Japanese Joinery

Japanese Joinery presents a comprehensive introduction to both historical and contemporary joinery techniques through a combination of photography and hand-drawn technical illustrations. Featuring over 50 joints, the book includes step-by-step imagery that deconstructs each mechanism, accompanied by commentary on its history, variations, applications, and construction tips.

The book also offers an in-depth exploration of the diverse array of Japanese woodworking tools, shedding light on the refined craftsmanship involved in their use and the precise construction of joints. This guide demonstrates how Japanese joinery techniques continue to inform and shape modern woodworking practices.

Based in Berlin, Dorian Bracht is a furniture designer and professional woodworker. Born in Los Angeles in 1986, he grew up in California and Hong Kong. He studied woodworking through an apprenticeship in Leipzig, Germany, where he learnt about shoji (sliding doors, windows or room dividers made from translucent sheets on a lattice frame), fusuma (rectangular sliding panels used to divide interior spaces) and solid wood furniture. Through this experience, he absorbed the meticulous details of both German and Japanese woodworking techniques.