RSVP to jpnliven@gmail.com

In this program, Jay Van Arsdale will look at typical situations where and why joinery is used and has been used in traditional construction in Japanese building culture. Joinery is wood to wood connections using no nails, glue or metal fasteners. We'll examine ways joinery suits structural and aesthetic needs, and the tools to create these long lasting and beautiful constructions across historical contexts and requirements. 

Jay is a long time California daiku (carpenter) living and working in San Francisco bay area. He is one of the founding members of Kezuroukai.usa (kezuroukai.us) a non profit teaching organization chartered by Kezuroukai Japan. He is also the founder of daikudojo.org, holding classes and workshops in his shop, and at Laney College for over 20 years in the Merritt landscape horticulture department and Arques boat building school. 

Jay is the author of “Shoji-designing, Building and Installing Japanese Screens” (Kodansha, Int 1988), two 2 hour tutorial DVDs (“Connections” and “Kanna-wonders and workings of Japanese hand  planes”). Jay has written many articles and given many demonstrations since he started in the mid-1970’s inspired by Japanese daiku Makoto Imai. He has appeared on Japanese TV twice. Jay grew up in Kentucky in his family blacksmith shop, graduated from Centre College in Danville, KY (1970), and received an MFA in sculpture from Mills College in Oakland, CA (1972).