My girlfriend is Japanese American and watches a lot of programs related to her parents' culture. This is one she recently forwarded to me, it's produced by the Japanese equivalent of PBS she tells me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tfq0Ys9RNS0

I found the part near the end covering Kumiko to be especially interesting. And right at the end there is a bit with a log auction, watching that, it struck me how the Japanese have such a view of time - I look at their cedar forests that were planted to be harvested decades even centuries later, and I can't help but be impressed with their view of providing for continuity of their practices, whether in culture or industry.

The only thing I found odd is the universal use of the word joinery, apparently covering both the literal practice of making joints, as we use the word in English, and also a furniture style. Perhaps a subtlety is lost in translation there.

Nice find! I have been toying with Kumiko myself and it is a challenging little niche. Making them flat is one thing but looking at those round chandeliers makes my head hurt.

I love everything about Japanese woodworking and joinery. With regard to Kumiko watch Neil Pasks make it. He's a really gifted woodworker in Australia. He teaches simple and well. Watch this link:

Thanks for the video. I got to spend a couple of days in Japan in the summer of 1966. To and from the Southeast Asia War Games.

That was a great video. thanks