24 Dec, 2025
Japan has long been known as a nation shaped by wood, with traditional carpentry and finely crafted tools at the heart of its architectural heritage. As modern industrialization accelerated, many of these hand techniques began to disappear—prompting the creation of the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum to preserve the skills and spirit embedded in traditional tools.
This documentary follows the four-day International Forum on Carpenters and Carpentry Tools, held at the museum. Participants from around the world gather to explore the global culture of planes, join guided tours, and witness live demonstrations—from wooden roof shingles and medieval timber framing to Scandinavian planes, spear planes, and wooden wheel making.
Craftspeople and researchers exchange techniques and discuss the cultural meanings behind their work, revealing how simple hand tools carry deep knowledge and connect people across borders. Workshops allow visitors to make hinoki chopsticks and flowers from plane shavings, showing the beauty hidden even in wood scraps.
The program concludes with visits to historic temples, where attendees experience authentic Japanese wooden architecture. Ultimately, the film highlights how wood, tools, and human hands form a universal language—one that brings people together and keeps the worlds wood culture alive.
Direct to International Carpenters Forum page