Stepping Back in Time: Hewing Japanese Cedar (Sugi) the Traditional Japanese Carpentry Way

Traditional Japanese Carpentry - Chouna (Adze) and Ono (Axe) Lesson
In this video, we go to Gifu, Japan where we visit Mr. Araki who offered to teach young carpenters a traditional Japanese woodworking technique using two useful tools. We used the Chouna (or Adze) which is a very sharp cupped bladed tool that takes divets of wood from the surface. This tool comes in a variety of types, we used several different types of Chouna while we were there. Some are used for finishing surfaces of wood for decorative purposes and some are for flattening boards to make them useful for carpentry work. The second tool we used was the Ono which is a Japanese axe that was used long ago by carpenters who had to remove the bark from trees to prevent the timber from rotting and help them dry easier. In this part of Japan, the Ono is called a Yoki and it is used to remove the bark from timber and also make straight cuts. Long ago, trees were felled in the forest and then a Yoki was used to remove the bark so that they can be transported back to the carpenter's shop. This was a lot of heavy work.
For 3 days the carpenters from the Fujimoto Traditional Carpentry Company labored away at the freshly felled trees in preparation for naturally drying them for a year. The work was very rewarding in the end. It was nice to see the finished products of this difficult work. It brought a perspective of what life was like back then. Also, in this video, you will see some of my coworkers that I have been working with for the past year. These young carpenters have given me an opportunity to work side by side with them to learn as much as I can about Japanese traditional carpentry.
Special Thanks to:
Mr. Araki
Fujimoto Traditional Carpentry Company
#woodworking #japanesewoodworking #carpentrylife
Videographers:
K. Yamashita / G. Leopardi
Video Editing:
K. Yamashita
Equipment Used:
Olympus OMD EM-1 Mark iii (4k)
Sony ZV Log Camera (4k)

[@paulstanding7267]

It is nice to see the younger generations doing something there ancestors did and keeping the tradition going 😀😀😀👍

[@thecarpentrylife]

True

[@Traderjoe]

How cool is it that that one guy saw them on Instagram and liked how friendly they seemed and wanted to get a job with them. Having a workplace with a good attitude of camaraderie is very attractive now a days. I can’t imagine a work environment here in New York on Long Island where a workplace like that could exist. Everything is pure animosity here.

[@musamor75]

Too much greed and power involved. However I, strangely, have a different experience to yours on Long Island. I was sent from France as part of a team of three highly specialised joiners (except I'm not a joiner nor carpenter, but a cabinet maker specialised in high end finishes). We worked for a stinking rich bastard obviously, but the atmosphere on the site was really friendly. I was even invited to a carpenter's home where I had a lovely meal. However I DO know what you're talking about, because I lived in Paris France for thirty years. A hell hole, just like the Big Apple. Japan is another story, and another world. A very complex nation, full of opposites, but always in quest of excellence.

[@rolandgdean]

I ordered some Hinoki from an Etsy seller there in Japan once to make bath stools for one of MY Etsy Customers...I wish I could show you a picture of the bath stools because the wood is one of the most beautiful white woods I've ever worked with. I liked it so much that I used the extra wood to make a bath stool for myself. I showed my process on my KZbin channel. I use modern methods but I make more traditional styles. I'm really enjoying your content and I wish I'd found it sooner.

[@BernardHaranguren]

Love the work, is there any way to get a good quality masakari and chouna online ?

[@brianheath6684]

I love the videos, an american carpenter for 20+ years, i have so much respect for your culture and craft! its so amazing, extreamly physical but so rewarding.

[@Legrascestlavie88]

Super video. Thanks from france

[@thecarpentrylife]

Thanks for watching!

[@yuriybodnaruk6389]

My grandfather was a traditional carpenter in Carpathian mountain in Ukraine. This is exactly the way he prepared the logs. I was amazed how precise these tools are once you learn the technique. Thank you for sharing.

[@lordpickle8424]

God, this is so beautiful. You're incredibly lucky to have been given this opportunity.

[@jacobrose7780]

I've watched a few of your videos, awesome work! Professionally well made and interesting conversations! Thank you for letting us see how this is done by hand, it really gives an appreciation of the hard work that goes into it ^ ^

[@thecarpentrylife]

Glad you like them! I really appreciate this feedback! Thank you.

[@mymemeplex]

These videos are very interesting. Reminds me of the NHK documentaries you find now and then, but more personal. Good info, interesting techniques explained for fellow woodworkers. Thanks!

[@sunitadwarka347]

I have one question to you about wood home carpentery. Suppose any wood I make holes fix right and left, for wall, same wood is used for fixing floor, just above or below 2ft. At the time of earthquake the 2ft get jerking and all three joint are broken. You must watch vedio of accident to understand mistake. I hope you are understanding what I mean to say . We need to find solution for this problem. As per as my calculations, we should not try to make too many holes, instead of making use coupling to keep wood stronger during earthquake. Wood have broken like garbage pieces. Must think why?how to fix this problem. Jay bharat.

[@valdius85]

Japanese citizenship is no mandatory for a hunting licence in Jp.

[@islandblacksmith]

that is a young healthy crew, glad there is a next generation out there hewing and joining wood! yoroshiku!!

[@johnfischer1298]

Interesting, the things I’ve read so far has described the daisugi as slender. This thickness is enough for minimum saw log size it looked like. How long between harvests? I’ve seen conflicting information. Some reports saying a grandfather will plant the trees for their grandkids. Their kids will trim up the daisugi And the kids of them will harvest it. That to me implied a 60-80 year rotation. But many other accounts say 20 years between harvests.

[@thecarpentrylife]

I think a lot of the forests in Japan were re-plant post-WWII. A lot of trees were cut down during the war and just after the war to help with the effort and structural repairs to towns and cities. Many of the forests in Japan are now overgrown and difficult to maintain due to the steep mountain terrain. Generally, Sugi that is at least 35 years old is used and Hinoki that is at least 40 years old is used in house building. However, due to the science of building construction here, a lot of traditional carpenters prefer wood of a certain time frame for critical parts of the house such as the main pillar supports which tend to be at minimum 50 years or older. The trees that we were working on are roughly around 60 years old and were cut down during the winter, however, we were in a hurry to remove the bark because of mold issues if we waited too long (filmed late spring). This video was produced to show how traditionally the wood was processed in Japan using an axe and several long days of manual labor.

[@johnfischer1298]

@@thecarpentrylife thank you very much. That helps me develop a time frame for how a system would need to be developed and formed. I would assume just like any other tree there would be faster growth on better sites. It the states since we are addicted to our 12 inch sawlogs to make our lumber, (minimum size) Daisugi seemed like a method In which if the limiting variables were fixed could be adopted in our lumber industry. Regardless of what the industry thinks, I am building my own forests on my own land. And certificating the wood on my own. From everything I see, the wood should be just as strong as the parent wood. If not stronger. However tests would have to be done on the adult wood. My plan is to plant species of hard wood and sprouting conifer (like redwood) On a 12x 12 And train them to the daisugi method. Trim out the ones that don’t take. And thin them out to 24x12 by the time the shoots start growing Final spacing 24x24 somewhere around 40 years old. Thank you so much for your information. You don’t know how many months I’ve been digging around on the internet and in books trying to find more than 2 paragraphs referencing it. The ww2 issue seems to be what happened to a lot of forests. I hope to see forests replanted and revitalized one day. Have you noticed a correlation between the size of the mother tree and the rate at which the top shoots get to the proper size? Or is it relatively even through the life of a tree? Again thank you so much.

[@johnfischer1298]

@@thecarpentrylife I assume the craft, like coppicing or pollarding is being outcompeted by natural standards/high forest wants? Out of the three methods it seems like the only one that may give the best of both worlds. With standard sized logs harvestable in a decent time frame. If done correctly, even if the mother tree doesn’t send out a second set of shoots after first harvest, the harvest of the mother tree should put you at one more tree than you could have harvested normally And pulp log production, seems like a no brained

[@shima-chris9168]

Today when I watched this video, I had a question in mind. How can a foreign become a carpenter in Japan, who still lives outside of Japan? Or/And learn carpentry in Japan. It's really interesting and enjoyable to follow all this video. All the tools, the art of not using nails or screws and the work away from (to much) automation.

[@carlopetrolo]

Dear Yamashita... who is G.leopardi? is he a Italian?

[@thecarpentrylife]

Yes he is Italian, but not from Italy.

[@franciscoalberto76]

Hello, great work with your videos and content. I'm near the Tokyo area and was wondering if you can reccomend a good place to buy hinoki wood. I want to build a soaker tub. Thanks in advance.

[@Seelos333]

+ Very interesting I’ve been a carpenter for 33 years now This type of construction work would be super cool to do Question: the trees/logs they were facing, is it a type of cedar?

[@W4iteFlame]

Guess those guys were not much into introductions during the break. But it's great everyone was fine with showing them on video

[@lalitaescuela]

Thanks 🙏

[@georgebalogi8751]

I really like the opportunity to hear from the individuals. Very good video. Thank you.

[@gary24752]

Does anyone know what the tool is called that is like a knife on a long handle that is used like a plane to shave wood to a fine finish?

[@thecarpentrylife]

I believe the tool you are referring to is called a "Yari-ganna." It is a Japanese spear like tool that is used to make small shavings from wood. It's more for finishing and creating a decorative pattern to the surfaces of wood. It will not be flat finish, but a textured finish. Thank you for watching.

[@gary24752]

@@thecarpentrylife Thanks. That was it.

[@IvanRogerChavez]

thanks for sharing! your videos are always rich in content and serve as supplementary info on japanese carpentry books im reading. very much appreciated brother!

[@ethicalaxe]

Never could have imagined an adze like that! Very interesting to see.

[@W4iteFlame]

Looks like a tool I will definitely hit my leg with

[@williammackey7243]

Where can we get one? I have been looking and looking. No authentic chounas online other than a few old and rotten ones on ebay.

[@thecarpentrylife]

Check out our latest video. Kurashige had some chouna blade. www.shop.kurashige-tools.com/ja/products/kouetsu-japanese-carpenters-adze-chouna-head-flat-blade?_pos=1&_sid=56529e08f&_ss=r www.shop.kurashige-tools.com/ja/products/kouetsu-japanese-carpenters-adze-hamaguri-type-chouna-head-1?_pos=2&_sid=56529e08f&_ss=r But you have to find a handle tho. If I were you, I would check the Japanese Yahoo auction first. auctions.yahoo.co.jp/search/search?aq=-1&auccat=24654&ei=utf-8&oq=&p=ちょうな&sc_i=&tab_ex=commerce&type=all Make sure they ship overseas before betting. Good luck!

[@morgorth3242]

Hi "The carpentry life" i got a qeustion about those hooks holding the beams steady what are they called and where can i get those??

[@thecarpentrylife]

It is called a Kasugai. Ask Kurashige, they might have it.

[@morgorth3242]

@@thecarpentrylife tank you

[@delbenson]

I live in Saipan. How can I contact you?

[@thecarpentrylife]

It would be preferred to use KZbin comments.