The Genius of Japanese Carpentry: Secrets of an Ancient Woodworking Craft

Great book on the building philosophy, selection of materials and historical notes of building a traditional shinto temple. Not really an instruction manual on how carpentry. I was looking for a book to show me the in's and out's of wood working, but this is not really that book. It does go into detail on how to select the wood and why. It also has super great pictures on the actual temple itself.

I am not a carpenter by trade, though I have worked in construction. My father, however, was a carpenter.I always found the concepts and rules of constructing buildings to be fascinating. A hardly, practical application of the physical sciences is necessary for the creation of buildings that stand the test of time. From that perspective, I have found traditional Japanese carpentry to straddle the line between science and art. The intricacies of their woodworking techniques are not well understood in the west.This book was a pleasant glance into the practice of dedicated tradesmen from another land. I got to see some examples of joinery, and also the training and attitudes of the craftsmen. This was well worth the read and the asking price.

great pictures, good information.

Right from the first page the reader is transported into the life of the master builder. A clear departure from Western architecture, where design is the inspiration of an individual, Japanese tradition follows rules created by the forest; the way trees grow their strengths and the specific use for each material. Azby's personal journey through the difficult and demanding world of the apprentice woodworker allows the reader a unique view of the culture of wood going back to ancient times. Well worth keeping and sharing.Karl Bareis - custom builder

Not a 'how to' book at all. Ordinary carpenters may be mystified by it. Excellent at conveying the spirit and sophistication of the high level temple woodworkers of Japan. Well worth the time to both read and contemplate the history and tradition that inform and support the elegance of traditional building arts in Japan written by a long-term resident (Japan) American architect.

I'm sure this is a great book. I was excited to read it. Just after purchasing, I fired up my kindle and realized it's not formatted for kindle at all. It's a pdf scan, virtually unreadable on a kindle PaperWhite.Whoever publishes this, please take the proper time and attention this book deserves, and format it correctly.

Amazing to learn, though hard to master.

Well researched and written, and w great reverence. Well illustrated, inspiring!

Vi casualmente hace unos meses una película sobre Tsunekazu Nishioka, recomendada por mi amigo Rafa, que es muy recomendable. Ilustra la figura del gran maestro carpintero, y lo que aporta sobre el libro es la forma en que la cultura japonesa se aproxima al trabajo en la madera. El respeto hacia el material, la formación de los carpinteros, la forma de enfrentarse a la construcción, quedan desdibujadas en el libro frente a la película.En cualquier caso, es una publicación agradable, aunque creo que no entra con fuerza en la resolución del problema ni en los aspectos culturales que se manejan en la operación de la reconstrucción de una pagoda.Buen precio...

Must have

Having lived in japan for many years and visited many temples, I have a newfound respect for Japanese carpentry and design thanks to Azby's wonderful book. The beams fitted together without nails like insane jigsaw puzzles and the planning of temples and trees down to the promises made to the trees to honoring them by positioning them as they were on the mountain directionally in the temple. Unbelievable and artisanship we need to know more about to respect the artisans and support their work.

very interesting book

Very interesting book. Tells the history of both the famous temple in Nara prefecture and of the carpenters and carpentry techniques that the Japanese used to build these ancient wooden structures. This is a book that you can read cover to cover not just a book that you dip into.My sister who is training to become a carpenter and also has a great interest in history and restoration carpentry was very pleased with it. She says that it is a real eye opener for someone trained in traditional European carpentry techniques.