Sawing Lumber in Japan

‘In the Totomi Mountains’ by Katsushika Hokusai (1830-1833)
From the series – Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji

I gave a series of experiments one day in my lecture-room before the governors of the province and a large number of people who came in from mere curiosity. I wanted to show the officials my model saw-mill, having a small circular saw run by a diminutive steam-engine.

I told them it was a pity to see dozens of men and boys with long hand-saws sweltering and working the whole day in sawing boards from a single log, as I had seen them do in building my house, when a modern saw-mill could perform ten times the amount of work in half the time.

They watched my little machine as it cut rapidly through small sticks of wood, and then said it was very wonderful; but, if they were to establish such a saw-mill in Shidzuoka, it would be mobbed or raise a riot among the workmen.

Edward Warren Clark
Life and Adventure in Japan – 1878

Sawyers cutting a log by Katsushika Hokusai 1839

In the rear-yard they saw a man, perched high up on a sloping log, industriously sawing the timber with a primitive looking instrument. The Japanese do not use saw-pits, nor have they yet, except in government establishments, adopted steam-saws. Labor is cheap, and the people object to foreign machinery.

“How long will he be cutting up that log?” asked Fitz.

“Probably a week,” said the proprietor. “Jeminy!” murmured the lad. “In America we would put that in a mill, and rip it into planks in ten minutes.”

The sawyer, who overheard this remark, paused in his occupation, and rolling his eyes, whispered to a fellow-workman,— “Did you hear him? He is making fun of us. We know better than to believe such idle stories.”

The proprietor and his visitors smiled, and the former remarked,— “Even I, who have read of such things, can scarcely credit them. I suppose you can do anything by machinery?”

“No,” said the irrepressible Fitz. “You cannot convince people by its means.”

“I think you can,” slily observed Oto. “If this gentleman could see a steam-saw at work, he would be convinced fast enough.”

Edward Greey
Young Americans in Japan – 1882

The Occupations – Preparatory Drawing in the style of Katsushika Hokusai c.1811 British Museum

It may be interesting, in this connection, to mention a few of the principal tools one commonly sees in use among the Japanese carpenters. After having seen the good and serviceable carpentry, the perfect joints and complex mortises, done by good Japanese workmen, one is astonished to find that they do their work without the aid of certain appliances considered indispensable by similar craftsmen in our country.

They have no bench, no vise, no spirit-level, and no bit-stock; and as for labor-saving machinery, they have absolutely nothing. With many places which could be utilized for water-power, the old country saw-mill has not occurred to them. Their tools appear to be roughly made, and of primitive design, though evidently of the best-tempered steel.

Edward Sylvester Morse
Japanese Homes and Their Surroundings – 1885

‘Honjo Tatekawa’ by Katsushika Hokusai (1830-1833)
From the series – Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji

Sanjuniban Shokudin Uta Awase c.1500 from the Suntory Museum of Art

to be continued…

—Jeff Burks