In the new year, we returned to Tokyo, on the way back to Okayama. For a weekend, we stayed in the new Okura Hotel.
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.
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.
In Okayama, the student dormitories were planed and raised by the time I arrived. They needed to be roofed.
The mornings are just about below freezing; the air is sweet with smoke, and the sunlight blue until our fingers feel warm from work.
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.
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.
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.
And the apprentices are lucky enough to be working on them.
This week, we installed framing for insulation, ventilation screens, and screwed in spacers running across the insulation for support and air flow.
During lunch, we would walk over Jon's son's toys (construction trucks, naturally) and play house.
Our hearty meals prepared by Yama-san's mother.
When not preparing a meal for us, she would garden and clean with the continuous flow and constant spirit of a craftsperson.
It was my first day working on a roof.
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.
But nobody fell off the roof, so I call it a good day.
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