Top 5 Books on Japanese Woodworking: A Must-Read for Woodworking Enthusiasts
My all-time favourite books on Japanese tools and woodworking
Japanese Woodworking Tools, their Tradition, Spirit and Use by Toshio Odate
A fantastic book going into great detail of every single Japanese Woodworking tool, some of which aren’t being used anymore. The book is divided into Tool Categories, each chapter listing the use, history and construction of chisels/handplanes/saws etc. Every type of tool is shown with an illustration, the Japanese name written in Latin letters and a short description. I have not only learned a lot about the Japanese tools I use from this book but also found out about things I wouldn’t have imagined existing. If you are into Japanese tools at all I highly recommend this.
Available on Amazon here: Japanese Woodworking Tools / Toshio Odate
Discovering Japanese Handplanes - Scott Wynn
For me, this is a must-read for anyone starting to work with Japanese handplanes. Scott Wynn, an American woodworker coming from a family of craftspeople, discovered Japanese planes for him in the 1970s. He since studied every detail of them and has gained great knowledge about every aspect of using, building and maintaining Japanese planes. In this book, he explains why and how a Japanese plane works, which types of planes there are, how to set up a plane (this might be the most complex and important part to using a Japanese plane), how to sharpen (I would say the second most important part) and even how to adjust or build your own dai (plane body). The whole book is filled with great and easy to understand illustrations made by Wynn himself and perfect step-by-step introductions.
Available on Amazon here: Discovering Japanese Handplanes / Scott Wynn
Measure and Construction of the Japanese House - Heino Engel
Having finished his Architecture studies, Heino Engel left Germany in 1952, aged 27, and travelled in the Middle East and Asia. He eventually ended up in Japan, where he fell in love with the Japanese traditional house and stayed for 3 years, studying Japanese architecture, life and culture. This book is only one chapter of a much larger book called The Japanese House: A Tradition for Contemporary Architecture, published in 1964 by Heino Engel after his return to Germany and the publication of his PhD dissertation about the Japanese Home. Although only one part of a more extensive work, this book is still very comprehensive and goes into incredible detail about the way Japanese houses were traditionally planned, measured and constructed. Engel starts by describing the Japanese measuring systems (some still being used in architecture today), the layout of a house often based on tatami size. He then explains the methods being used to plan a house, the physique of the tearoom, examples of floorplans, the structure of the timer framework, joints being used, examples of house foundations, the roof construction, plans for sliding paper doors, and so much more. All in all, this is a very specific book with heaps of information, but I would still recommend it for anyone trying to get a general idea about Japanese house construction.
Available on Amazon here: Measure and Construction of the Japanese House - Heino Engel
Building of Horyu-ji: The Technique and Wood that Made it possible - Tsunekazu Nishioka
A rare view into the Japanese Carpentry Tradition. Horyu-ji is a Buddhist temple in the city of Ikaruga in Nara, Japan. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and contains the oldest wooden buildings in the world, with it’s erection dating back to over 1300 years ago. Not many carpenters were given the honour to work on it. This book is a translation, and commentary of Tsunekazu Nishioka’s insights into restoring the temple. Nishioka is a name every carpenter knows in Japan; hearing his life story and discoveries firsthand is very valuable.
Available on Amazon here: the building of Horyu-ji / Tsunekazu Nishioka
The Soul of a Tree: a Masterwoodworker’s Reflections - George Nakashima
Although Nakashima doesn’t live and work in Japan his work still conveys a strong sense of the Japanese way of craft. Telling the story behind master woodworker George Nakashima in great detail, this book shows his sketches, his design process and philosophy. An inspiring read if you are searching for the connection to your material.
Available on Amazon here: the soul of a tree / George Nakashima
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