Foundation Assembly - Japanese Joinery Timber Frame Construction - House No. 1 - Part 1 in Hayama

Japanese House No. 1 - Timber Frame Construction Series - "Tatemae" - January 2021
In this series, we are in Hayama, Japan where we are participating in a new Japanese house build. The house design is a mix of traditional Japanese carpentry set on top of a modern concrete slab. This was done as per the request of the client and architect who decided on this style. The house is situated on a hillside overlooking picturesque Hayama.
House Information:
Land Area: ~310 sq. meters (~94 tsubo) (~3337 sq. feet)
Building Area: ~120 sq. meters (~36 tsubo) (~1292 sq. feet)
Total Living Area: ~102 sq. meters (~31 tsubo) (~1098 sq. feet)
The house has a living room/dining/kitchen open plan, 2 bedrooms with additional guest room, toilet room with vanity, washer/dressing room, Japanese split shower with bathtub, and an attached wooden deck.
In Part 1 of the House No. 1 build, we introduce some of the common and most critical tools needed for building a traditional Japanese house. We use both a Komisen Kakunomi (コミ栓角のみ) and Normal Kakunomi (角のみ) to drill square holes that are both 15mm and 30mm, respectively. Later in the video you can see how other carpenters know where and how to cut the different joints. Often times the carpenter that does the markings or Sumitsuke (墨付け) is not the same carpenter who will do the joint cutting or Kizami (刻み). In order to communicate where and how to cut, the lead carpenter will write numbers and draw boundary lines for other carpenters to follow. My job was to cut square holes in some of the wood beams for this house.
Also, in this video we learn a few Japanese terms that are often spoken at the workshop and construction site that are important for me to know. We finish day one at the construction site where we did some survey work where we marked out where the base or foundation beams are going to go. These base beams or Ashigatame (足固め) are laid out and eventually anchored to the concrete foundation using thread rods and an anchor nut/washer called Zagane (座金). It is important that this foundation is squared, leveled, and accurate anchored to the millimeter to prevented a compounding problem during the assembly of the pillars, beams, and roof for the rest of the house.
We hope you enjoy this video. Please check out Part 2 of this House No. 1 Series.
Special Thanks to:
Fujimoto Traditional Carpentry Company (ryofujimoto.com/)
Instagram: @ftc5610 @ryo5610
#woodworking #japanesewoodworking #carpentrylife
Videographers and Editing:
K. Yamashita / G. Leopardi / F. Ogasawara
Equipment Used:
Olympus OMD EM-1 Mark iii (4k)
Sony ZV Log Camera (4k)
Apple iPhone 10 (4k)
Rode VideoMic NTG (Audio)
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[@kermitefrog64]

Very impressive. The skills on this job will provide a home that could last for centuries of time.

[@denisblack5689]

wow! thank you so much for such a detailed video with comments! it's practically impossible to find this kind of video here. it was very interesting for me and i'm waiting for the next parts.

[@thecarpentrylife]

Glad it was helpful! I am hoping to study more and be more detail oriented in these videos. I am not formally trained in construction work, please forgive me if my selection of words to explain certain parts of a house are inaccurate in English and Japanese. My journey through Japanese carpentry is constantly being refined and I learn something new upon each subsequent house build. Thank you for your kind comment!

[@denisblack5689]

@@thecarpentrylife this is something i'd also like to do, since i make furniture and japanese carpentry has a huge influence on my works. so really: i'm eager to watch your next videos on this subject! keep going!

[@sirmixalot3332]

"1mm off? I think in the Japanese mind this causes lots of trouble…but in my mind? Good to go”. Lmao. So funny bro but I understand how true that rings. Appreciate all the content. I’m fascinated by Japanese Joinery and precision. Putting most American carpenters, myself included, to shame.

[@titoubrouwers2017]

So cool that you found a place to learn!

[@jadegalura9460]

Just found your channel. Great info and inspiring. Thanks for taking the time to share.

[@planbuilduse5994]

Fascinating. Thanks for the info.

[@idamelin]

Thank you so much

[@anthonywall5227]

Thank you

[@TehZeppelin]

Top tier content.

[@thecarpentrylife]

Thank you. Glad you liked it.

[@miguelbalaguer7920]

Congratulations Bud, I just discovered this channel, before I start it to enjoy each of yours videos you have the 👍👏👏👏 for sure because I know your Job is Awesome 🙏🏻

[@thecarpentrylife]

Thank you, Miguel.

[@W4iteFlame]

Cool. I've seen these marks in other videos and never knew whatthey mean. Good to know, thanks

[@billybulmer7386]

Cool video by a cool guy.

[@brentjenkinsdesigns]

Oh cool. Just another version of a hollow chisel mortiser

[@dekonfrost7]

Im your biggest fan brother

[@thecarpentrylife]

Thank you!

[@koenraadprincen7212]

Nice video :) Are those "Zagane" nuts & washers available outside Japan? Has anybody a source?

[@W4iteFlame]

That's a lot of water...

[@zhugeliang777]

I've seen another video where the so called weep-holes are like 1.5" wide with pvc pipes suck in them; do they get filled back with concrete to prevent rodent infiltration after the house is done? Also, how tall is the foundation wall and sill?

[@commentsboardreferee7434]

Where is Shoyan?!

[@Riessu]

Hello again ! ^^ One question : Between the video from Machida and this one, there is no Nut or Zagane ... Is it a problem ? If i understand well, this Nut prevent from earthquake, the second from Machida is less secure ? Or the construction and foundation techniques are different ?

[@thecarpentrylife]

Typically traditional Japanese houses are only set on top of stones. You would have to research the benefits of this, but I believe most older structures in Japan are free to move in the event of an earthquake which prevents unnecessary amount of stress on the numerous joints.

[@michaeledwards1432]

What is the thinking behind having the joists raised 1/2 a meter or so above the concrete slab?

[@thecarpentrylife]

This is a crawl space to access utilities. You will find most Japanese houses have a floor hatch or access to get into this crawl space. Thank you for watching.

[@michael.h.bradley1865]

would you be kind enough to point out the difference between Chu Oso Nome and Oire Nome , please? Arigato and regards, Michael

[@gary24752]

Curious as to why they use wood spaces rather than an isolation membrane like a sill sealer?

[@thecarpentrylife]

Hi @gary24752, I do not know much about sill sealers or an isolation membrane, but the high humidity of Japan might be a reason for leaving as much air space as possible. There will be a screen or mesh placed around the perimeter to keep rodents out, but I think the key with the spacers is to enable adequate air circulation and flow through the underside of the house. I hope that answers your question.

[@niklaswei4351]

Hey, thanks for sharing your experiences in Japan. Do you speak Japanese? How did you get the job? Do you work for them and gets in exchange a bed and food?

[@thecarpentrylife]

Thank you for watching. I do not speak Japanese well, but I have help. I do not work for exchange for living expenses either. I can't explain how I got this job as it would be difficult to do so. Sorry if this is not a great answer.

[@LukePighetti]

Where can I find one of those framing squares? 2:31

[@LukePighetti]

@@david-ow3nv ended up finding one on eBay. It's awesome, way better than any framing square I've used yet when it comes to cutting lumber quickly and with precision. Can't use it for layout like a framing square though. Two different tools.

[@erichermann7553]

Where can I buy this Japanese Mobil mortiser that cute little square

[@thecarpentrylife]

Thank you for watching. If you are in Japan they are easy to find at discount shops or online auctions, however, there are things that you would need to look out for. 1. Voltage is 100V in Japan. 2. The depth of cut you would want to make your holes, some cut 5 sun (150mm) and others cut only 4 sun (120mm). 3. You would need to use them for a while to see which ones you like best, i.e., Hitachi vs. Makita vs. Ryobi. I prefer the Hitachi Kakunomi (30mm or 15mm square) and the Shinsera Komisen Kakunomi (15mm square). The Shinsera Komisen Kakunomi is not made anymore and I have never found one online or in stores. What is nice about this one is the trigger for up and down is simplified to one trigger which makes it easier to use and also prevents unwanted mistakes of pulling the trigger and cutting the hole to deep on accident. Ryobi makes a switch with trigger, meaning you have to set the direction with the switch (up or down) and then pull the trigger to move it in the direction you selected. This makes this a two step process which slows things down and can cause unwanted mistakes. Hope this helps. I will try to do a video on some of the common tools used in Japanese Carpentry to help clarify things. Take care.

[@mariofeathers4194]

Namaste

[@rajapuragevinson1083]

Hello Im from Sri lanka Im a carpenter

[@derptothemaxclearly]

It almost looks like a pool. Doesn't it need to be drained?

[@thecarpentrylife]

There are weep holes, but earlier that week we had installed the foundation structure and the sawdust, etc. clogged the weep holes. But, yes the water shouldn't be there. It forms the crawl space for accessing the utilities throughout the house.

[@zhugeliang777]

@@thecarpentrylife Please show them so I can pour myself a slab like that, assuming it is a slab with curb walls. Maybe the Japanese slab foundation could be a real timesaver for diyers.

[@timclemons8719]

Or its a mortise machine…..,

[@jimbeam-ru1my]

it's too bad that japanese homes are only built to last 25 years. the japanese have the carpentry and building expertise to make homes that last forever.