grain interact.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/000752320014.jpeg)

Simple joinery was next. Instead of just the typical, post and beam arrangements Japanese carpenters cut with mortise and tenon, we were to cut joints in boards useful for casework and boxes. Then, a small sliding dovetail. Tak commented on my preference to sit on a work piece, and look down over it as I mortised feverishly. He said, “you look like a carpenter.” 

I admit, the rhythm of hammer and chisel--in the hands of teams of carpenters that know how to sharpen and cut--sound like music to me. But I took it as a cue to explore other more delicate methods of roughing out joinery. Keeping the chisel in view from the side at eye level was helpful for checking plumb for square joinery, was how Tak-san worked. So I followed.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1004392.jpeg)

One night, I got a chance to watch Tak work for the first time. Tak pulled out a few hardwood boards to plane. I noticed a deliberate down pressure and slow steady pull. He told me later that in general, softwood planing is lighter and faster. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1004524-2.jpg)

We also got the chance to set up a spokeshave. 

Alfred, the senior student in class, always finished his work so quickly that he decided to pass the time waiting for the rest of us by learning how to make his first brass-mouthed plane. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1003340.jpeg)

One of Tak's brass koganna.

Tak-san gave him instructions on the side. When he was done, he told Alfred that he was the first student at the school able to complete one. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/000243760007.jpeg)

Senpai!

I was grateful to have Alfred as senpai in this program. A week or so before class, Alfred had injured a finger in a router table accident, which shattered some bone and removed a few millimeters of nail and tip. He emailed Togo immediately after the accident to apologize, but he couldn’t attend the program. But a few days later he decided to come anyhow. Despite having only nine fully functional fingers to depend on, Alfred was faster, cleaner, and smoother than every other student, in every assignment. I was having so much fun pushing myself to keep up with him and learning faster because of it. \[7\]

This was the beginning of my understanding of what it was like to work alongside other emerging craftspeople. Struggling together and feeling despondent and then victorious is a feeling I can't create alone. The motivation to keep going and catch up with your seniors is overwhelming.

I was inspired to study sashimono after seeing his work in the chair lab and learning he was the only apprentice of Suda Kenji, in his 20s. But that sentiment was cemented watching Tak-san demonstrate the cutting of a secret miter dovetail. It was one of the first times I could see him work at his own pace, and I will never forget his speed, accuracy, and technique.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1004030.jpg)

Secret mitered dovetails go by many names and aren't exclusive to Japanese work, but they are the classic high-end joint used in sashimono box and cabinet construction. The joint is as complex and strong as it is invisible and modest. 

This is an excellent time to point out the use of shims. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1001849.jpg)

Some of my carpentry teachers would use kebiki (marking gauges) that would sit at various blade positions, and never be adjusted. Tak taught us to cut different box joints using a marking gauge set at the exact width of the box and then adjust the cutting position of various joints on a board by stacking different shims to adjust the blade position.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1003844.jpg)

Tak san had boxes filled with multiple shims of various sizes. 30mm all the way down to 4mm. If you have a series of box joints set 12mm apart, the marking gauge can be set to the width of the board and walked back for different marks accurately using a series of stacked shims. Within reason, of course, as the shims become wobbly when stacked too deep. Shims are so fast and precise compared to resetting a gauge constantly. Never mind attempting to lay out repeatedly across several pieces with a story stick or ruler.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1004008.jpg)

sawing two of the ends at a time, makes for a longer, more accurate cut. But still not a finish cut. This is just for test fitting.

Back to the secret dovetail. After laying out the pins, he cut them using saws, chisels, and knives.

He then transferred the layout to the tail board using a knife and the rabbet of the ledge to align the boards. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1004064-1.jpg)

And two jigs, one for chiseling the edge miters. And one for planing the square ledge to meet the miter using a custom plane.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1004016.jpg)

From start to finish, Tak finished his joint in under 30 minutes, working swiftly but never recklessly. When asked how long it should take to cut one by hand, Tak said a new apprentice might take half a day, a senior apprentice in an hour, and a master in 30 minutes. 

That is for one corner. So, you can assume less than four times that for the corners in a box. (Layout will take less time because the same gauge settings and shims are utilized across several pieces.)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/000243760034.jpg)

  
In just under 30 minutes, Tak was done. 

After a week or so of joinery, Tak taught us a bit about his chair-making philosophy and his techniques for making seat bottoms using hand tools like gouges and adzes. He then walked us through his methods using angle grinders, power planers with custom curved bottoms, and a contraption called the swing jig. The swing jig was a cage that secured itself to a rip saw fitted with a custom blade that allowed a workpiece to hang and swing across the table saw blade for cove cuts. He developed the technique when he had a large order of chairs. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1004553.jpg)

Yen-san, another student --the fairy-like person with large round glasses usually found peering observantly a few inches from Tak's busy tools--cajoled Tak to help her design and build a simple chair, which she finished a few days after class concluded. (This was a first for a student, I believe.) \[9\]

At some point, Tak sensed that a few more experienced students wanted to go beyond the curriculum. He pulled out a camphor slab for us to plane. Tak also designed some nesting boxes for us to try and build with joinery of our choice. 

Something happened inside me when he drew up those plans. Of course, I wanted to do this box with secret dovetails. But I felt like a wave of seriousness came over me when we no longer focused on things I knew I could do, like sharpen, saw, and make simple joints. I didn't know if I could do two nested boxes with secret dovetails on each. But I wanted to try.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1001518.jpg)

Despite these feelings, I never planed the slab, and we never finished the boxes. Usually, when I get a little overwhelmed, I cope with it by finding productive tasks to procrastinate. Like building more brass planes.

After making a plane or two each, Tak told us both that it was a great use of our time to learn how to make planes while there: flat, curved, and of course, brass-mouthed. All of them small, some of them even tiny. So from then on, Alfred and I would work as fast as possible to buy time to set up more planes.

Even the bleating of the sheep started to sound like the word BRASSSSSSS to us. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/IMG_6911-1.jpg)

A mameganna with an 24mm blade, mid process.

I ended up building a more more, including 18mm and 24mm flat blades, as well as a 42mm high speed steel blade. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/IMG_7151.jpg)

HSS + brass

Then came the curved and double curved (spoon) planes. \[8\]

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/IMG_7113.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1001512.jpg)

Filing the mouth for a spoon plane is slow work. Basically a scribe, in brass, using files.

This little ugly bug seemed like it would be useful at some point--deep and narrow--for roughing. It's blade looked like a robot's hang nail.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/IMG_7184.jpg)

At some point I ran out of tools to brass, but there was more tooling. Aside from a few Aisuke handles, I did snap a poor chisel in half. The shank housed in a keyaki lipstick sized handle gave the blade a new purpose, as a half way tool between a chisel and aisuke. I named it little stabby.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/IMG_6876.jpg)

Before starting on the box Tak drew, I dreamed of becoming fluent at secret dovetails. Or at least cutting just one.

Before his demonstration, I had already started to study a sample of the joint that sat on the shop's window, among myriad other types. I was halfway done laying mine out, and his demonstration gave me what I needed to cut it in 4 hours, fast and sloppy, using a chisel to cut the long miter since I did not have a plane of my own to cut the miter. But it felt meaningful to have cut this joint for the first time.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/IMG_6811-1.jpg)

Tak mentioned to Alfred and me that he hoped one day a student could enter the same [craft show](https://www.nihonkogeikai.or.jp/exhibition?ref=paklan.org) he entered his curved tray and cabinets when he was 28\. 

Between all the joinery work, there were wonderful excursions to Tokyo to see craft exhibitions at museums, eat at places like Togo’s family’s soba or favorite unagi restaurant, and tool shops. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1004328.jpg)

At Togo's family's soba restaurant. 

Every class seems to have a different adventure. One class even went to listen to Tak's son play Jazz in Tokyo. 

A few days later, I tried to make another box, this time with secret dovetails. This time in thinner stock.

Layout, with shims, went smoothly and unbelievably fast. Cutting dovetails went ok, too, with little stabby and the aisuke doing their jobs exceedingly well. But the miters would always be the part that would be trickiest. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1001913.jpg)

 Struggling to trim the miters at the ends of the boards, holding the jig and piece in one hand and the chisel in another, Tak stopped to advise me to make nearly imperceptible changes to the position of the jig by tapping it with the end of the chisel. 

"I still remember the sound of my master's chisel tapping," said Tak-san, referring to Suda Kenji.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1001911.jpg)

Rather than trimming miters by chisel as before, I used Tak's hand-built miter plane and sled since I did not have my own. In haste, the plane cut a curved path as I let the body of the plane drop on the ends of the cut, without using the sled to support the plane properly. This caused the box to show moderately sized gaps at the corners.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1001912.jpg)

It took 6 hours to cut the entire box—a little slower than a senior apprentice would. I finished just in time to show up late for a final dinner party the staff had thrown for the students. It hardly counted as finished work, full of problems. But it was done, and in a few days, it would be time to go home.

I envisioned making dozens of boxes in my home shop, until I could make perfect secret dovetail boxes without a second thought and at the speed of a master. The thing about being home is that life catches up with you. My family, the always demanding house, this newsletter, dealing with life itself in all its mundane distractions—there was no reason to build those boxes, so I never did.

Within a few days of being back, I put together a craft CV and applied for the artist-in-residence program. I would spend three weeks in the fall finishing that box that Tak had drawn and practicing cutting as many secret dovetails as I could. 

*More photos and details for supporters, below:*

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/L1003822.jpg)

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Zen and Japanese Carpentry Workshop in Honolulu
URL: https://www.paklan.org/zen-and-japanese-carpentry-workshop-in-honolulu/
Last updated: 2026-04-28T02:12:46.000Z
***Class has concluded. For more information on future classes, sign up for our newsletter:***

[Subscribe (Free)](https://www.paklan.org/#/portal/signup/)

[Togo](https://www.paklan.org/togo-and-the-slab/), apprentice at Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society, said to me, “If you tell people your dreams, they can help you.”

We started Paklan, along with other things, to share craft technique, culture, stories and create more craftspeople. So, when my friend [Jason Fox](https://www.neverstopbuilding.com/about?ref=paklan.org) and I started planning a small timber frame in Honolulu, we dreamt it could be a class.

Around the same time, Michael Kangen (roshi at Chozen-ji) and I were spending time together. We were looking at [keisaku](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keisaku?ref=paklan.org), the stick people get hit with during zazen. I was to make a few prototypes for the temple, with the perfect amount of rigidity and springiness, considering the species and shape of the stick. Walking the grounds, we started dreaming about the idea of Japanese carpentry classes at Chozen-ji. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/IMG_0475.jpeg)

The frame, in situ at the house I spent 5 years restoring. 

So, we are doing it. The class will be a combination of set up, sharpening, and use of Japanese hand tools and joinery. It will culminate with the cutting and raising of a small timber frame meant to shelter a pottery wheel and kiln at my home.

Uniquely, the class will be hosted by [Chozen Ji](http://chozen-ji.org/?ref=paklan.org), the Rinzai Zen temple in Kalihi Valley. Chozen-Ji will be providing housing and food as well as spiritual guidance in the form of zazen every morning.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/IMG_0481.jpeg)

Jason Fox of Never Stop Building and Yama-san of Somakousha, raising a frame in Maine.

Jason will be the lead instructor. Before starting the Japanese Woodworking Festival in Maine, Jason Fox apprenticed in Japan with [Kohei Yamamoto and Jon Stollenmeyer](https://kezuroukai.us/interview-with-jon-stollenmeyer-kohei-yamamoto/?ref=paklan.org) of [Somakosha](http://somakosha.com/en/yamamoto-kohei?ref=paklan.org). This past summer, Jason and Yamamoto-san put together a 40-foot-long timber frame in Maine with 25 students. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/11/IMG_0482.jpeg)

Yama-san was also the lead carpenter on [a timber framing build](https://www.collinbeggs.com/portfolio-projects/timber-framers-guild-bell-tower-workshop?ref=paklan.org) in Idaho hosted by Collin Beggs in 2022\. 

Jason is amazing to be around because they carry this unstoppable and contagious energy that I enjoy greatly.

The head of Nakamura Komuten, the first Japanese carpenter I ever met, told me, “If you want to understand Japanese carpentry, you have to understand Buddhism.” This was almost 8 years ago, 2 years before I picked up my first chisel, saw, and plane.

Years later, I can’t say I really understand Buddhism or Japanese carpentry very much, but I do know I like what I have felt at Chozen-ji.

One day, I sat at a beginner session at Chozen Ji with Michael. He taught us how Chozen-ji, as the only Rinzai temple outside of Japan, had a culture of directness. I was struck by his warnings to newcomers that Chozen-ji was not a place for escapism or avoiding themselves. They believe in practicing Zen in the body, not the intellect. 

"At Chozen-ji, we practice the arts to deepen our Zen training, but only when we have passion for the art can it become a Way. The forms of Zen training, themselves, can be an art. How to bow, how to enter the Dojo, how to breathe, how to sit, how to walk, and so on are all forms which can be practiced. These forms at the Dojo, particularly the forms at sesshin, can be considered performance art which gathers and focuses the heart/mind." — [Michael Kangan](https://www.chozen-ji.org/blog-archive/2023/8/19/letter-from-the-abbot-the-artist-of-life?ref=paklan.org)

Classes will be the last 2 weeks of February 2025 (There will be 12 spots. Students just need to bring themselves and tools (once you’re signed up, please ask us about tools.) 

Students who want to stay on the grounds have preference over those who want to stay at home or elsewhere, but we are open to that. Pricing is $2800 including housing and food and $2100 without it, for two weeks. We are taking applications for the program through [Chozen-ji’s website](https://www.chozen-ji.org/?ref=paklan.org).

Let me know if you have any questions.

[More information about the Zen and Japanese Carpentry workshop in Honolulu](https://www.chozen-ji.org/?ref=paklan.org)

- Interviews with [Kohei Yamamoto](https://open.spotify.com/episode/78xOBR4AM6JYn9WEC45yQM?si=xBVojF%5FuRHS7ju1Pp7nVBA&ref=paklan.org) and [Jason Fox](https://open.spotify.com/episode/4CSQuCGQ4XDb6Zyj83PVH7?si=SJNMjCU-Q1uZ09uxH0PWLg&ref=paklan.org) by Mokuchi
- [About Chozen-ji](https://www.chozen-ji.org/about?ref=paklan.org)
### On slightly larger kanna
URL: https://www.paklan.org/on-slightly-larger-kanna/
Last updated: 2026-08-11T10:56:58.000Z
Really quickly, I wanted to go through some news: 

\*[Kezurou-kai USA](https://kezuroukai.us/?ref=paklan.org) is having its annual national event in Kingston, NY this weekend. I can’t make it, because I am headed back to Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society for a sashimono focused artist in residency next week. We are giving away 2 tickets that my brother and I can't use because of the Japan trip. Ideally the tickets go to a young carpenter who is interested in elevating their work through Japanese wood craft and tools, and who can't really afford the tickets to the event. Email me if you're interested. [hello@paklan.org](mailto:hello@paklan.org) 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/10/IMG_5967-1.jpeg)

Kez planing contest, El Cerrito, CA, 2023

There’s been an intense amount of travel in a short amount of time. Last week, I went to visit [Mokuchi](https://www.mokuchiwoodworking.com/?ref=paklan.org) to brush up on some joinery with Yann and catch up about work. I’ve taken this class twice before, once with him at the start of my journey and once last year with [Dale](https://japanesecarpentry.com/info.htm?ref=paklan.org). But there is no limit to the level of refinement in the most simple joints and chances to use them are not as often as you'd imagine without framing projects on hand. One idea he dropped on me last week that has my mind running circles is the idea that a tool can be too sharp. More on this as I get more reporting done on the concept.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/10/L1005384.jpg)

Yann driving home some wedges into a Kanawa Tsugi joint. Last week, Ashland, Oregon.

This week I figured I’d drop in a bit of tool talk for Japanese plane users who are curious about larger planes. Of course, I no longer review objects for a living, but those grooves in my neurology run deep, so I always have an outsized curiosity for tools.

[Subscribe](#/portal/signup)

Carpentry scale projects highlight a weakness in my isolated place in the islands, but also how I work these days. Carpentry is meant for teams and machine support, and it is always humbling in this regard for someone overly self-sufficient to realize the limits of a single person working in architectural scales. After a week of milling and planing–[and then re planing](https://www.paklan.org/hand-planing-a-walkway-over-a-koi-pond/)–the Port Orford cedar walkway by hand, I essentially collapsed. Too abrupt of a rest, combined with floor sitting resulted in my entire right side tightening and twisting up. Planing is an asymmetric motion, pulling with the right legs, hips, back, arm and hand. And without work to temper those muscles, no amount of stretching would help. I feel my age during projects like this and recovery takes much longer than I would like to admit. 

The walkway started checking without finish and with end grain exposed, giving me a better understanding of the utility of face boards usually shown in structures built like this, and western decks and their long grain exposures. Some Anchorseal on the ends fixed the problem and I'm most likely going to leave the boards unfinished as it is already aging very gracefully and resisting dirt and weather just fine. The epoxy pond coating was reapplied successfully by the masons and we are set to bring the koi home from a neighbor's house where they have been for 5 years before the holidays. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/10/000954550023.jpg)

---

I generally cap a project with some shop maintence or tool setup. It’s a productive form of procrastination before approaching the next build. 

It didn’t help the back problems that I chose to set up a slightly larger than-average new plane. The tool I decided to focus on was 3-sun in size in the shaku measurement system. Or about 90mm or a little over 3-½ inches wide. Compared to the standard smoothing plane of 70mm, it was just a little bit bigger and a far cry from the much larger planes we see at contests and demonstrations. I didn’t think it would be much more challenging to set up than a normal plane. But the slightly heavier body and blade made tuning more than proportionally more tricky. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/10/IMG_4267.jpeg)

Fresh kanna

Planes like this are rare. There must be a reason for that, and I wondered how professionals use them in common work. The simple answer is that they aren’t needed for most pros and almost all hobbyists. And they aren’t necessarily worth the trouble in most cases. But not all. 

The Sukiya style carpenters I study with sometimes–Yann Giguere and Dale Brotherton–had different examples of use. Yann said he had a few planes that are larger size, in the 80 to 110mm range. “They are fun and still manageable.” Andrew Ren, my friend and tool dealer, agreed that 90mm and below could be treated the same as standard size 70mm planes and cost only a little more when making custom orders.

After watching a 180mm plane demonstration at Kezuroukai USA, years ago, Dale said he thought to pick one up for the same purpose. He cut a dai, and was surprised at how much deflection a large blade and body could cause each other. It took him a month of evenings to tune up the plane for use. 

I had heard of people using larger planes on Larry Ellison’s Japanese timber frame compound in the Bay Area, but some seniors on that project indicated planes might have been a little bit bigger. But, more significant members of the structures were planed with a super-surfacer. 

I can’t remember where I heard this, but supposedly larger plane use was more common in Kansai region versus Kanto. This makes sense to me in terms of the variations of things like tatami mat and other architectural scales used between the east and the west as well as small differences in things like chisel handles. Eastern scale seems to have been smaller, overall, according to references like Engel’s The Japanese House. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/10/000951480005-2.jpg)

90mm plane in scale against a 70mm plane

Jon Billing, told me one Kansai carpenter used his 90mm plane so little he turned it into a katsuo boshi, or plane for making bonito shavings. 

When I spoke to Kohei Yamamoto of Somakosha, another teacher, he said that he had just used a 105mm plane on a tea room he was working on. Planing the posts in a single pass was ideal for eliminating the risk of track marks on the surface, he explained.

The tool’s size in proportion to the piece it is planing is one factor, another is its relation to a carpenter’s hand, and how easy it is to use and sharpen. Also in consideration is its width of cut, how thin of a cut it needs to take to be manageable, and how tolerant that longer straight edge is of surface irregularities. And how tolerant the wooden body is of weather changes. 

A graceful balance between all these factors is found in the popular average-sized 70mm plane. A slightly larger human might opt for larger planes, but a smaller human might want the opposite. Those who work on larger and smaller bodies of work might shift their preferences appropriately, but in the end, human scale dictates the size of the work and what can fit in our hands. 

Since this topic has never been written about in english, I thought to include some minor advice and context that might help someone interested in using slightly larger planes: 

Ask The Line: members can send questions about tools, technique, or finding your way into this craft. One gets answered here each week. [Email me](mailto:hello@paklan.org).

[Join and ask ](https://www.paklan.org/#/portal/signup)

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### The House (Addendum)
URL: https://www.paklan.org/the-house-addendum/
Last updated: 2024-09-13T23:32:13.000Z
An extra post with photos of the house in various states of repair, through time, for paid subscribers.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### The House
URL: https://www.paklan.org/the-house/
Last updated: 2025-02-04T15:49:25.000Z
In ignorance, I thought it would take six months to replace the roof and fix a few things. But, once you start opening up the walls and floors of an old house, you find out how deep the problems go. And while the guts are open, it's best to do as much as possible before slapping the walls and paint back on. That's how I ended up spending half a decade restoring the historic home my family now lives in. There are dozens of little stories of the design, research, and work that go into each facet of design and construction. But I want to start with how I ended up with this project in the first place.

Wirecutter had just sold to the NYTimes, and I was still living in the same 600-square-foot rental apartment on Pualei Circle in Honolulu that I grew it in. Pualei Circle is kind of a circular block not too far from Waikiki, located across from a community garden. It’s a very intimate environment. Everyone can hear everyone else at almost all times since the apartments were fenestrated with jealousies and CMU block construction reflected sound very effectively. \[1\]

[Subscribe](#/portal/signup)

I loved living in that neighborhood and working on Wirecutter from a tiny 3x2 foot standing desk. Somehow, I fit a dozen surfboards in that apartment, hyper-efficiently stacked in every corner. But I was starting to think about a long-term home for a family. Within the year after the sale, I found this place. The house is a classic mid-century Hawaii home with more Japanese influence than average—or, as I know now, Japanese-y influence. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/L1000196.jpg)

Courtyard (A few weeks ago)

Something about the flow made sense when I first walked through it. Built in the 1950s, it has a main garage and front door structure that hide the rest of the home, evocative of a gatehouse. Passing through that structure leads to a quarter circle white concrete staircase and a garden courtyard with a coral-lined koi pond and the main house. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/tempImageQ8DHcn.gif)

Courtyard (Before Before)

The house is built off four main rooms open to each other, a foyer, a living room, kitchen, and dining room, with a bedroom in the wings. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/F23A-43.jpg)

Before: Some bad work resulted in hot, sharp, slate tiles. And the original concrete railings were spalling. Only one thing to do.

And a large rock wall lanai that opens to a backyard. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/L1001938.jpg)

New, regraded sub-slab, set hand-poured white concrete pavers, and a teak rail with giboshi.

The original pool house burnt down but the owner in the 70s and 80s, Bradley Geist, who was known for his good taste, had replaced it with a structure by Vladamir Ossipoff, a mid century architect who practiced in Hawaii but grew up in Japan. The proportions and details feel better in this structure than the main house. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/Screenshot-2024-09-12-at-3.03.08-PM.png)

He also brought in rocks from Shikoku that he had craned over the house. The rocks influenced the color of the dining table, the countertops and the color green on this newsletter/site.  

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_0309.jpg)

Original poolhouse, from an old magazine clipping.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_0582.jpg)

There are only so many opportunities to do the dirty work of removing tons of concrete walkways in a backyard with limited access. We took that opportunity to reset the infrastructure in the yard (lighting, irrigation, electrical, storm drainage, sewer laterals, pool piping) and reestablish the pool coping.

The yard was almost entirely concrete, save for the setbacks, a planter under the wall, and on 4 sides of the pool. Flooding was a regular occurrence with no place for water to drain, despite the region's extremely high soil infiltration rates.   

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/L1005175.jpg)

Today (complete with pool toys)

I’d call it an idealistic floor plan in that each moment unfolds until one finds themselves standing at the bottom of the sloping half acre property, looking back up at the roofline of the main house, which mirrors the silhouette of Diamond Head. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_1846-1.jpg)

The first structure provides a sense of privacy and security, but the location also maintains protection from the elements. Diamond head seemed to shelter us from summer near-miss hurricanes, and the whole region was historically sought after as an ideal zone for weather; winter storms would batter Kauai’s north shore, and Big island often shielded us from the summer hurricanes. Oahu and in particular Waikiki and even more specifically Diamond head feels deeply sheltered. The home is also up a slight grade, placing it near but outside the border of the tsunami zone. The house feels safe, especially after I started doing research on AI/human monitored security cameras. 

Part of the appeal was the location and the bones seemed good, but if I’m being honest, part was because the place seemed so neglected. It was previously owned by a finance guy who cut all the trees down and turned off the irrigation and did little to no maintenance. And before that, it was owned by a string of owners who did not live in it full time, ripe for being taken advantage of by local contractors who had no direct relationship to the owners. I couldn’t resist its potential.

Moving in, all my possessions fit into one corner of the living room. The living room is about the size of the entire Pualei circle apartment I moved from. 

But even with good bones, and a thorough inspection by a former GC who specialized in historic homes, I didn’t realize at the time that literally everything needed to be worked on in some way or another. Everything. I mean, my inspector fought to pass legislation for mandatory licensing of inspectors because he was so fed up with terrible inspections by others. And yet, he still never even went into the attic to check out what we eventually found up there. (Almost all the previous shingles were left in the attic, along with plate lunch boxes and soda cans.)

After moving in, I studied and, most of all, listened. I noticed the way the sun would enter certain windows, how it felt when trade winds reversed, and how rain would land on and in the house during storms as the gutters, paint, roof, plumbing, electrical, appliances, paint, doors, windows, locks—everything—continued to slide into oblivion. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_8137-1.jpg)

  
High voltage extension cords wrapped in electrical tape were buried in the yard to power yard lights. Once, during a storm, [water dripped into a coffee machine on the counter](https://youtube.com/shorts/c2rLBWlYOeM?feature=share&ref=paklan.org). Broken gutters and clogged downspouts dumped water directly in front of doorways, and storm drains failed. Basements and crawlspaces flooded constantly due to grade and downspouts running towards the house. Cast iron sewer lines were dust. All outer surfaces were coated with a thick, yellow boat varnish, because the previous owner found the cheapest painter was a boat painter. Salt gathering into the pockets of doors and windows caused furring, where salt permanently hydrates wood which can break down even resilient redwood. The telecom—alarm wiring, coax TV and RJ-11 land line phone jacks—were found in every room including bathrooms all leading back to panel boards meant to power small apartments. The eaves and ceilings and floors were infested with termites and the basement was home to a family of rats.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_5641.jpg)

Useless telecom equipment suitable for a small apartment complex, in every wall of every room. Even the bathrooms!

The AC equipment and ducts were leaking and coated in thick mold and dust and would often pass musty-smelling air—with the occasional smell of decaying rodents during the winter months when the creatures would shelter in the foot of loose leaf litter that collected in the crawl space. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_0607-1.jpg)

old Hvac ducts

I could go on and on but I could just say that every single thing in the house needed to be replaced or fixed. When my father visited, he asked how much the place cost. I answered, he paused, and then he asked, “Isn’t it a little run down for this much money?”

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/F23A-88.jpg)

90s designed kitchen, closed off to rest of house by a pantry and service door.

Money is important and people don’t like to talk about it, so lets talk about money. The house was so run down I basically paid for the land value. As part of my life plan, I wanted to move into my forever house immediately because the economics are favorable in the long term. This was pre covid, pre-interest rate run-ups, and my plan was that I wanted to spend so much on a house that I would be forced to work again because retiring at 39 years old is not a good thing for the human spirit. I have succeeded in restoring the house to such a massive extent I definitely have to work again at 47\. The house is why I am writing this newsletter, in a way, and I feel a little nervous as I shake off the rust in using words to convey stories and ideas.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_7940-1.jpg)

Kitchen in progress

A hidden gift of the project is that it pushed me to be curious about Japanese architectural design general principles. The majority of the doors and windows are sliding, and the house is strongly influenced aesthetically (although not in terms of construction) by shoin/temple architecture. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/L1005187.jpg)

Kitchen done (this is one of 3 sinks, this one dedicated to coffee making)

During the first year of ownership, I went to Kyoto to buy some granite lanterns and spent a few days with an MIT trained architect, Geoffrey Mousas, who worked for a carpentry firm, Nakamura Komuten. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/E6CD4A76-BC8E-4A33-9BD4-52115E84C19B-1.JPG)

The first time I'd seen Japanese carpentry in practice, in 2018.

This firm, I would find out later, was one of the most famous sukiya style (tea house) firms in Japan, despite being only a few generations old. This firm also worked on the Rockefeller estate and the samurai family house that was refurbished and rebuilt on the Huntington library gardens. They also work on Ise, and on parts of the palace in Kyoto. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/5628A11B-EF58-4F51-8CDF-961CA5C44277_1_105_c-1-1.jpeg)

Katsura

Geoffrey took us to some temples, some well known, some more remote, but the most impactful for me was seeing Katsura Imperial villa and its seasonal tea houses, and white and blue checkered fusuma (a type of internal sliding door.). The tour was only in Japanese, and we hung behind it, with our teacher explaining and translating as we crept along. 

We met a 3rd generation granite lantern maker, Mr Uchidya, and shipped some of his family's work back to Honolulu.

Touring Nakamura Komuten and watching them work and seeing what they did in their shop for even a few minutes is the first exposure I ever had to Japanese carpentry. This is likely where the seed was planted that eventually led me to become obsessed with wood craft in this style, years later.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/L1001734-Enhanced-NR.jpg)

Dining room on a particularly rosy sunset. Lamp by Kohseki.

Living in the house is as peaceful as you can imagine. Even if there is a lot of work to do, none of it is defensive. The work is all about keeping things in good shape--with a light touch--now that all the heavy lifting of replacing infrastructure is done. 

After all this time and effort, you might be surprised to hear that I'm not that attached to it. 

Working on the house was meant to keep me occupied as I ran down my non-compete of 5 years to the New York Times. Even if I didn’t realize it at the time, the main point of all that work was so that I could see my child run through the yard, and learn to swim in the pool, and grow strong when we eat in the kitchen and dining room together. \[2\]

It was also a great mechanism by which to learn about houses in a very consequential and deep way. Educating myself daily by interviewing my architect and contractors about what they were doing and why allowed me to pass through the great fear all owners of houses like this have, as they helplessly watch them slide into oblivion like all things eventually do. Building a shop, filling it with tools, and participating in carpentry were empowering. And, now, I can feel some measure of peace knowing that in the end, a house is some pipes, wires, wood, a roof, walls, and floor, and the faith that everything can be fixed with the right tools, resources, time, intent and craftsmanship. 

[Subscribe](#/portal/signup)

The lessons from fixing this house are priceless to me—the dozens of little tales inside of the main story that gave me experience and understanding. Especially the big mistakes, like not realizing the extreme challenge and risk of putting solar on a cedar shingle roof like ours. I will never do it again and advise anyone without the time and money to avoid owning an old home if they can. However, I think sharing the story will be a good way to express my unique way of approaching things, including the time and energy that I put into projects I believe in. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_0562.jpg)

The yard, pool and lanai, mid process. The wall had to have an inch shaved off its top to correct the grade and solve yet another flooding issue.

After seeing so many friends naively enter similar situations, I also hope I can help others who are dreaming of and fixing up their own old homes. People find it unbelievable that their inspectors, contractors, and real estate agents helping them buy an old house can be wrong. Nobody wants to hear it and people even get angry at it. But the people helping them are often just wrong because they are conflicted or can't understand what might be right for them. On the other hand are the countless arrogant white collar home owners who think they understand how houses should be fixed better than their contractors and are wrong. It's actually possible for both cases to be true at the same time, in the same scenario. No matter what, there is no substitute for the presence and curiosity of an owner who has to live in, maintain, and pay for a home. \[2\] 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_0307.jpg)

Original view from the original poorhouse. We added back the tree planters, with a more suitable species (puakinikini) to avoid problems. Note the roofline on the left does not cover the dining room doors that well and was modified by a previous owner for more shelter. 

The stories about my home are personal and rarely told by people who have homes like this for a good reason. For my family, I couldn’t put photos of our house and how it is built and laid out on the open internet without some kind of safeguard, which is why I plan on only sharing the most intimate details of the house with paid-supporters of this site. (Like floor plans, security schemes, pricing and other pieces of personal information I would normally only share with friends and neighbors.)

I mentioned that I had intended for this to be my forever home. I'm committed to it for now, but my dream has changed. Eventually, I would like to move to a smaller house built with my teachers in the style of a Japanese timber frame, with a much larger shop, in a much more secluded area. Japanese architecture is interesting because it has been adapted to a climate that is at different times hotter and colder. But it is and always has been almost perfect for the sub-tropics, dominated by breeze and mild temperatures. (Although paper-lined doors and windows are no longer ideal in an age where thermal efficiency matters.) 

Dreams will have to wait, though. Deep construction takes its toll and requires years, if not decades, of emotional and financial—and in my case, physical—recovery. For now, and for a while, this is my home. 

\[1\]: Jealousies are great for allowing visual privacy and massive airflow. Sound passes right through them. All noises from neighbors could be heard. One person would sneeze on the apartment to my left, and on the right, the other neighbor would offer a blessing. I could hear when someone would switch to clipping toe nails from finger nails based on the pitch change. 

\[2\]: We had plans for 20x40 foot white carpets that were abandoned as soon as we learned what toddlers can do to white rugs.

*There are a few more before and after photos in a* [*separate post*](https://www.paklan.org/the-house-addendum/) *available for supporters of this project.*
### Hand planing a walkway (over a koi pond)
URL: https://www.paklan.org/hand-planing-a-walkway-over-a-koi-pond/
Last updated: 2025-02-04T15:50:09.000Z
I’m taking a pause writing about [Mt Fuji Wood Culture Society](https://www.paklan.org/mount-fuji/) to write about the project I just spent two weeks finishing at my own home in Honolulu. 

(I’ll write a proper introduction to the overall house project soon. The restoration took 5 years to complete with over a dozen contractors, designers and architects and was my main focus while under non compete with the NYT.)

The project is a walkway\[1\] that passes over a coral boulder lined koi pond, milled from rough sawn port orford cedar\[2\]. Originally, it was not connected to the courtyard, but free standing and accessible only from the bedroom or by leaping across the pond.

There little hand saw or chisel work in this project—basically no joinery. But I did get to finish the surface of the walkway entirely by Japanese hand plane. This kind of task is typical for a Japanese carpenter, but a rare treat for an amateur who has to be greedy for a real scale and quantity of experience. By the end of the project, I estimate there was over a mile of linear planing done. 

[Subscribe](#/portal/signup)

Karl, my carpenter friend who [gave me my first Japanese tools](https://www.paklan.org/my-craft-origins-1/), worked on the bedroom doors above the deck and sent me these photos from about 30 years ago. The landscaping looks a lot nicer than it does now. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/K5-topaz-lighting-upscale-4x.jpeg)

When Karl worked on this house, 30 years ago. Note his Japanese tools.

By the time I took over the dilapidated property, it looked somewhat like this. The outer most boards were redwood but the board that doubled as a threshold for the pocketed sliding storm doors were 2 inch by 12 inch pieces of solid koa. The entire property had been painted a funky brown by a boat painter, who also coated much of the house in a boat varnish that turned white washed surfaces a sickly yellow as the UV inhibitors reacted to the sun.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_0196.jpeg)

Through the project, we repaired the cracks in the koi pond (caused by the decision by a former owner to try and bonsai a banyan tree next to it) and recoated the inside walls and floor. The job required hauling out several concrete planters weighing over 100 pounds each, which the masons were able to do gracefully with ramps. The house received a stainless steel flashing, not wanting to introduce copper runoff into a koi pond with fish and plants.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/Photo-Nov-21-2022--10-23-25.jpeg)

The end of construction, we erected this framing for the new walkway. 

The framing for the future walkway was established and covered with ply. After cleaning and coating the pond, we filled it. I soon after evacuated the water into a drainage system to test how it would eventually distribute the rich pond water through a grove of fruit trees in the yard (A system we designed with the help of storm water system and permaculture designers.) When the pond was emptied, the coating started failing immediately. We still have no idea why, despite our best efforts. As you might know, warranty work only covers materials, so it will be consequential to try again.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/Screenshot-2024-09-03-at-1.27.28-PM.jpeg)

Note the deck originally did not circulate

Before we moved back in to the house, I ordered lumber from Oregon, with about 40-50% overage as [Yann](https://www.mokuchiwoodworking.com/?ref=paklan.org) taught me. This is done to ensure ample high quality and matching grain pieces to choose from. Unfortunately, when trusting others to select wood for you from across the ocean, that number might need to be even higher as we nearly ran out of high quality material. The cargo was freighted over and unloaded and stacked in the driveway, 30 feet from the koi pond. We sealed grain, stacked everything with stickers (spacers) for even breathing, and covered it with a large white tarp strapped down, with a few boards standing on edge to provide a tenting effect. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_0284.jpeg)

From an old magazine, another shot of the courtyard, in the 60s.

I took a long break after that. And after 18 months of setting up shop, recovering from construction burn out, and waiting for my favorite carpenter to be free to help, I began with the help of my teachers and friends.

Before milling, calculations were made and resulted in a 120mm board with 3mm spacing (and a 3mm chamfer) to reach the inside corner from the start of the courtyard side of the walkway. That spacing looks good with the 3mm chamfer, but could end up swelling (from the pond) or shrinking (because we are in a dry area). We will see!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_0278.jpeg)

Milling went fine, starting with taking the 10 foot boards and chopping them in half. When a piece was only usable in the center, I took off the ends and settled for one piece from a 10 foot length. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/000790440003.jpeg)

This is about half of the lumber, partially through milling.

  
I plan to do a shop tour at some point, but key equipment in this project is a 10hp (3 phase) jointer/planer to dimension boards, and a 5hp 21” bandsaw with a light duty power feeder. The power feeder was critical, allowing me to take jointed boards of various width and thickness and get them to all match at 122mm, allowing me to send 100 boards through the planer in one pass to get to 120mm of width and 40mm of height. Despite that milling process avoiding roughing out large volumes of width on the planer, the chips produced were enormous by my standards—probably about 350 gallons worth. After that, I used the router table to put a rough chamfer on the boards, and selected the best for hand planing with a number of my favorite working planes all sharp and ready to go. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_8635.jpeg)

The planes I ended up enjoying during this project.

I selected hand planes for this project that I thought would give me a good amount of endurance and fine cutting ability. I prepared some kanna with high speed steel and super-blue alloys for first passes, and finished with carbon steels. Off the machines, I could have put regular blue and carbon white/swedish into rotation but I don’t have many high quality blue planes set up right now, having given away or sold most of my earlier and lower grade tools. The white steel plane I used was a plane I had brought to Idaho to build a bell tower with my teacher from Japan, Kohei Yamamoto. He had modified it in his own style, and the echos of his sharpening and tuning efforts could be felt in the way it cut so well.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/L1001956.jpeg)

Since the carpenters were finishing adding cleats to the accoya\[3\] framing as I finished milling, I basically had an afternoon and morning to plane everything in order to keep them busy and on site. 

Because my machines are accurate and surfaces were precise, each board needed only 3-8 strokes to be finished, plus some use of small planes to plane the chamfers. I did not plane the sides or bottoms. Chamfers were planed by a small 18mm plane, rather than an actual chamfer plane, for speed and practice in hand control. 

Planing was a joy with this species, in mostly clear wood, with fine blades and fine machines providing very flat surfaces to work with.

Work went quickly. 2 planes were set aside because they needed deeper tuning or maintenances, 3-4 were working fine, and 2 were working incredibly well, depending on how they matched the shape of the board (in terms of variation of a few tenths of a mm; a more concave board might not be effectively planed by a tool that is taking very thin shavings.) 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_8376.jpeg)

Under severe raking light provided by a drywall inspection light or a simple architect’s style desk lamp that is aimed across the work piece, a surface can easily be checked for flaws, and even the finest machine marks can be seen as not entirely uniform.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/L1001952.jpeg)

Perfect finishes

For western style work, the finish off the machine is suitable with fresh HSS blades running at a slow feed rate. But the difference between Japanese hand planes and machine or even western plane blade finishes is drastic.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/L1001948.jpeg)

Off a very good planer with fresh blades, the marks are undetectable except by fingertip and raking light.

Why go to all this trouble? The images speak for themselves, but planing is not strictly aesthetic. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/L1001949.jpeg)

After an initial pass with hand plane.

According to professionals in the community, a Japanese hand planed finish will resist water and dirt better than a sanded finish over time. In my own tests, solid hand planing can give you a finish uncannily flat that is on par with and beyond 1000 grit. In Hawai’i, that has rarely been tested outdoors (to my knowledge) and I don’t know what to expect to be honest. What I do know is that this method works well in japan and in California contexts, especially when the surfaces are protected by an overhang such as this one would be. Because the koi pond would complicate the reapplication of any finishes or pest treatments, I opted for a decent species of wood in terms of rot and insect resistance. In some contexts, a non film forming oil based finish is used to protect surfaces, but I don’t know enough to speak about this.

I planed from 2 til about 11pm that night, and needed to finish milling the second half of the boards before I could continue. But I estimated I could finish milling and planing the second half while the American carpenters were starting to install.

The collision between American carpentry and Japanese carpentry is something I have some experience with from working on my own house. It’s not always easy to manage, for me.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/L1001958.jpeg)

The next morning, I began milling and planing. I looked up from the second batch and realized I had not been specific enough around guidelines on installation of boards, and that the American style carpenters were placing boards and screwing them down without mapping out the orientation of the boards or which board should go where. I had asked for boards to be placed heart side down bar any terrible knots but it was not really understood that it was possible to put the top of the trees away from the building. There was also some mismatch of grain and color on the first few boards. 

No problem. We paused and reshuffled some boards in a few minutes, and made some additional guidelines . Any pieces with rift or vertical grain would be used for the corner detail, where shorter boards would be less stable but also get more exposure.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/000790440011.jpeg)

The master carpenter, my friend, cast some doubt he would be able to tell the top and bottom of the piece of wood, as it was grown. Actually, he told me I was crazy. But I showed him some tricks my teachers have shown me, and he later looked it up and verified it was possible to see this variation in grain. Working with him for over 5 years, I taught him how to sharpen and he taught me everything I know about western framing and finish work.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/000790440008.jpeg)

This rule is not just aesthetic. It is related to the idea that heart wood, particularly at the bottom of the tree, is often the part of the tree that is the least stable and smooth. It has runout, being near the part of the tree that grows wider and transforms into roots. It makes sense given how a young tree bends more than it resists wind and any other natural forces that might uproot a sapling. 

If I could do it again, I would have chosen the position of each and every board before installation started, but I was still busy planing the second half of the stack when install began. The only way to create better conditions for board selection would have been to have let the carpenters sit for a bit or to mill everything well ahead of time.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/000790440012.jpeg)

My western carpentry teacher, and friend. 

These rules on wood orientation are really some of the most precious gifts my first teacher, Yann Giguere has given me. I’m not spelling everything out in this post, because the knowledge is still not mine to give away. Training with him or others with his experience is the only way to learn it because the rules are contextualized and are different depending on each situation. I have spent over a month with him just studying wood selection, through the years. And I still have a lot to learn in this regard. But in general, Americans learn very little of this in construction these days.

All in all, planing 100 boards probably took about 12 hours, about 20% of that time spent resharpening.\[4\]

Back to the walkway. The corner detail was secured by stainless screws through cleats (like the rest of the path) but for extra strength, floating tenons (dominos) were employed to connect adjacent boards. A good plan but I felt a little uneasy as removal for maintenance would be tricky. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/000790440033.jpeg)

The other mistake I made was in thinking that a planed surface would be treated as a finished surface, which is not typical for an American deck. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_8452.jpeg)

Dirty from boots, but still shiny

The junior carpenter’s boots were leaving scuffs, which I honestly felt ok about since sooner or later shoes would be all over this surface. The sheen of the hand planed surfaces could still be seen, especially when reflecting the black paint of the building. If I could do it again, I would ask carpenters to not walk on the surface, and to use socks or slippers or covers on their boots expressly for walking on the boards. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_8451.jpeg)

At the start of the walkway, there is a rock that protrudes into the path—I gladly took on the scribe work. The board that needed to receive the scribe wouldn’t fit between the rock and the building, so I used a transfer board to draw scribes from the rock to the board and then to the final piece. Using a jigsaw to rough, and a 15mm timber chisel to chunk out the angled profile of the rock, I finished a few boards in a few minutes. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/7C7F7E25-11E8-4143-ADCA-94A258BF4999_1_201_a.jpeg)

Scribing is satisfying!

Fascia boards were cut from 4 foot lengths with a chamfered batten attached with finish nails to the framing. 

We were just about done. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/000790440025.jpeg)

That evening, I took a few photos of my daughter skipping across coral boulders that line the pond.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/L1005064.jpeg)

The next day, the guys were cleaning up, helping me sort off cuts to save for future projects, and vacuuming up debris in the pond. I went to lunch with my father who was in town.

When I came back, I was surprised to see the entire hand planed finish glad been cleaned with a random orbital sander. The reflective sheen was gone.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_8564.jpeg)

My friend told me he cleaned off the boot marks. But, he said, “I didn’t have any 320 or 480 grit so I used 240 grit.” I completely understand the context where that would make sense in western work, especially with a higher finishing grit. I said thanks as he drove away. And went back to the walkway to inspect it and decide what to do next. 

The walkway had lost all sense of sheen but more importantly, when I applied water, the surface was definitely more thirsty and was holding debris more steadily. When you sand, a protective oil finish afterwards is ideal but I wasn’t sure I was ready to commit to a maintenance cycle over a koi pond. I was exhausted and frustrated. I talked to Yann about it, and he gave his condolences. I slept on the idea of what to do next. 

[Subscribe](#/portal/signup)

As I fell asleep, I thought about the last few years of my life for some perspective. I had been looking forward to working on this project for 2 years. And, have been practicing using hand planes and sharpening for the last 5 years. I had spent over 6 years working on this home, restoring almost every aspect of it. The walkway is the only large scale opportunity to do hand plane work left in the house. I would see it every day for the next few decades. It would be the first thing I’d see when I walk out of my room in the morning. And the last thing I’d see when I go to bed at night, reflecting light from the granite lanterns across the pond. 

With all that in mind, I decided to try and enjoy planing the entire walk way a second time.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/L1005091.jpeg)

The next day I started removing the first few board to work them again. A friend, Spencer, came by to help with the removal of boards. This was extremely fortunate, as I’m nearing 50 years old, and being hunched over a muddy pond, removing about 600 3-inch deck screws above head was a little bit above my endurance capability after planing over half a linear mile of hand plane passes. Spencer had a great idea, and removed almost all the screws, so I could plane the next day without having to go under the deck. He would return in two days on Friday to help me reinstall the remaining boards.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_8610.jpeg)

Spencer, a craftsman in sensitivity, skill and spirit. As a trained dancer, he was also quite capable of working under the deck

After the first 15 or so boards were re planed and reinstalled, I set up a planing station on the walkway itself with a towel to protect the surface. 

The corner herringbone detail was not removable without considerable effort, because they were connected to each other with floating tenons and partially attached with screws from behind the fascia boards. Both Yann and Dale (Yann’s teacher) told me a usual option for the last board on the corner was to have one wider board milled so end grain showed on both sides of the corner. But I did not have access to such a board. The feeling of the design, as it is now, seems so tenuous, even if it is mechanically solid.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_8622.jpeg)

To plane the corner pieces without disassembly, I took a lesson from my time at Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society and in 5 minutes modified a small plane with excessive clearance on the sides and behind the blade to allow it to cut with minimal interference from adjacent boards that might be a little taller.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_8589.jpeg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_8590.jpeg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_8615.jpeg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_8665.jpeg)

From sanded to re planed finish.

The next 2 days, remnants of a near miss hurricane brought moderate rain. Fortunately, using the same knowledge of how boards move with shifts in moisture, I knew all the planes would arch to be more convex allowing planing to get easier in some regard. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/L1000504.jpeg)

Remnants of a storm. Planing in the weather is doable, but you lose the usual feedback gathered from the shaving itself

Blades were dying every 3-5 boards from the grit but with Spencer focusing on removal and installation, I could focus on sharpening often to continue planing. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_8686.jpeg)

I used the aggressive alloy blades to take medium passes, and clean the boards. This allowed my finer sharper but more fragile blades to do the final passes without threat of sandpaper or boot dirt chipping them.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/L1002012.jpeg)

I have to admit I was at my physical limits at this point. The last few boards seemed dirtier than all the rest and were killing my blades quickly. Rather than resharpen, I kept grabbing for spare planes I thought would be ready to work. I could barely stand by the time we were installing the last few boards. The rain intensified at points, turning the pile of shavings into a soggy pulp.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_8721.jpeg)

The final 5 boards—near the rock that was scribed—were installed in a complicated way, and so I left them as sanded, to see how they age. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/L1002018.jpeg)

My face after the final board was fastened 

We were done. (Again.) I cracked a beer.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/L1005112-1.jpeg)

Worth it.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/L1002032.jpeg)

Later that evening, boards came alive under sparse light.

The first planing round ended up nearly perfect, with barely any tear out or track marks across the nearly 100 boards. The frantic second attempt at planing, outdoors, in weather, with dirty boards and tired arms, was imperfect but I can say without a doubt that I gave it everything I had. Working under less than ideal conditions makes things much more interesting. 

*Thank you to my teachers, Spencer, and my carpenter friends. I couldn’t have finished this project without you.*

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_8699.jpeg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_8700.jpeg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/IMG_8701.jpeg)

The extra effort to re plane the boards changed my mind about how I want to use the walkway, though. My next project will be for two signs, one for each end of the path, that say “No Shoes Please.”

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/L1005136.jpeg)

From the bedroom to the walkway

Soon, we will repair the coating. I told the masons and painters that the deck needs to be treated like interior finish work, so they will wrap it before we grind off all that black epoxy. After we fill the pond and test the systems, we will get the fish back from a neighbor’s house where they have been hanging out for about 5 years. I look forward to seeing my daughter feed them from the walkway. I wonder if the koi will remember us.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/09/L1002036.jpeg)

\[1\]:It is not quite an engawa, not quite a deck, so I’ll call it a walkway.

\[2\]:Port Orford Cedar is known as one of the hardest cedars, because it isn’t actually a cedar—it’s a part of the cypress family. It’s identical or similar to the Japanese hinoki, and in fact the better grades of POC get sent to japan. There is some talk about hinoki being more yellow/pink than POC, but I can’t remember it right now. (I just asked some carpenters to clarify.) In Japan, Hinoki is used as a premium wood in temples and higher end contexts as well as baths where rot resistance is important. It smells fragrant and minty. 

\[3\]:The framing is from accoya, a fast growing European pine engineered with a vinegar like solution to push out hydrophilic elements and add intense water and pest resistance. Accoya isn’t cheap or pretty (it is typically paint grade) but it can be buried directly into the ground as a post and is rated 25 years in marine use. It’s a super material I also experienced as decking material at the [Liljestrand house](https://www.liljestrandhouse.org/?ref=paklan.org), where I volunteer as a board member and sometimes carpenter. 

\[4\]:Yann estimates a third of time planing is spent resharpening using traditional methods and steels. Yama-San, another teacher of mine, employs hollow grinds, and radically quick sharpening methods to get it down to 5 minutes a blade. I employ both types of methods, depending on the context.
### Togo and the Slab
URL: https://www.paklan.org/togo-and-the-slab/
Last updated: 2025-02-22T21:21:48.000Z
Tak-san's apprentices, new and old.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Landing at the Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society
URL: https://www.paklan.org/mount-fuji/
Last updated: 2024-11-22T00:14:26.000Z
To find the [Mt Fuji Wood Culture Society](https://www.mtfuji-wcs.org/?ref=paklan.org), I went around the north side of Lake Kawaguchiko, made a right past a rice fields, and headed up a short mountain road lined with pines and a moss covered wall.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/07/L1001205-Enhanced-NR.jpg)

There were four buildings off the main road: Tak and Junko’s house; the chair laboratory museum; the hand tool and machine shop. Past that, there is a warehouse to dry trees felled and milled from the rest of the 3-acre property. Even though built in a traditional timber framed style, these structures only sprung up in the last 2 years as Tak Yoshino’s 20-year old dreams of a place for a woodworking community came to life. 

After 5 years of preparation, I was finally able to study woodworking in Japan. I choose this school for a reason.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/07/L1003697.jpg)

Sleeping above the woodshop meant we could work from dawn to 11pm almost every night.

There are a few ways for foreigners to learn how to use Japanese woodworking tools, in a carpentry context. But there were no ways to learn from someone with Tak Yoshino’s specialties–furniture and chair making, and sashimono (intricately joined objects)—other than through professional schools and apprenticeships. That changed when Mt Fuji Wood Culture Society’s school opened last year. When he and his apprentices are not making chairs during the cooler months, the benches are occupied by international students.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/07/IMG_7057.jpg)

I slept on the second floor, above the work spaces. My room overlooked woods with pines and chestnut and cherry trees. It was rainy season, but the occasional heat wave would allow for a sliver of Mt Fuji. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/07/L1003323.jpg)

Lying down for the first time, I noticed an pegged mortise, in a beam, waiting for a tenon that it would never see. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/07/IMG_6872-2.jpg)

After settling in, we all met in the woodshop. Yoshino-san, asked to be called Tak. I asked if I could call him Yoshino-san. We settled on Tak-san. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/07/L1000617.jpg)

Tak-san was soft spoken. Over the weeks, we would gain a sense of his open-mindedness and through the stories he would tell about his life. He grew up studying jazz piano but switched focus to furniture at 21, after meeting another young pianist with supernatural skill. Still, all of his work and methodology seems to carry that sense of improvisation, harmony and creativity, often through a sense of flowing three dimensionality and curvature. 

Today, he sought to get a sense of who his new pupils were. The students were asked to give their backgrounds, goals and show Tak any tools they had brought. As is my usual for work study trips like this, I travel heavy with a pelican of tools I set up to account best I can for any need, which is always one of the things I am a little embarrassed about. Tak noted I had some experience sharpening and setting up tools. I told him my story of craft, how much I had studied and practiced, and my goals to learn more from people who were part of a tradition.

I did not really belong in this class. The school offers day and week long classes, but these month long classes were structured as an intensive for people who are beginners with no experience and few or no tools. There’s an artists in residence program, but that involves little instruction–just working space and time. Since there are no other options to train with Tak, once in a while, people with more experience try to jump into these beginner classes, and fit in their own agenda between the official class plan. There's always room to learn a new master's style, which I enjoy contrasting with other teacher's particular methods. And fundamentals are great to go over once in awhile, no matter the experience level. 

Our class had 2 beginners, one person who had taken a class before, a professional, and someone (me) who was neither a beginner nor a professional. I unpacked my giant pelican case of tools, which Tak inspected carefully. And then, were arranged by Tak on benches in order of seniority. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/07/IMG_6443.jpg)

Alfred from Brittany (the professional) took Tak’s bench. I was assigned the next bench over. The joke in class that day was that the person with the most tools got the smallest work space. I didn’t mind that, but everyone’s bench had a planing stop built in that I missed during the month’s studies. Togo, Tak’s current apprentice, took a spot furthest back, next to Takuya, Tak’s most recent senior apprentice, who graduated and was starting his own chair making company from the corner of the bench room.

After a tour of the land, we headed to the chair lab, built from the reused frame of an old minka (farm house.) Downstairs, there are a few hundred chairs collected by a mentor that donated them to be showcased in a museum. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/07/IMG_7377.jpg)

The chair lab

Upstairs exists as an event space and a showroom for Tak’s own work. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/07/L1000696.jpg)

The room is filled with his chairs. There is a chair featured in Hawaii’s wood craft show. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/07/IMG_6650.jpg)

Planed textures across the board matches the curls.

And his Zen chair, which is perhaps his most personal and well known project. The Zen chair is a custom fit chair that was created in line with the feeling one would feel sitting zazen. And shaped with specialized tools, including his collection of nearly 300 custom hand planes.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/07/L1001801.jpg)

A tatami room in the chair lab holds various cabinets, trays and a table meant for tea ceremony. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/07/L1000698.jpg)

Behind a piano was a case of ornate boxes in a sashimono style of his own. He showed us a curved handled tray, which he had entered in Tokyo’s craft exhibition when he was 28\. Every surface of this tray was planed, using tools with various radius.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/07/L1000742.jpg)

Next Tak-san showed us a cabinet with curved cross sections. Sashimono is generally straight or with some gentle angularity. Tak’s work is free flowing and unrestricted by rectilinear geometry, made capable with his custom planes, and his jazz mind.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/07/L1000730.jpg)

I mentioned this box reminded me of Suda Kenji’s work, but with curvature. 

Tak showed a look of amusement and then said, “oh really? Suda Kenji was my master.” 

Suda Kenji is a 5th generation Sashimono, national living treasure, perhaps the most famous sashimono known outside of Japan. My craft dream was always to study with Suda Kenji, but that would have been impossible. Traveling to Japan, and entering a beginner class, I had no idea what I would try to learn this month. But at that moment, I got a better idea of what was possible. 

Since Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society has been open less than 2 years, very few people have had the chance so far to learn from Tak-san. Even fewer the number of people who visited with some experience, and who would be able to ready to understand the opportunity to learn chair making, but also, sashimono from someone like Tak, a part of Suda Kenji's professional lineage. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/07/L1000702.jpg)

[Part 2](https://www.paklan.org/togo-and-the-slab/)

\-[Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society](https://www.mtfuji-wcs.org/?ref=paklan.org)   
\-[Tak Yoshino](https://www.tak-yoshino.jp/?ref=paklan.org)  
\-[Suda Kenji](https://www.mokkougei.com/?ref=paklan.org)
### My craft origins (part 2)
URL: https://www.paklan.org/my-craft-origins-part-2/
Last updated: 2025-02-22T21:22:29.000Z
Cutting a joint (five years ago — and now)

_This post is for subscribers only._
### My craft origins (Part 1)
URL: https://www.paklan.org/my-craft-origins-1/
Last updated: 2025-02-04T15:53:00.000Z
My introduction to craft was mostly accidental. You could blame Karl. 

With a team of builders and designers, I spent 5 years restoring a historic house in Honolulu. Early in the project, my architect introduced me to a carpenter. He was known around town for his knowledge of Japanese hand tools, having spent a lifetime practicing finish carpentry, doors and windows in old homes. In his spare time built koa (the coveted and increasingly rare local wood known for its luster) tea tansu with ornate metal hardware engraved with local oceanic wildlife. His name is Karl. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/06/IMG_5658.JPG)

Karl was working on repairing some kumiko that was damaged and replacing cheesy blueish white plexiglass and old, yellowing, cracking plastic paper with a thin flexible plastic backed washi in several screens for lights and doors. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/06/L1003266.jpg)

In the dining room ceiling. This used to be all broken plastic, kumiko lattice work, and fluorescent bulbs.

He also was working on this crazy room in the house that was built with windows that are the only double panel glass in the house. Those windows were built inoperable on purpose because the owner who commissioned the windows was supposedly concerned about two things—noise from the Waikiki Shell concerts and home invasions. This previous owner was an interesting one, an SF socialite and trust funder known for donating art to the Honolulu museum of art that turned out to be counterfeit. So I heard.

[Subscribe](#/portal/signup)

To back up a bit, classic Honolulu houses are based on the idea of sheltering a house from the intense sun and random bursts of rain with generous eaves, and open gables and windows that allow for the persistent trade breezes from the northeast to cool our interiors. 

Back to this room. This sealed off bedroom would only be cooled by AC, and by an HVAC system that produced only the mustiest air, as the insulated cardboard ducts were for sure getting wet and moldy somehow. Worse, closed windows cut off cross breeze to the windows in the adjacent bedroom. So new windows had to go in. 

One day someone from another part of the team thought to clean up the site and threw away the demo materials from the existing windows without telling Karl. Upset that someone touched his work zone, he quit. When I told Karl I understood and that I didn’t take offense, he offered me some chisels, a saw and a Japanese plane as a gift. I didn’t really appreciate it at the time. 

One day soon at his shop, he gave me a lesson in making a box. Gregarious and confident, Karl likes to talk. So, he kind of talked at me the entire time—I understand now why, as you can’t really set someone in front of a table saw and let them get to it. Too dangerous. I got bored and ran out of time, after literally 8 hours of listening to him talk at me. I left the tools at his place, which in hindsight was kind of rude but I just had to get out of there. 

A month later, the October before Covid, I had to go to New York to pick up a custom Tuxedo. (Designed with a friend who is a professional costume designer–a story for another day. ) While planning the trip, I thought I’d see if there was a class on how to sharpen and use these tools Karl had given me, since education like this is non existent in Hawaii. I asked around and my friend Joe Brown pointed me towards this Japanese carpentry school called [Mokuchi](https://www.mokuchiwoodworking.com/?ref=paklan.org), run by a classically trained tea house carpenter, Yann Giguere. I signed up for a few basic classes on tool set up and sharpening, and then some private lessons for plane set up and use, and then some advanced joinery and shoji making. I was set to be out there for 3 weeks total with private lessons taking place between weekend group classes. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/06/D9F1D10B-9169-4963-9DBB-51369AB6DA73_1_105_c.jpeg)

Yann.

I had not picked up so much as a hammer in a few decades, being solely the kind of person who works in front of a computer for a long time. But In a borrowed car, with a small cache of tools from Karl, I drove to a small town at the corner of an area in New York just across a bridge from Pennsylvania. Meals were mostly had at the local Chinese food hole in the wall almost every night. 

Everyone else in the introduction class had new beginner tools. But the tools Karl gave me were from flea markets in Hawaii. Many of the tools from the old immigrant Japanese carpenters had ended up sold like this, no longer needed by their owners or children who probably had gone on to other professions. That I had brought old rusty tools to class meant it was not that easy to get my edges sharp before the requisite restoration. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/06/A701AE9B-FA35-4E3D-A654-5DCB85EE8431_1_105_c.jpeg)

My first chisel. An ugly one that did its job just fine. After some work.

Even factoring that element out, I was so much worse than everyone else in the class at sharpening. And to Yann’s credit, he just let me try and try, for several extra hours a day. Because there is really no way to learn this beyond just doing it and adjusting as you go, and building up the strength and muscle memory to sharpen. I remember thinking at that time that my fingers really hurt and I should take a picture of how messed up my hands were from all that practice. Most days it was hard to hold my chopsticks eating dinner at the hole in the wall I had become a regular at.

(It would be a year or two later before I realized how good these ugly chisels were compared to most new beginner tools. Keen although pretty soft, but much less chewy than lower carbon modern tools. I learned this the hard way, being fooled into many new chisels I expected to be better. When I mentioned this to Karl, he said the man he bought them from told him he was able to support his family with those tools, and then paused, and with a raised voice, said, “dont you ever forget that!”) 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/06/131DAB2C-04D4-4769-B9AC-D0A59FC219B8_1_105_c.jpeg)

After a few days of trying to sharpen, finger tips were raw

Hand plane set up was next. Japanese planes are basically descended from Chinese push planes, and are essentially one (or two blades, later, historically, when chipbreakers would arrive from western cultures) embedded into a block of white Japanese oak. Japanese white oak is sort of a miracle, both tougher and more flexible than American varieties. Flattening the back of a blade, and sharpening its bevel, then fitting it inside the dai (the wooden block) took a few days at first try, even with a small plane. After scraping away certain sections of the wooden block’s sole, it was possible to pull a basic shaving. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/06/IMG_8508.jpeg)

First plane, first thick shavings

The shaving was thick, and uneven, and made a noisy, heavy sound as the blade moved through the grain. Compared to the see through ultra thin shavings of professionals or the people who compete in hand plane contests, a beginner’s first shaving is nothing to write home about. But it was a working plane. 

With plane and chisels set up, it was time to move on. The next few classes, I would use these tools to make my first joints.

*Continued in* [*part 2* ](https://www.paklan.org/my-craft-origins-part-2/)
### Hello
URL: https://www.paklan.org/hello/
Last updated: 2024-11-22T00:13:24.000Z
It’s been almost 8 years since the Wirecutter was sold to the NYTimes. Since then, I’ve been keeping quiet. I had a kid. But I also went nuts. I spent 5 years restoring a historic house in Honolulu with modernist and Japanese influence.

[Subscribe](#/portal/signup/free)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/06/IMG_0997.jpg)

The day we moved in, March 2023

Through that very hands-on project, I became [obsessed](https://www.neverstopbuilding.com/?ref=paklan.org) with [Japanese](https://www.mokuchiwoodworking.com/?ref=paklan.org) [carpentry ](http://somakosha.com/blog?ref=paklan.org)and [wood](https://www.bigsandwoodworking.com/?ref=paklan.org) [craft](https://www.bigsandwoodworking.com/?ref=paklan.org), built out a professional-level woodshop, and received [instruction](https://www.instagram.com/bp.holcombe/?hl=en&ref=paklan.org) on [machine](https://alpineworkshops.com/alpine/where-is.html?ref=paklan.org) and hand tool setup from teachers and professionals I have the utmost respect for.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/06/DSC_3347.jpg)

**A bell tower I helped build last summer in Idaho with my* [**Sukiya*](https://www.mokuchiwoodworking.com/?ref=paklan.org) *and* [Shoin](http://somakosha.com/?ref=paklan.org) *style teachers, a dozen* [**pro timber framers*](https://www.collinbeggs.com/?ref=paklan.org)**, and* [**friends*](https://ashngu.com/?ref=paklan.org) *\--Photo Credit:* [**Ash Ngu*](https://ashngu.com/?ref=paklan.org)**.*

I also kept testing [Nice Things](https://leica-camera.com/en-US?ref=paklan.org) in private and figured out that wiring in my brain is really interesting. (I've learned through a professional assessment there's a good chance I have some form of autism. So when the obsession sets in, it can get pretty wild.) 

When I started to test nice things again, earlier this year, I discovered something about myself. On some level, I care both more and less about choosing the right thing. Being less focused on outright performance and value, I sometimes buy really expensive things just because I like the design or manufacturing philosophy behind the object (hand or factory made). Or sometimes I just buy something super junky because I don’t want to fuss over the decision. I find it doesn't matter that often because the consequences are a lot different than say, putting on the wrong type of roof or screwing up a concrete pour.

Personally, when I get into a track researching stuff--like testing a handful of Leica camera and studying all historical variations of the Summilux and Summicron 50mm and 35mm lenses --and spin a little out of control for a little while. It's exhilarating like driving fast, but also feels not all that sane.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/06/IMG_5333-2.jpg)

However, when I’m fixing and making things--and using tools rather than examining them--I notice I feel a lot calmer. I even feel like my parenting is better during these periods of time. So I think it might be a good idea to space out this interest in tools with time using them for craft and restoration projects. That also keeps me from writing about things I don't genuinely have an interest in. Or building things that I don't have a genuine interest in building.

After a few years of practice and training, I’ve started to use what I’ve learned in wood craft and restoration to work on old houses around town. And build things for my friends. 

[![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/06/L1001910.jpg)](https://www.liljestrandhouse.org/?ref=paklan.org)

Last month's project was a new grid for a screen at [Lijestrand House](https://www.liljestrandhouse.org/?ref=paklan.org)

And now that I’ve finished 5 years of full time work on this house I’d like to share that story. Maybe this newsletter can be a tool that helps me bridge all these worlds.

Brian

P.S. Paklan is the name of my favorite tree. It has no utility to me as a woodworker. But I like the way it looks, and the scent of its flowers. We planted seven here and they are growing well. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/f3/a7f357d1-dadc-4ff4-acdc-bd2e9191209a/content/images/2024/06/L1002378.jpg)