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Events - 11.16.2024

From Forest to Form | Japanese Carpentry at Shōya House

Left: Master carpenter Akinori Abo using a sharp tool on wood. Top Right: Close-up of a knife-like tool. Bottom Right: A hand planing the wood.

Date

11.16.2024 (Sat.)

Time

12:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Location

Japanese Heritage Shōya House
The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens

Fee

Admission ticket to The Huntington required
*RSVP is not required

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Discover the artistry of Japanese carpentry like never before in a special pre-exhibition event. In celebration of the upcoming “Masters of Carpentry: Melding Forest, Skill and Spirit” exhibition, JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles will partner with The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, to host a live demonstration and hands-on experience at their Japanese Heritage Shōya House.

Led by master carpenter Akinori Abo, one of the daiku artisans who has helped construct the exhibition opening November 20th at JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles, this casual program will introduce participants to traditional Japanese woodworking philosophies & techniques. Attendees will learn about the evolution and use of Japanese woodworking tools like planes and chisels, followed by a live demonstration of ultra-thin planing from master Abo, whose record is an unbelievably thin 3 microns.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to try their own hand at using Japanese planes under the expert guidance of the guest carpenters*.

Note: *This interactive program is open to the public, and participants are welcome to drop in anytime between 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM. RSVP is not required. Depending on demand and time, not all visitors may be able to have a “hands-on” experience.

About the Master Carpenter

© Manggha Museum of Japanese Art & Technology

When Akinori Abo was in elementary school, he was deeply impressed by the planning skills of a carpenter hired to renovate his house. Under the carpenter’s hand, the old wood magically transformed into something beautiful. After graduating from middle school, Abo apprenticed living with a carpenter for three years, and then began a journey of self-study searching for skilled carpenters to learn from.

Read more.

Born with extreme chemical sensitivity, Abo has aimed to create people friendly buildings using only natural materials. It has been a challenging path, often resisting the tide of the times. Abo says, “As a craftsman, I want to take responsibility for my work, receive direct feedback on what I leave behind, and see the joy on people’s faces.” With these thoughts in mind, he established his company Kōbokusha in January 2000.

The humorously named "Kezurō-kai," literally the “Shaving Association.” has a competition among carpenters to determine the finest shavings using a plane. Each shaving reflects the mastery of the craft. Over time, these shavings came to be known as "Kezuri-bana", plane flowers. Abo won the third competition (1998) and boasts a record of 3μ (3 microns), 3% of the thickness of a human hair. Before long, he had a global following.

Since 2006, Abo has been participating in projects with the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum. The structural model of the Sa-an tearoom built by Abo, featured in the Masters of Carpentry exhibition at JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles, has been showcased in presentations worldwide extending from Harvard University to Finland, China, Poland, and France.

Related Exhibition

Dates

11.20.2024 (Wed.) – 01.22.2025 (Wed.)

Hours

Mon. – Fri. | 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sat. – Sun.  | 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Closed

Thanksgiving Day 11.28.2024 (Thu.)
Holiday 12.25.2024 (Wed.)

Location

JAPAN HOUSE Gallery, Level 2

Fee

Free

In Japan, a rich tradition of carpentry and wood craftsmanship has flourished over centuries, driven by imperial and sacred architecture. Daiku, the revered master carpenters, honor nature by sourcing wood harmoniously with the forest. Renowned for their precision, Japanese woodworking techniques embody a profound reverence for nature. Despite limited metal ore resources, Japanese craftsmen innovated world-class carpentry tools and joinery techniques. This exhibition honors Japanese carpenters, showcasing their tools and indispensable joinery techniques. A full-scale teahouse and recreated section of hip-and-gable roof from the temple at Yakushiji, exemplify the holistic relationship between forest, skill, and spirit, celebrating the enduring legacy of Japanese craftsmanship and its environmental harmony.

Check Exhibition

Related Content

A New Life for an Edo-period Treasure:
Japanese Heritage Shōya House

In the fall of 2023, Southern California welcomed the “new” arrival of something very old – an authentic, traditional Shōya House transported from Japan that has been restored and exquisitely reconstructed at the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in Pasadena. This 320-year-old house and agricultural compound originally stood in the village of Marugame, in Shikoku, Japan, and long ago served an important function as a Shōya House, the center of village life and local government administration during the Edo period (1603-1868). Now open to the public, the structure is a stunning example not only of traditional architecture of the period, but of a building that played a key part of life and society for a village during the Edo-period. Read more

Shōya House | History

The entrance of the Shōya House at the Huntington Library 

Shōya House | Architecture

The interior of the Shōya House at the Huntington Library 

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