The Art of Japanese Joinery by Kiyosi Seike takes 48 carefully selected joints — drawn from hundreds in active use — and reveals the structural logic and aesthetic discipline that have defined Japanese carpentry for centuries.
About This Book
Japanese joinery represents one of the most sophisticated traditions in constructional craft: wood shaped and fitted with such precision that the joint itself becomes an expression of material intelligence. Seike's book works across two registers simultaneously — historical and practical. It traces the unique development of Japanese carpentry while providing enough technical detail, through clear isometric projections and 64 pages of photography, for readers to understand and replicate the forms. Whether your interest lies in the tectonic principles underpinning traditional Japanese architecture or in the hands-on application of these joints to smaller woodworking projects, this book operates at both scales with equal clarity.
Key Features
- 147 pages of isometric technical drawings and 64 pages of photographs documenting 48 joints
- Author: Kiyosi Seike
- Published by Shambhala, ISBN 9781645473862
What You'll Discover
- The history and development of Japanese carpentry, contextualising joinery within a broader cultural and architectural tradition
- 48 joints selected from several hundred in current use, ranging in application from full-scale building construction to small domestic objects such as sewing boxes
- Isometric projections that break down the three-dimensional geometry of each joint with technical clarity
- How the same structural principles underlying traditional Japanese architecture can be adapted and applied at the scale of everyday woodworking
About the Author
Kiyosi Seike is the author of this study of traditional Japanese joinery. [Details available upon request]
Specifications
- Format: Softcover
- Pages: 147
- Dimensions: 25.3 x 17.8 cm
- Language: English
- ISBN: 9781645473862
- Publisher: Shambhala
- Publication Date: [Details available upon request]
Perfect For: Architects and designers interested in Japanese tectonic traditions, woodworkers seeking technical instruction in traditional joinery, and students of Japanese architectural history.