Japanese Joinery

Japanese Joinery provides a comprehensive guide to the world of traditional Japanese joinery and its influence throughout the world on woodworking and joinery today. The book begins with an overview of Japanese tools and furniture-making techniques, giving a useful grounding if you’re unfamiliar with these traditions. The main part of the book is made up of over 50 joints, including both traditional and more modern innovations. Each is described in detail and supported with clear diagrams and photographs of the finished joint. Many of the joints are primarily used in architecture but perfecting the skills involved in making them will benefit furniture makers too. Dorian’s enthusiasm for joint making is infectious and will surely inspire readers to pick up their tools!

The book Japanese Joinery by author and woodworker Dorian Bracht is a fascinating exploration on the art of woodworking, centering around its namesake. Traditional Japanese joinery has a reputation for being intricate and precise. This book will not dissuade you from that opinion, but it will break down and present the joints in a way that’s easier for a Western woodworker to get a grasp on. … I enjoy the history of woodworking, and appreciate the time and precision required to make a finely tuned joint. As such, there’s a lot for me to like in Japanese Joinery. While many of the joints in this book may go over the heads of less experienced woodworkers, they show the incredible results from dedicated practice. Additionally, I found many of these joints to be fantastic inspiration for my own work. The examples provided in these last pages are just a few. If joinery intrigues you, then I suggest you give Japanese Joinery a read.

Born in Los Angeles in 1986, Dorian Bract spent his early years in California and Hong Kong. After finishing school, he embarked on an apprenticeship in Leipzig Germany to learn how to build Japanese shoji and fusuma sliding doors, as well as solid wood furniture. Throughout this time, Dorian learnt both traditional German and Japanese woodworking techniques. Having a huge passion for joinery and woodcraft, Dorian has been working as a talented woodworker since 2012. Japanese Joinery is his first book and is an amalgamation of his knowledge and talent in joinery. He is based in Berlin.