Thread: Work experience in japanese joinery wanted

Sounds like you need get yrself to Japan.

Shame your not in QLD, as Des K is the person you need to talk to. He is awesome when it comes to Japanese work, especially Shoji screens.

Check out the threads he has started.

https://www.woodworkforums.com/members/3251-des-k-/

Thanks for that - I can maybe try to go up there for a couple of weeks'. I'll bug him soon.

I would, in a heart beat, but I don't speak japanese.

You may consider finding a restorer of Japanese and Asian furniture, there used to be one in Williamstown, but his workshop burnt down 3 years ago.

Also have a look at Chinese furniture restorers. I know their a Malaysian guy Kiam Yoong in Melbourne who is self taught and he makes Ming period replicas. How hand tool focused he is I cannot say.

Going to China or Japan is a big leap, you would need the language, and be willing to live out of major urban centers and be willing to accept that life style and minimum wages.

Originally Posted by thumbsucker

You may consider finding a restorer of Japanese and Asian furniture, there used to be one in Williamstown, but his workshop burnt down 3 years ago.

Also have a look at Chinese furniture restorers. I know their a Malaysian guy Kiam Yoong in Melbourne who is self taught and he makes Ming period replicas. How hand tool focused he is I cannot say.

Going to China or Japan is a big leap, you would need the language, and be willing to live out of major urban centers and be willing to accept that life style and minimum wages.

Apart from language, I'm not sure how easy it would be to find any apprenticeships there for a woman.
Thank you for your suggestions - will definitely follow them up.

Originally Posted by zceren

for a woman.

A ha. It would make things interesting.

Another option is Daiku Dojo -- Japanese Woodworking Group in the USA.

To be honest, your best chance would be to buy some books from Japan. You can find ones with lots of photos with isometric drawings. You could then teach yourself. You will not be doing it the traditional way and you miss certain points of internal logic of the craftsman, but it would be a start.

Also stock up on cedar, Claret Ash, and Tasmanian timbers, they would be good timbers for hand cut joinery.

You may also consider the ANU Furniture course. We are taught a few joints from Chinese furniture tradition, like the bird beak, the three way miters, and wedge joinery from the Chinese tradition. In fact our current semesters set project is Inspired by China. What is most important is the logic of marking out.

Another good source is the Joinery books by Charles H. Hayward. He was a classically trained western cabinet maker, and he gives detailed instruction on hand cut joinery, many of which are the same as found in Asian woodworking. Modern woodworkers are impoverished due to their reliance on power tools for cutting joinery. The west has a proud and vibrant joinery tradition, however much have fallen out of common knowledge, and are now restricted to only the highest level of designer makers.

Hi,
If you haven't seen this site you may find it interesting. Chris has a couple of books on Japanese carpentry and in amongst the blog there are also details on a correspondence course he runs.

Cheers
Michael

Any photos of your ANU work thumbsucker?

Originally Posted by Lignum

Any photos of your ANU work thumbsucker?

This is my blog, were I update my work.

Zceren

A book you may find helpful is " Chinese Domestic Furniture by Gustav Ecke " published by Dover.

If you wish to learn about Japanese techniques then the best way would be to have an extended visit to Japan to work with people over there, but this will require you to learn at least some of the Language. I visited Japan many times & could make myself understood & also read & write a little. A lot of Japanese can understand a little English but most tradesmen are very Japanese, & their idea of an Apprentice is very traditional, & would likely be difficult for you to accept.
I read of a small school which taught traditional techniques, which if I recall correctly was located in the North of Japan ( possibly on Hokaido ), & accepted westerners, but I am sorry I can't provide other info.

I think your best option would be to try and obtain some reference to people in Japan who may be able to help you, & suggest you contact people who have worked / trained in Japan such as Iain Green, Des King and others who may be able to assist.

Go for it

Regards

Originally Posted by mic-d

Hi,
If you haven't seen this site you may find it interesting. Chris has a couple of books on Japanese carpentry and in amongst the blog there are also details on a correspondence course he runs.

Cheers
Michael

G'day Zceren,

I'm with Mic-d, pay Chris' website a visit. It has wealth of information. I am a frequent visitor to his blog.

Try dropping him an email to see if he can give you some pointers.

All the best mate.

Gunn

Originally Posted by zceren

Hello!

I'm very new to both this forum, and furniture making. I'm currently studying at RMIT, trying to finish my Cert II in Cabinet/Furniture making.

I am passionate about working with hand-tools as much as possible, with as little gluing as possible.

I am therefore very interested in japanese joinery, and would love to find some work experience with a tradesperson/factory working in japanese woodworking techniques.

Can anyone please give me some advice?

Good Morning Zceren

I spent a year in Japan on an exchange scheme when I was a student - largely financed myself there by teaching "English Conversation". Nihons were constantly amused and confused by my frequent statements "Yes, you are grammatically correct, but no-body speaks that properly...."

I had zero Japanese when I left Australia, did intensive classes on the ship northward and had a basic vocabulary when I got there, but no pronunciation, grammar or sentence structure. It took me about three months to be able to conduct a simplistic conversation, but after six months I was reasonably fluent. Immersed, you have to learn. Took 10yrs to gorget most!

My trip was organised by the University of Tasmania and the then National Union of Students (does an equivalent still exist??). On arrival we were met by Japanese students, farmed out for homestays, later got assistance in finding work, accomodation, etc. Have you checked RMIT and student union resources and contacts?

Also Japanese embassy/consulate - person you want probably has a title like Educational Liaison, Cultural Affairs, or similar. Is there a Japanese/Australian society you can talk to?

When I was in Japan, I was not particularly interested in woodwork, but when travelling around I did see a few clusters of artisans working in tiny one or two man shops, still remember the polished wooden floors, squatting on the floor with heavy planks as benches - Ise was one area, I think. I also visited a large factory - Uchida on Shikkoku Island - that made extremely high quality furniture (both modern and traditional) using extreme technology - air-conditioned factory, computer controlled, laser guided machinery, etc' which they called the "Mercedes-manufacturing-model". Think, $5,000 coffee tables in the 1970's.

Finally, the Japanese expatriates working in Melbourne tend to be extremely proud of their country, and very interested in anyone interested in Japan. Go through the phone book, and ask if someone can advise you.

Good Luck

Graeme

PS: I never saw a female woodworker in Japan, apart from Uchida factory people, but I did see a couple of lady potters, and the Japanese students considered this sufficiently unusual to comment. The world is a-changing.

This guy is very impressive. Chris hall

the Carpentry Way