Japanese Temple Bell Tower

Here's a woodworking-video treat for ya!

[ soundtrack : Keith Jarrett - Köln - January 24, 1975 - Part I (Live) ]

***

I’m interested in almost all kinds of woodworking: furniture making, joinery, carpentry, boat-building, airplane building, turning & chairmaking … some sorts more than others, of course - pallet-wood ‘upcycling’ not so much - and although I take a healthy pride in my own work and the tradition I come from, I’m well aware of my own limitations and the parochial nature of patriotism. That’s where YouTube comes to the rescue. Thanks to YouTube I can watch other human beings being brilliant all over the world, and I can learn from how they do things. I know that my own imagination and knowledge is limited, but with access to all the world’s ingenuity? This is truly a gift and a blessing.

Most of the Japanese islands, such as Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, belong to the temperate zone with humid subtropical climate characterized by four distinct seasons. However, its climate varies from cold humid continental climate in the north, such as northern Hokkaido, to warm tropical rainforest climate in the south. As far as I’ve understood, their woodworkers mostly use softwoods, both for architecture and furniture, supplemented with native hardwoods for durability, quality and for show — just like here in Norway :-)

The Japanese have a deep and rich woodworking tradition. I am no expert, but what strikes me is its seriousness: its dedication to the craft and its tools, its love of the beauty that is found in complexity and of work that is done just so — not too little, not too much; just so — the heart of woodworking.

I stumbled across this video yesterday and was taken by how pragmatically they did this high-quality work, using whatever electric hand-tools were expedient and using their traditional handtools where no short-cuts will do — all while the shop radio is blaring popmusic and news reports in the background.

We have an old saying where I come from: It’s always a pleasure to watch a Master at work.

***