American out to save boat-building art {japan}

[xchrom]

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20110917a1.html

Douglas Brooks is a man on a mission. A boat builder and craftsman originally from Connecticut, Brooks is committed to helping keep afloat the dying craft of traditional boat building in Japan.

Hailing from the U.S. Eastern Seaboard, maritime connections have gradually taken over his life.

Brooks began researching traditional Japanese boat building in 1990 and has since been to Japan more than a dozen times, visiting fishing villages throughout the nation in his quest for boat-building traditions in danger of being lost.

He has worked on building and documenting boats in Tokyo and Niigata as well as Aomori and Okinawa. In all, he has studied with five boat builders making six types of traditional boats.


The bow of a sabani showing the distinctive huundu fasteners used by Okinawan boat builders. The planks are further fastened with cedar pegs, which are sawed off flush.

[jwirr]

1. Good for him. Each and everyone of us should find an old craft and

relearn it. We never know when they will come in handy or for that matter be vital.

[grilled onions]

2. We would be better learning the crafts of our ancestors

Everything from clock building to quilting,looming,heirloom furniture,musical instruments--even wine and beer making are things that could create a small economy while preserving the skills of those who traveled before us.

[jwirr]

3. Absolutely. Unfortunately we have not passed these crafts down

to our families. There is so much my grandmother could do and my mother knew them but did not see the value of passing them on and to be honest I did not see the need to have them either. After all why learn to can corn if you can buy a can of it at the store so cheap. Only now it is not so cheap and it is going to get worse. I regret that I did not learn. My brothers were luckier - my dad was a butcher and they had to help out in the locker so they still know but neither of them had any sons to carry on.

[Katashi_itto]

4. Awesome! I have to contact this guy.

[Overseas]

5. K&R.