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Japan

Mar 09
Love1

Japanese Plasterwork: History of Plaster Craft in Japan

By Video, Clay Plaster, Japan

I’m a big sucker for the series Begin Japanology / Japanology Plus. It’s a long-running TV series that dives into specific aspects of Japanese culture, hosted by the mild-mannered Peter Barakan. The premise and delivery are very simple, and there’s an episode for seemingly everything Japanese.

Recently, an episode devoted to Japanese plastering was released. It’s an informative, inspiring look at the history of plastering craft, and some of the newer work being done today.

One word: storehouses. Check it out!  

Aug 15
Love0

Himeji Castle Tour: The Most Plaster I’ve Seen in My Life

By Japan, Lime Plaster

himeji castle tour

There are so many architectural details to absorb at Himeji Castle that it’s somewhat dizzying. The multi-level main keep (pictured above) has an astonishing dry stack stone foundation wall, a soaring timber frame with huge posts and beams, and an amazing cascading tile roof. Notably, the earthen walls (and even under the roof eaves and between roof tiles) are finished with shikkui.

I was taken to Himeji Castle for part of the “Who Wants to Come to Japan” TV show filming. While I was there, I had a rare up-close and personal look at some of the shikkui plaster restoration work on one of the rooftops.

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Mar 20
Love14
applying shikkui - japanese lime plaster

Shikkui Lime Plaster with Hasado-san

By Lime Plaster, Japan

hasado shuhei ziggy

Shikkui is a type of lime plaster used throughout Japan, with deceptively simple ingredients and a wide range of applications. In use since the 6th century, shikkui is a very thin finish application typically used to protect large uninterrupted wall surfaces on castles and storehouses (or ‘kura’). It can be polished to a high level and because it has a high fiber content and frequently has no aggregate added, it’s flexible, too.

During the week of filming for “Who Wants to Come to Japan?”, I visited a renowned Japanese sakan, Shuhei Hasado and he taught me more about how to make shikkui and apply it.

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Feb 26
Love12
sugita kogyo jigane trowel

Making a Forged Plaster Trowel with Sugita-san

By Clay Plaster, Lime Plaster, Japan

Now that the episode of “Who Wants to Come to Japan?” (世界ニッポン行きたい人応援団) has aired, I can talk about my experience during the filming week. The first thing I want to share about is my visit to the Sugita family, a very generous family who run a top quality trowel business. Started by Sugita-san senior, the business (Sugita Kogyo) is a small operation and is now mostly handled by the son. During my two day visit, I had the privilege of observing Sugita-san’s process for making a hand-forged jigane trowel.

Plaster, trowel, and tool geeks — read on.

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Feb 09
Love13
kyoto sumiya geisha house kitchen

Sumiya Pleasure House: Jaw-Dropping Traditional Japanese Craftsmanship

By Photos, Traditional Building, Japan

The Sumiya Pleasure House is one of the most lavish examples of traditional Japanese architecture and craftsmanship in Kyoto. It is truly from another time. I was captivated by the incredible carpentry and plaster details while wandering through the building. For anyone interested in high end Japanese craftsmanship, this building is a must-see.

Sumiya is incredibly well-preserved. Amazingly, it’s been managed by the same family for 13 generations. It no longer serves the same purpose that it once did — instead, it’s a rare glimpse into a very specific piece of Japanese culture and a testament to the skill of carpenters, plasterers, and craftsmen of the Edo period. I’m fascinated by the history, but the actual carpentry and plaster details are what really moves me.

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Jan 21
Love9

Shou-Sugi-Ban (Yakisugi) Siding

By Japan, Carpentry

shou-sugi-ban siding in japan

I found no shortage of shou-sugi-ban (or more properly, yakisugi) siding in Japan. Since I just recently experimented with charring wood, I appreciated seeing a variety of walls finished with yakisugi siding. Interestingly, it was used in many different contexts, everything from neighborhood houses to temple perimeter walls. I liked that about it. In Kurashiki at least, it seemed to transcend all types of buildings both humble and grandiose.

Here are a few photos of shou-sugi-ban siding I saw out in the wild.
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Jan 11
Love8
kurashiki canal street

Beautiful Japanese Storehouses in Kurashiki

By Lime Plaster, Japan, Clay Plaster, Carpentry

kurashiki canal street

I’m back home from Japan. I can think of no better word to describe the trip than ‘whirlwind’. It was very full and varied, and it’s taken me over a week to feel settled back into home life and routine. (The jet lag on the way there was almost nonexistent, but it hit me like a sack o’ potatoes on the return trip.)

It’s hard to summarize such a long trip, so I won’t really try. I’ll say this, though — I definitely want to return, and plan on it at some point. My goal right now is to document some of my trip highlights in a series of blog posts. I can’t share much about the first week (yet), so things will have to be out of chronological order. Not that it matters.

Enough jabbering, let’s get on to the good stuff. Here are some pretty pictures of clay walls and kura (storehouses) in the lovely city of Kurashiki, a small historic city I loved exploring.

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Nov 24
Love7
ziggy japan

I’m Going to Japan

By Traditional Building, Japan

ziggy japan

It’s been one of my biggest dreams for over the last 10+ years — traveling to Japan. Now I’m getting my chance. Recently, I was selected to participate in the filming of a Japanese TV show. The show will have me visiting sakan (plasterers) and touring traditional buildings. It’s for a show called “Who wants to come to Japan”? (Yes, literally. Only aired in Japan.) The premise is that they invite folks with a passion for some specific element of Japanese culture to learn more about their interest.

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