Books on Japanese Woodworking

This is an attempt to create a complete list of all books having to do with Japanese woodworking and hand tools techniques. If you have any book recommendation for this page, please contact Bob Le.

Some of the books below are Japanese titles which can be purchased from http://amazon.jp/. For instruction on how to order books from Amazon.jp, read this post.

Title: Art Of Japanese Joinery Author: Kiyosi Seike Publisher: Weatherhill; Reprint edition (June 1, 1977) ISBN: 978-0834815162 Notes: 128 pages.

Title: Building the Japanese House Today Author: Len Brackett And Peggy Landers Rao (Drawings), Aya Brackett (Photographer) Publisher: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. (October 1, 2005) ISBN: 0-8109-5931-3 Notes: 224 pages.

Title: The Care and Use of Japanese Woodworking Tools: Saws, Planes, Chisels, Marking Gauges, Stones Author: Kip Mesirow, Ron Herman Publisher: Stone Bridge Press (September 1, 2006) ISBN: 1-9333-3013-9 Notes: 96 pages.

[Full size] [Full size] Title: Compilation of Shrine and Temple Construction Diagrams Author: Quail Isao Publisher: Science and Engineering Corporation (September 1993) ISBN: 4-8445-3499-8 Notes: 188 pages. Japanese text. Can be purchased from http://amazon.jp/.

Title: Complete Japanese Joinery: A Handbook of Japanese Tool Use and Woodworking for Joiners and Carpenters Author: Yasuo Nakahara, Hideo Sato, Koichi Paul Nii (Translator) Publisher: Hartley & Marks Publishers (March 15, 1998) ISBN: 978-0881791211 Notes: 397 pages. This book combines the 2 out-of-print books: "Japanese Joinery: A Handbook for Joiners and Carpenters" and "Japanese Woodworking: A Handbook of Japanese Tool Use & Woodworkng Techniques". Be sure to check out the thought provoking forewords from Len Brackett and our sensei, Jay van Arsdale. Also, some of the photographs are those of Jay's hand tools, many of which he still uses today.

Title: Edo Craftsmen: Master Artisans of Old Tokyo Author: Thomas F. Judge, Tomita Hiroyuki Publisher: Weatherhill, 1st edition (November 1994) ISBN: 0-8348-0280-5 Notes: 141 pages. Out of print. Profiles of craftsmen. Includes lacquerware maker, screen maker, household shrine maker, cabinet maker, wood carver and temple carpenter.

Title: Encyclopedia of Wood Joints Author: Wolfram Graubner Publisher: Taunton (March 1, 1992) ISBN: 1-5615-8004-X Notes: 160 pages. Out of print.

Title: The Genius of Japanese Carpentry: The Secrets of a Craft Author: Azby Brown Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; Reprint edition (September 15, 1995) ISBN: 4-7700-1978-5 Notes: 156 pages.

Title: Hip Roof Construction Method Author: Hideo Sato Publisher: Science and Engineering Corp (January 1975) ISBN: 4-8445-3487-4 Notes: 115 pages. Japanese text. Can be purchased from http://amazon.jp/.

Title: Introduction to Construction Methods For Japanese Temples Author: West Kazuo Publisher: Akira national corporation (November 1990) ISBN: 4-395-00306-0 Notes: 149 pages. Japanese text. Can be purchased from http://amazon.jp/. This book complements "The Genius of Japanese Carpentry" by Azby Brown. Lots of construction diagrams showing how a temple is put together.

Title: Japan - Culture of Wood: Buildings Objects Techniques Author: Christoph Henrichsen, Roland Bauer (Photographer) Publisher: Birkhauser; 1st edition (December 1, 2004) ISBN: 3-7643-7022-X Notes: 248 pages.

Title: Japanese Antique Furniture: Guide To Evaluating And Restoring Author: Rosy Clarke Publisher: Weatherhill, 1st edition (June 1, 1983) ISBN: 0-8348-0178-7 Notes: 168 pages. Out of print. Although aimed at Japanese furniture collectors and restorers it is an interesting read if you want to know about the construction details of antique Japanese furniture.

Title: Japanese Cabinetry Author: David Jackson, Dane Owen Publisher: Gibbs Smith (November 15, 2002) ISBN: 1-58685-113-6 Notes: 256 pages. Mostly a picture book. History and styles of tansu. Small section on handtools used for construction of tansu.

Title: Japanese Detail: Architecture Author: Sadao Hibi Publisher: Chronicle Books (August 1, 2002) ISBN: 0-8118-3675-4 Notes: 144 pages.

Title: The Japanese Home Stylebook: Architectural Details and Motifs Author: Saburo Yamagata Publisher: Stone Bridge Press, 1st English edition (June 1, 1992) ISBN: 1-880656-01-9 Notes: 176 pages. Lots of examples of patterns for shoji, fusuma and transoms. Good reference if you're looking for pattern ideas.

Title: Japanese Homes and Their Surroundings Author: Edward S. Morse Publisher: Tuttle Publishing (September 1973) ISBN: 0-8048-0998-4 Notes: 372 pages. Explanation of details found in a Japanese home. See online version from Google.

Title: The Japanese House: A Tradition for Contemporary Architecture Author: Heinrich Engel Publisher: Tuttle Publishing (June 1964) ISBN: 0-8048-0304-8 Notes: 495 pages. Out of print.

Title: Japanese Joinery: A Handbook for Joiners and Carpenters Author: Yasuo Nakahara Publisher: Hartley & Marks Publishers (May 1983) ISBN: 0-88179-001-X Notes: 239 pages. Out of print. This is essentially the last few chapters of the book "Complete Japanese Joinery". If you have the "Complete Japanese Joinery", you don't need this book.

[Full size] [Full size] Title: Japanese Room Construction Method Author: Hideo Sato Publisher: Science and Engineering Corporation (January 1980) ISBN: 4-8445-3469-6 Notes: 157 pages. Japanese text. Can be purchased from http://amazon.jp/.

Title: Japanese Woodworking: A Handbook of Japanese Tool Use & Woodworking Techniques Author: Hideo Sato, Koichi Paul Nii (Translator) Publisher: Hartley & Marks Publishers (April 1987) ISBN: 0-88179-003-6 Notes: 196 pages. Out of print. This is essentially the first few chapters of the book "Complete Japanese Joinery". If you have the "Complete Japanese Joinery", you don't need this book.

Title: Japanese Woodworking Tools: Selection, Care and Use Author: Henry Lanz Publisher: Sterling Pub Co Inc (October 1985) ISBN: 0-8069-6236-4 Notes: 160 pages. Out of print.

[Full size] [Full size] Title: Japanese Woodworking Tools: Their Tradition, Spirit, and Use Author: Toshio Odate Publisher: Linden Publishing; Reprint edition (September 1998) ISBN: 0-941936-46-5 Notes: 189 pages.

Title: The Joints & Connections: The Intelligence in Hidden Japanese Construction Author: Unknown Publisher: INAX publication (November 1984) ISBN: 4-87275-511-1 Notes: 58 pages. Japanese text. Can be purchased from http://amazon.jp/.

Title: Joint and Connection Diagrams (Augmented Edition) Author: Chokai Yosinosuke Publisher: Science and Engineering Corp (April 1996) ISBN: 4-8445-8536-3 Notes: 126 pages. Japanese text. Can be purchased from http://amazon.jp/.

Title: KAKI's Woodworking Author: Kaki (Is this the name of the author?) Publisher: U.S. Information Center Publication Bureau (January 1982) ISBN: 4-7958-0023-5 Notes: 190 pages.

Title: Making Shoji Author: Toshio Odate Publisher: Linden Publishing (July 2000) ISBN: 0-9419-3647-3 Notes: 119 pages.

Title: Measure and Construction of the Japanese House Author: Heino Engel Publisher: Tuttle Publishing; 1st ed edition (February 1985) ISBN: 0-8048-1492-9 Notes: 149 pages.

Title: Nature Form & Spirit: The Life and Legacy of George Nakashima Author: Mira Nakashima Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (December 1, 2003) ISBN: 0-8109-4536-3 Notes: 276 pages.

Title: Shoji: How to Design, Build, and Install Japanese Screens Author: Jay van Arsdale Publisher: Kodansha International; 1st ed. edition (October 15, 1988) ISBN: 0-8701-1864-1 Notes: 96 pages.

Title: The Soul of a Tree: A Master Woodworkers Reflections Author: George Nakashima Publisher: Kodansha International; Reprint edition (October 15, 1988) ISBN: 0-8701-1903-6 Notes: 224 pages.

Title: Tansu: Traditional Japanese Cabinetry Author: Ty Heineken Publisher: Weatherhill, new edition (November 9, 2004) ISBN: 0-8348-0548-0 Notes: 248 pages. Describes tansu through various periods. Shows construction details including joinery.

Title: Temple Construction Techniques Author: Hideo Sato Publisher: Science and Engineering Corp (July 1998) ISBN: 4-8445-3472-6 Notes: 260 pages. Japanese text. Can be purchased from http://amazon.jp/. The Japanese title is "Shaji Kenchiku no Kouhou", according to Chris Hall.

Title: Traditional Japanese Furniture Author: Kazuko Koizumi Publisher: Kodansha International (July 15, 1986) ISBN: 0-87011-722-X Notes: 224 pages. Furniture types, styles, history and construction techniques.

Title: Traditional Wooden House Construction Method Author: Unknown Publisher: Akira national corporation (August 2003) ISBN: 4-3950-0715-5 Notes: 297 pages. Japanese text. Can be purchased from http://amazon.jp/.

[Full size] Title: The Tub Boats of Sado Island - A Japanese Craftsman's Methods Author: Douglas Brooks Publisher: Kodo Books ISBN: 4-9023-7700-4 Notes: 184 pages including 16 color pages and 84 photos and illustrations. Text in English and Japanese. Book is available directly from the author at woodbrooks@verizon.net. Also available through http://www.douglasbrooksboatbuilding.com/ (the author's website), http://www.kodo.or.jp/, and http://www.dick.biz/. Read the book review by The Japan Times and The Japan Foundation Newsletter.

Title: The Way of the Carpenter: Tools and Japanese Architecture Author: William H. Coaldrake Publisher: Weatherhill; 1st ed edition (October 1991) ISBN: 0-8348-0231-7 Notes: 204 pages. Out of print.

Title: What is Japanese Architecture?: A Survey of Traditional Japanese Architecture Author: Kazuo Nishi, Kazuo Hozumi Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (April 15, 1996) ISBN: 4-7700-1992-0 Notes: 144 pages.

Title: Wood and Wood Joints: Building Traditions of Europe and Japan Author: Klaus Zwerger Publisher: Birkhauser (May 1, 1997) ISBN: 3-7643-5483-6 Notes: 278 pages. Out of print.

Title: Wood Construction for Connecting and Splicing Joints Author: Torashichi Sumiyoshi, Gengo Matsui Publisher: The Kashima Publication Meeting (May 1989) ISBN: 4-306-03234-5 Notes: 124 pages. Japanese text. Can be purchased from http://amazon.jp/. Japanese title is "Mokuzo no Tsugite To Shikuchi". This book is identical to the out-of-print English version, "Wood Joints in Classical Japanese Architecture".

Title: Wood Joints in Classical Japanese Architecture Author: Torashichi Sumiyoshi, Gengo Matsui, Ferenc Kovacs (Translator, 1991) Publisher: Kajima Institute Publishing Co., Ltd (1991) ISBN: ??? Notes: 124 pages. This book is out of print and is very difficult to find, even in the used book market. You can get the Japanese-text edition instead - see the book titled "Wood Construction for Connecting and Splicing Joints". Sumiyoshi was born in 1911 and began his carpentry apprenticeship in 1924. He started his own enterprise in 1930. Matsui was born in 1920. He graduated in architecture from Waseda University in 1943., then earned his doctorate degree in engineering in 1960.

[Full size] [Full size] Title: Wooden Stairway Construction Method Author: Hideo Sato Publisher: Science and Engineering Corp (March 1978) ISBN: 4-8445-3467-X Notes: 117 pages. Japanese text. Can be purchased from http://amazon.jp/.

Last Update:

2006/12/26 - Page created.

2007/01/24 - Added descriptions from Manny Hernandez. Added more books to list.

2007/05/25 - Added Douglas Brooks's "The Tub Boats of Sado Island", Heinrich Engel's "The Japanese House". Pointer to online copy of "Japanese Homes and Their Surroundings". Fixed formatting on some ISBN numbers.