We’re currently in preparation mode for our upcoming Japanese guesthouse project. This is the focal point of the 2026 Japanese Carpentry Real Construction Workshop, but it will also be the site for future classes as well. It’s an exciting time, to say the least. I’ve started to submit orders for timbers and we recently cleared the building site with the help of friends. This winter, I’ve found myself waking up early and churning over design details. This is not a small project. But I digress…
Shofuso House in Fairmont Park
After my work trip to eastern PA in August, April and I stopped in Philadelphia on the way home. We took the opportunity to re-visit Shofuso House, the traditionally constructed Japanese house in Fairmount Park. It’s been three years since we first went to see the building, and it was almost like seeing it with fresh eyes on this most recent trip. Needless to say, I had a blast.
I was excited to find this video documentary about Japanese clay plaster as it’s currently being practiced by sakan (a.k.a., traditional plasterers). From what I gather, clay plaster is a niche craft in Japan, but the tradition has been unbroken for hundreds and hundreds of years. It’s not practiced as widely as it once was, yet the quality of the work that is done is exceptional. It’s serious business, and absolutely beautiful and inspiring too.
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Check out this collection of beautifully simple animations of Japanese joinery in action. These are great little demonstrations of timber frame joints interlocking together.
Traditional Japanese interior with natural plaster finish
Today, I present you with two websites that shed a bright light on the magic of traditional building and natural plasters of Japan. Japan has a long history of the use of natural clay and lime plasters in construction. Thankfully, there still exists a wealth of knowledge of these traditional finishes, and skilled craftspeople are keeping the practices and recipes alive.
Kyle Holzhueter is an American-born builder, consultant, researcher and educator specializing in natural building techniques, including straw bale building and clay and lime plasters. He has taken up full-time residence in Japan, where he’s been formally trained in traditional plastering. His websites are a treasure trove with some incredible building documentation, including the recipes, mixing, and application of some of the most interesting and refined natural plasters I have ever seen.
The genius of Japanese joinery is a sight to behold. This video is an incredible example of the precision and strength of Japanese joinery in action from the Kobayashi Kenkou carpentry group. It’s not everyday you get to see such incredible timber frame joints come together like this… and so seamlessly. Okay, enough gushing. Check this out!
Feeling inspired now?
A Shinto gate (torii), in front of another larger temple gate, remodeled in 1592
Tuttle Books has been kind enough to donate another fascinating book to The Year of Mud, and an extra copy will go to one lucky reader. Check out my review of The Art of Japanese Architecture, by David and Michiko Young, and comment below to enter the free giveaway to get your own copy of the book.
The Art of Japanese Architecture is a sweeping look at the evolution of building styles in Japan over thousands of years, from the earliest settled cultures through the modern era.
The Picture Hall, at the Yakushiji temple complex
Here is part two of our book review and giveaway series, in collaboration with Tuttle Publishing. In this post, you’ll find my review of Azby Brown’s The Genius of Japanese Carpentry, and details for how you can enter to win your own copy. This is an engrossing book about traditional temple construction in Japan. Read ahead and enter!
The Shofuso House in Fairmount Park, Philly, PA
I may never get to Japan, though I’ve dreamed about it on and off for many years now. I was, however, pleasantly surprised to find that there’s a little slice of Japan here in the states, right inside Philadelphia in Fairmount Park. The Shofuso house and gardens are an impressive little site, representative of 17th century Japanese architecture. The home is complete with authentic traditional carpentry and building techniques, and the garden features native Japanese plants. And it’s beautiful.
I thought about asking if they wouldn’t mind me shacking up there for a bit to be able to experience the house a bit more fully… Here are some photos of the house and garden.
Hi there, I’m Ziggy. In 2008, I launched The Year of Mud while building my first natural home. This blog is a collection of personal stories and experiences building with clay, straw, and wood over the past 15+ years. A few of the things that get me fired up are natural plasters, timber framing, & Japanese architecture. Since 2012, we’ve been hosting Natural Building Workshops so you can learn essential skills to build your own natural home.
