Japanese carpentry
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Japanese carpentry is distinguished by the use of a different set of tools and techniques to European carpentry.
Notable tools are the Japanese saw, which cuts on the pull, rather than the European style push stroke, the Japanese plane, which is a wooden block containing a blade, and the Japanese chisel, which is similar to the Western chisel except for the construction of its blade. The blades used in the Japanese chisel and the Japanese plane are based on the same principle as the Japanese sword. An extremely hard blade metal called hagane is attached to a softer piece of metal called jigane.
Japanese temple carpentry is remarkable for its use of elaborate wooden joints. Some Japanese temples built according to these principles are some of the world's longest surviving wooden structures.
In Japanese, the word carpenter is synonymous with the word builder (UK) or contractor (US), and a general builder is often referred to as a carpenter.
Because there are many earthquakes in Japan, Japanese houses still tend to be made from wood,[1] a flexible material, rather than brick or stone.
Contents |
[edit] Tools
[edit] Vise
The traditional Japanese vise was a wedge of wood tied to a post with a coil of rope. The wood was inserted under the wedge and the wedge hammered down.
[edit] See also
- Japanese architecture
- Japanese handicrafts
- Housing in Japan discusses traditional and modern houses and their building materials.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Takenaka carpentry museum in Kobe. Contains extensive material on the history of Japanese carpentry in sub pages.
