The Building of Horyu-ji. The Techniique and Wood that Made it Possible.

by T & Kohara Nishioka, Michael Brase (Translator)

Horyu-ji temple was first erected in the 7th century and has come down to us today in the magnificent form it achieved in 711, over 1,300 years ago. It has given the lie to the common misconception that wood is destined to quickly rot and decay, and has demonstrated the enduring value of wood, not to mention the fact that the temple has been designated a World Heritage Site as the earth's oldest wooden structure. Here Tsunekazu Nishioka, the master carpenter who undertook the repair of this monumental structure in the mid 20th century, share the insights and knowledge he gained from that experience. To make Nishioka's words and observations more easily understood by later generations, Jiro Kohara has buttressed them with scientific experiments and commentary, bringing into sharp view Horyu-ji's long-concealed mysteries and secrets. The result is a revealing picture of Japan's immemorial love of trees and wood, a broad-ranging introduction to the country's wood culture.

222 pages, Hardcover

Reviews

[Demi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I see two main parts to the book - the first by carpenter Nishioka, who is a trained Japanese carpenter. It's invaluable to have an English resource of his words and accounts to have insight into the cultural tradition! Kohara follows up with a bit of a modern/scientific take on some concepts that Nishioka mentions. Kohara presented some pretty interesting research on how the properties of wood change with age - I think these were some of the most interesting content presented in the book. The authors are certainly earnest, which conveys the Japanese attitude towards wood that both authors emphasize throughout, but overall it clouds the book with an apparent bias. The importance of wood in Japanese culture is undeniable and certainly makes us think twice about our use of the material as we move into the mass timber age of modern construction.