# 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. Use `/llms-full.txt` for consolidated page and post context.
Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`).

## Pages
- [About](https://www.paklan.org/about.md) - 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 t…
- [Hello](https://www.paklan.org/hello-links.md) - What is Paklan? 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.
- [Resources](https://www.paklan.org/resources.md)
- [Secret shop](https://www.paklan.org/secret-shop.md)
- [Services](https://www.paklan.org/services.md) - 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: Op…
- [Thank you](https://www.paklan.org/sub-welcome.md)

## Posts
- [The Groover: An Introduction to the Mizokiri](https://www.paklan.org/the-groover-an-introduction-to-the-mizokiri.md) - In 1958, carpenters reportedly would "weep with joy" when they got to use one for the first time.
- [Dale Brotherton of the Takumi Company](https://www.paklan.org/dale-brotherton-of-the-takumi-company.md) - I made my way to Seattle to visit Dale Brotherton, to say hello, and study his working style.
- [Tools: Kiyohisa Kamon Shinogi Usunomi Paring Chisel Set](https://www.paklan.org/tools-kiyohisa-kamon-shinogi-usunomi-paring-chisel-set.md) - I have to be honest, I'm not sure I can stomach selling this set.
- [A Ming Furniture Maker (By Accident)](https://www.paklan.org/a-ming-furniture-maker-by-accident.md) - I got into woodworking almost by accident. From day one, I loved designing around wood.
- [A Talk at the Port Townsend Japanese Woodworking Festival](https://www.paklan.org/a-talk-at-the-port-townsend-japanese-woodworking-festival.md) - An abridged version of my talk at the Port Townsend Japanese Woodworking Festival.
- [The Sukiya Fence Project, Finished](https://www.paklan.org/the-sukiya-fence-project-finished.md) - Mud dried, garden in and roof on. The sukiya garden fence is finally finished.
- [How I Travel With Tools and Stones](https://www.paklan.org/how-i-travel-with-tools-and-stones.md) - I’m flying to Japan for class next year. How should I transport my tools?—Shakti
- [Tools: A Mystery-Steel Kanna by Keizaburo (for $100)](https://www.paklan.org/tools-a-mystery-steel-kanna-by-keizaburo-for-100.md) - 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
- [Tools: 54mm Kiyohisa Chisel](https://www.paklan.org/tools.md) - Entry #2 — Kiyohisa 54mm oire nomi bench chisel, slightly used
- [Sukiya Fence In the Ground](https://www.paklan.org/sukiya-fence-in-the-ground.md) - Raising a sukiya fence
- [Looking for Contributors](https://www.paklan.org/looking-for.md) - We are hiring contributors
- [Tools: My Own Kiyotada Bench Chisels](https://www.paklan.org/tools-my-own-kiyotada-bench-chisels.md) - Entry #1 — Kiyotada Bench Chisels / Suiheiya / My personal chisels in Japan this year
- [A Prize Kanna for the 2026 Maine Japanese Woodworking Festival](https://www.paklan.org/a-prize-kanna-for-the-2026-maine-japanese-woodworking-festival.md) - A prize plane by Funahiro, for the Maine Japanese Woodworking Festival
- [This Is Not Really a Tool Store](https://www.paklan.org/this-is-not-really-a-tool-store.md) - Paklan will be selling great tools in something like a tool store, at a great prices, to supporters. Visiting Tsuchida Noboru's legendary shop.
- [Four seasons to make a Japanese carpentry school](https://www.paklan.org/four-seasons-to-make-a-japanese-carpentry-school.md) - Building a carpentry school, over 4 seasons
- [The Somakosha x Chozen Ji Temple Timber Frame](https://www.paklan.org/somakosha-x-chozen-ji-temple-project.md) - In some areas, Chozen-ji needs to be burnt down.
- [Kezuroukai 2026](https://www.paklan.org/kezuroukai-2026.md) - 3 microns
- [A small update](https://www.paklan.org/a-small-update.md) - Updates!
- [The Reality of Japanese Carpentry Apprenticeships](https://www.paklan.org/the-reality-of-japanese-carpentry-apprenticeships.md) - Cutting wood in apprenticeships versus classes
- [Bosses cutting](https://www.paklan.org/bosses-cutting.md) - Watching Jon and Yama cut
- [On hiring Japanese carpenters (anywhere in the world)](https://www.paklan.org/on-hiring-japanese-carpenters-anywhere-in-the-world.md) - How to hire and work with Japanese Carpenters, anywhere.
- [Breaking down the cost of Paklan](https://www.paklan.org/breaking-down-the-cost-of-paklan.md) - Breaking it down
- [Joining Bamboo to Wood](https://www.paklan.org/how-to-join-bamboo-to-wood.md) - Secrets of bamboo joinery
- [Cutting natural round hinoki posts](https://www.paklan.org/cutting-mortises-in-natural-round-hinoki-posts.md) - Errant thoughts were put out of mind, and I cut.
- [Apprentices scribing nuki for the sukiya fence project (late Winter)](https://www.paklan.org/a-sukiya-fence-project-late-winter.md) - Scribing for a sukiya style fence
- [Somakosha school and dorms (Late Winter)](https://www.paklan.org/somakosha-school-and-dorms-late-winter.md) - Work continues
- [Origin and philosophy of Somakosha (in 住宅建築 magazine)](https://www.paklan.org/origin-and-philosophy-of-somakosha-in-zhu-zhai-jian-zhu-magazine.md) - Somakosha wrote a piece in 住宅建築 magazine, about the origins and philosophy of the company.
- [Q: What are the first five sharpening stones I should get?](https://www.paklan.org/q-what-are-the-first-five-sharpening-stones-i-should-get.md) - If you lost all the stones that you have today and had to start from scratch, what synthetic stone line-up would you choose?
- [On apprentices and apprenticeships](https://www.paklan.org/on-apprentices-and-apprenticeships.md) - A conversation with Jon Stollenmeyer about apprenticeships
- [Milling chestnut and sugi for a sukiya fence](https://www.paklan.org/milling-chestnut-and-sugi-for-a-sukiya-fence.md) - The joy of milling and cleaning
- [How to make a diamond lapping plate really flat](https://www.paklan.org/how-to-make-a-diamond-lapping-plate-really-flat.md) - On flattening flattening plates
- [Roofing the Somakosha School dorms](https://www.paklan.org/okura-roofing-tsomakosha-school-orms.md) - In Okayama, the student dormitories were planed and raised by the time I arrived. They needed to be roofed.
- [Cutting begins; the year ends](https://www.paklan.org/cutting-begins-the-year-ends.md) - Happy new year!
- [On Japanese Circular Saws](https://www.paklan.org/on-japanese-circular-saws-part-one.md) - On using Japanese circular saws for basic joinery
- [Kōyō and Kakunomi](https://www.paklan.org/koyo-and-kakunomi.md) - On fall leaf changes and mortisers
- [On tuning, using and sharpening mortising machines](https://www.paklan.org/on-tuning-using-and-sharpening-mortising-machines.md) - A quick and dirty guide to getting a hollow chisel mortiser working well.
- ["Traditional Tools of Japan": Chouna](https://www.paklan.org/traditional-tools-of-japan-chouna.md) - Translating the chapter on chouna (adze) from Tsuchida's book on Japanese carpentry tools
- [The story of the fired apprentice](https://www.paklan.org/the-story-of-the-fired-apprentice.md) - Too much of a good thing
- [Tak's Zen Chair in Hawaii](https://www.paklan.org/taks-zen-chair-in-hawaii.md) - Tak's Zen chair lands in Honolulu
- ["Traditional Carpentry Tools of Japan" (Translated)](https://www.paklan.org/traditional-carpentry-tools-of-japan-translated.md) - Translating Yama-san's favorite book on carpentry tools
- [How to flatten sharpening stones using the three-plate method](https://www.paklan.org/how-to-flatten-sharpening-stones-uysi-the-three-plate-method.md) - My favorite way to get flat
- [Kurashiki Koushi and Shoji](https://www.paklan.org/kurashiki-koushi-and-shoji.md) - Doors and windows for a tea shop
- [How do I start using natural stones with Japanese woodworking tools?](https://www.paklan.org/how-do-i-begin-using-natural-stones-with-japanese-woodworking-tools.md) - A dangerous pursuit for the uninitiated
- [Resting Dragon / Dogo Onsen / Ozu Castle Town](https://www.paklan.org/resting-dragon-dogo-onsen-ozu-castle-town.md) - Fall descends
- [What makes a more expensive kanna worth it?](https://www.paklan.org/what-makes-a-more-expensive-kanna-worth-it-2.md) - How do more expensive planes compare?
- [Paperwork and Curved Octagon Posts](https://www.paklan.org/paperwork-and-curved-octagon-posts.md) - What can I say except I gave 100% of my effort this week, and yet, it wasn’t quite enough.
- [Ofuro!](https://www.paklan.org/ofuro.md) - Yama san spent last week finishing an extremely large furo destined for a Vermont ryokan project.
- [First Week](https://www.paklan.org/first-week.md) - We continued to work on the gate
- [First day](https://www.paklan.org/first-day.md) - Today was my first day at Somakosha.
- [An Apprenticeship at Somakosha](https://www.paklan.org/an-apprenticeship-at-somakosha.md) - For reasons I cannot fully understand, I was invited to work at Somakosha as a carpentry apprentice earlier this year. Accepting the job wasn't straightforward.
- [Maine Japanese Woodworking Festival 2025](https://www.paklan.org/maine-japanese-woodworking-festival-2025.md) - I made my way to Maine from Hawaii, only two days after I left Japan.
- [Somakosha in July](https://www.paklan.org/somakosha-in-july.md) - 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.
- [Miscellaneous Thoughts On Planes (By Suda Kenji)](https://www.paklan.org/miscellaneous-thoughts-on-planes-by-suda-kenji.md) - This essay is by Suda Kenji, national living treasure sashimono.
- [Exploring angles at Somakosha](https://www.paklan.org/exploring-angles-at-somakosha.md) - Most people do not need know how to build a roof hip. But the ability to design and layout joinery with complex angularity—in anything—is what we walked away with.
- [The Kanna Dai (by Noboru Tsuchida)](https://www.paklan.org/the-kanna-dai-by-nobori-tsuchida.md) - This essay is by Noboru Tsuchida, a legendary tool dealer in Tokyo who works only with Japanese professionals.
- [Japanese Woodworking and Carpentry Classes (2026-2027)](https://www.paklan.org/japanese-woodworking-and-carpentry-classes-this-year.md) - Most 2026-2027 class schedules for my favorite woodworking teachers are online.
- [Ton Ton with Somakosha](https://www.paklan.org/ton-ton-with-somakosha.md) - Studying Japanese Carpentry with Somakosha in Japan
- [Interviewing Tak Yoshino about Wood Culture](https://www.paklan.org/interviewing-tak-yoshino-about-wood-culture.md) - An interview with Tak Yoshino of the Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society
- [A longer bloom](https://www.paklan.org/a-longer-bloom.md) - Building a miniature low table with three-way mitered corners at Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society
- [A long bloom](https://www.paklan.org/a-long-bloom.md) - 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.
- [Odds and Ends (and a 2-Micron Shaving)](https://www.paklan.org/odds-and-ends-and-a-2-micron-shaving.md) - Just a few small projects. And a 2-micron shaving at the Kezurokai planing contest by Andrew Ren.
- [Zen and Carpentry -- Finish](https://www.paklan.org/zen-and-carpentry-finish.md) - Finishing the frame.
- [Zen and Japanese Carpentry - Begins](https://www.paklan.org/zen-and-japanese-carpentry-begins.md) - Teachers, priests, monks, and students gathered at the temple on a Sunday afternoon, in the back of a valley.
- [Zen and Woodworking: Final Preparations](https://www.paklan.org/zen-and-woodworking-final-preparations.md) - A flurry of milling, layout, and tool preparation before the class
- [Somakosha in the New York Times](https://www.paklan.org/somakosha-in-the-new-york-times.md)
- [A Dozen Sawhorses](https://www.paklan.org/a-dozen-sawhorses.md) - The wood for the frame had showed up. But before I could get to milling it up, I needed to build some sawhorses.
- [Quarter-Ton Dog Step](https://www.paklan.org/quarter-ton-dog-step.md) - Gathering materials, off island and on; A dog step bench meant to support a quarter ton.
- [A Table for Liljestrand House](https://www.paklan.org/a-table-for-liljestrand-house.md) - Replicating a historic table made from framing lumber and nails (but with joinery)
- [Visiting Nakashima Woodworkers](https://www.paklan.org/visiting-nakashima-woodworkers.md) - Experiencing a design process with Nakashima Woodworkers
- [A few frames from Kezuroukai Japan 2024](https://www.paklan.org/a-few-frames-from-kezuroukai-japan-2024.md) - Some images and habits of Kezuroukai Japan 2024 competitors
- [Studying at Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society](https://www.paklan.org/studying-at-mount-fuji-wood-culture-society.md) - Studying japanese hand tools through the lens of furniture and sashimono, with Tak Yoshino
- [Zen and Japanese Carpentry Workshop in Honolulu](https://www.paklan.org/zen-and-japanese-carpentry-workshop-in-honolulu.md) - February 16th - March 1st, 2025
- [On slightly larger kanna](https://www.paklan.org/on-slightly-larger-kanna.md) - On setting up a slightly larger than average kanna. And the challenges and advantages of using one.
- [The House (Addendum)](https://www.paklan.org/the-house-addendum.md) - An extra post with photos of the house in various states of repair, through time, for paid subscribers.
- [The House](https://www.paklan.org/the-house.md) - I thought it would take six months to replace the roof and fix a few things. Somehow, work took 5 years.
- [Hand planing a walkway (over a koi pond)](https://www.paklan.org/hand-planing-a-walkway-over-a-koi-pond.md) - The only thing better than getting to hand plane an entire walkway is to do it twice.
- [Togo and the Slab](https://www.paklan.org/togo-and-the-slab.md) - Tak-san's apprentices, new and old.
- [Landing at the Mount Fuji Wood Culture Society](https://www.paklan.org/mount-fuji.md) - Beginning a month long study of wood craft in Japan
- [My craft origins (part 2)](https://www.paklan.org/my-craft-origins-part-2.md) - Cutting a joint (five years ago — and now)
- [My craft origins (Part 1)](https://www.paklan.org/my-craft-origins-1.md) - How 20 dollars in flea market tools lead to half a decade of obsession; my first teachers, tools and joints
- [Hello](https://www.paklan.org/hello.md) - This is an experimental newsletter about the feeling of craft, nice things, and fixing old homes.

## Optional
- [RSS Feed](https://www.paklan.org/rss/)
- [Sitemap](https://www.paklan.org/sitemap.xml)
- [Full content of pages and posts](https://www.paklan.org/llms-full.txt)