Scroll down to read about all the tools featured in The Craft of Carpentry: Drawing Life from Japan’s Forests, or click on a link below to jump to a section (referring to the main image at the top of this page).
A. Sumi-kake dōgu / Marking tools
B. Suji-kebiki / Marking gauges
D. Nomi / Chisels and E. Kiri / Gimlets
G. Gennō / Hammers (and I. Kuginuki (enma) / Pincers and Kuginuki (kajiya) / Crowbar)
A. Sumi-kake dōgu / Marking tools
A gallery of 1 item.
Sashigane / Carpenter’s square
The sashigane (carpenters’ square) is an L-shaped tool used for measuring lengths and angles and to draw lines on a variety of materials. It is also known as kane-shaku or magari-gane. The longer side is called the naga-te or chōshi (long branch), and the short side is the tsuma-te or tanshi (short branch). When the long side is held vertically with the short side on the right, it is considered to be the front, with the opposite side the back.
The front is typically engraved with standard measurements while the back features the same measurements multiplied by √2 or by π. Some decorative versions include scales that divide the Japanese measurement of one shaku, two sun into eight sections, replacing numbers with auspicious and inauspicious labels such as ‘wealth’ (zai) and ‘illness’ (byō).
Sashigane are an indispensable tool for carpenters. Treated with great respect; stepping on one at a work site would be promptly admonished with angry shouts.
Traditionally made of steel or brass, stainless steel versions were introduced in the early 20th century. Some brass sashigane are reinforced with triangular steel at the right angle (kado-tetsu-iri) to avoid unwanted distortion.
Makigane / Small carpenter’s square
The makigane is slightly shorter and thicker than the carpenter’s square (sashigane), though some use the same scale. They are made of iron, brass, or stainless steel and are mainly used to check right angles.
Suiheiki / Spirit level
Two level vials are integrated into a wooden or metal ruler. The motion and position of bubbles in the vials are used to check the accuracy of horizontal and vertical alignment.
Sumi-tsubo / Carpenter’s line
The sumi-tsubo (lit. ‘inkpot’) is used to accurately mark long, straight lines on surfaces. Silk thread (tsubo-ito) is tied to a small round wood weight with a needle fixed at the end (karuko). The other end of the thread is wound around a spool (itomaki-guruma). To mark a line, the thread is passed through a pool of ink-soaked wadding and through a small opening (itoguchi) at the end of the sumi-tsubo.
Shu-tsubo / Carpenter’s line with red pigment
Shu-tsubo are sumi-tsubo that use red ochre (benigara) instead of black ink to mark lines. This red pigment is used when carpenters need to mark polished natural tree trunks that will be used without removing the bark, because the pigment can be easily washed away with water.
Sumi-sashi / Bamboo pen
A sumi-sashi is a type of pen typically made of bamboo. One end is shaped like a spatula for drawing lines, and the other is shaped to a point for writing symbols or letters. It is used together with an inkpot, either a sumi-tsubo or shu-tsubo. The spatula end is 10 to 15 cm wide, featuring a diagonally cut tip with lengthwise slits that are 1 to 2 cm deep. This end is moved along the straight edge of a sashigane to draw lines. Expert users split the tip extremely finely, creating as many as 30 to 40 slits, to form a brush.
Ito-maki / Reel
An ito-maki is a tool for checking horizontal surfaces. It is used to connect horizontal points measured with a spirit level for drawing reference lines.
Tomegata-jōgi / Mitre joint gauge
The mitre joint gauge, or tomegata-jōgi, is a thin lozenge-shaped board angled at 45 degrees. It allows carpenters to draw lines at 45-degree angles or to position their saws for cutting wood at this angle, essential for creating mitre joints.
Kiguchi-jōgi / Block gauge
The kikuchi-jōgi, or block gauge, is made of two rectangular boards joined perpendicularly. It is used for cutting right angles.
Awase-jōgi / Alignment gauge
Awase-jōgi are typically a pair of rulers or straight edges that are used together to ensure precise alignment or measurement when joining two pieces of wood. These rulers help carpenters maintain accuracy in measurements and cuts, ensuring that the joined pieces fit perfectly together. Each piece must be perfectly straight, and this is checked by laying the two pieces on top of each other, and rubbing them together to make sure there is no space between them.
B. Suji-kebiki / Marking gauges
A gallery of 1 item.
Suji-kebiki / Marking gauge
A suji-kebiki, or marking gauge, is used to mark lines parallel to the baseline of the timber. There are different marking gauges (kebiki) designed for different purposes. Gauges with two rods (nihonsao-suji-kebiki) enable the marking of two different lines by turning the gauge around after marking the first line and using the second blade on the opposite end for the next line. Gauges with long rods (nagasao-kebiki) allow the carpenter to mark lines which are farther from the edge of the timber.
Kama-kebiki / Double marking gauge
The kama-kebiki, or double marking gauge, is equipped with two L-shaped metal bars with blades at the tip of their short ends. The long arms of the L-shaped bars are fastened with a screw through the body of the gauge and travel above the timber parallel to the surface, with the blades scoring the surface as they move. This tool is used when a protrusion from the surface of the timber may be an obstruction.
Wari-kebiki / Splitting gauge
The wari-kebiki, or splitting gauge, is slightly larger and sturdier than the suji-kebiki and is used for cutting thin timber lengthwise.
C. Nokogiri / Saws
A gallery of 1 item.
Anahiki-noko / Rounded-nose roughing saw
The rounded-nosed roughing saw, known as the hanamaru-noko or anahiki-noko, is about 39 to 48 cm long and is used for rough work such as cutting off the ends of logs. The saw has angled teeth, making it suitable for cutting materials diagonally.
Hikikiri / Standard crosscut saw
Commonly known simply as a kiri, this saw measures from 24 to 36 cm long, and is principally used for crosscut sawing.
Ryōba-noko / Double-edged saw
The dual-purpose double-edged saw has two sets of teeth: one for ripsawing and one for crosscut sawing. Blade lengths typically range from 24 to 36 cm. From the 1890s, it became popular throughout Japan.
Dōzuki-noko / Back saw
The dōzuki-noko is a back saw with a thin blade, measuring 24 to 30 cm, reinforced along the non-cutting edge. Its fine teeth create precise and smooth cuts, making it suited for precision work.
Azebiki-noko / Small double-edged saw
The azebiki is a double-edged saw with a short, curved blade measuring 6 to 10.5 cm. It has cutting teeth on both sides and is used for cutting holes into wood. The tool became widely used throughout Japan from the Meiji period (1868–1912) onwards.
Hiki-mawashi-noko / Keyhole saw
The hiki-mawashi-noko is a type of keyhole saw designed for cutting curves that penetrate through the material. The saw cuts on the pulling stroke. Typical blade lengths range from 18 to 30 cm.
D. Nomi / Chisels and E. Kiri / Gimlets
A gallery of 1 item.
Hiro-nomi / Wide-blade chisel
Hiro-nomi refers to striking chisels (hon-tataki-nomi) with a blade width greater than 3.6 cm. They have relatively thin blades and are used for shaving surfaces parallel to the woodgrain.
Ōire-nomi / Butt chisel
Ōire-nomi are butt chisels characterized by thin, short blade tips and shanks. The shank is typically around 4.5 cm long. They are used for detailed carpentry work with blade widths generally ranging from a very fine 0.3 cm to 4.8 cm.
Hon-tataki-nomi / Striking chisel
Hon-tataki-nomi are sturdy striking chisels with thick, long blades. The shank length ranges from 6 to 7.6 cm and blade from 0.3 to 3 cm. They are used for heavy-duty work such as boring holes into structural materials.
Mukō-machi-nomi / Mortise chisel
Mukō-machi-nomi are robustly constructed mortise chisels with a thick narrow blade tip and rectangular cross sections. Blade widths range from 0.15 to 1.8 cm, and the blade matches the width of the shanks. These chisels are mainly used for carving grooves into doors, panels and screens (tategu), earning them the alternate name tateguya-nomi (door-carpenters’ chisel).
Kote-nomi / Trowel chisel
The kote-nomi, or trowel chisel, has a blade shaped like a Japanese smoothing iron (kote) and a long shaft. The blade width generally ranges from 0.6 to 3 cm. These chisels are used for finishing the bottom surfaces of grooves created by other chisels. They are typically not struck and do not have a metal cap (katsura) on the handle.
Ari-nomi / Dovetail chisel
The ari-nomi, or dovetail chisel, has a relatively long blade with a triangular cross-section, ideal for hand finishing acute angles in corners. Standard blade widths range from 0.3 to 3 cm. It usually does not have a metal cap (katsura) on the handle.
Tsuki-nomi / Paring chisel
Tsuki-nomi are pairing chisels with long, relatively thin blades, measuring 0.24 to 6 cm in width. These chisels are used for finishing processed surfaces of structural materials. With a long shaft and handle, they are held with two hands and thrust against the timber. They typically do not have a metal cap (katsura) on the handle.
Tsuba-nomi / Sword hand-guard chisel
The tsuba-nomi, or sword hand-guard chisel, is named for the protrusion at the base of the shaft, resembling a sword hand-guard (tsuba). It is used for boring holes for large nails. Once the chisel is struck into the timber to the required depth, it is ejected by hitting the tsuba upwards. The blade can be double-edged.
Ura-maru-nomi / Gouge
The ura-maru-nomi is a gouge with a curved blade and cutting edge. It is used for shaving or carving curved surfaces. Typical blade widths range from 0.3 to 3.6 cm.
Yohō-giri / Four-faced gimlet
A yoho-giri, or four-faced gimlet, is used for boring holes for wooden or bamboo nails.
Mitsume-giri / Three-eyed gimlet
A mitsume-giri, or three-eyed gimlet, is used for boring holes for nails.
Tsubo-giri / Pot gimlet
A tsubo-giri, or pot gimlet, is used for boring a mortise.
Nezumi-ha-giri / Mouse-teeth gimlet
A nezumi-ha-giri, or mouse-teeth gimlet, is used for boring holes into bamboo.
Boruto-kiri / Screw auger
A bōruto-kiri is a screw auger with a T-shaped handle. It is capable of boring large, deep holes such as mortise holes in beams and joists, or holes for bolts.
F. Kanna / Planes
A gallery of 1 item.
Wood planes or kanna
Shiage-ganna / Finishing plane
Muratori-ganna / Uneven smoothing plane
Jō-shikō-ganna / Finishing plane
Ara-shikō-ganna / Rough smoothing plane
Chū-shikō-ganna / Middle smoothing plane
Nagadai-ganna / Jack plane
Wood planes or kanna can be subdivided into types designed for different stages of surface finishing. The ara-shikō-ganna, with a relatively long and wide protruding blade, is used initially to remove thick shavings from rough surfaces. This is followed by the chū-shikō-ganna, with a less protruding and narrower blade, which is employed to prepare the surface for the final finish. The finishing plane (shiage-ganna or jō-shikō-ganna) has the narrowest and shortest blade for achieving a polished finish.
A kanna, or plane, with a blade longer than 9 cm is called an ō-ganna (lit. ‘large plane’), while one with a small base and a blade shorter than 5.5 cm is called a ko-ganna (lit. ‘small plane’). Exceptionally small planes are called mame-ganna (lit. ‘bean plane’).
Furthermore, a kanna with a normal-sized blade but with an elongated base measuring around 40 cm, similar to a Jack plane, is called a nagadai-ganna (lit. ‘long-base plane’) and one with a base measuring around 35 cm is called a chūdai-kanna (mid-length base plane).
Soto-maru-ganna / Rounding plane
Uchi-maru-ganna / Hollow plane
A soto-maru-ganna (lit. ‘outwardly round plane’) is a plane with the bottom surface curved outwards used for shaving concave curved surfaces. In contrast, an uchi-maru-ganna (lit. ‘inwardly round plane’) has its bottom surface curved inwards and is used for shaving convex curved surfaces. The blades are also curved to match the base of the plane. Depending on the curvature, there are several variations such as fuka-maru (lit. ‘deep round’) and jiku-maru (lit. ‘shaft round’).
Kiwa-kanna (migi-gatte) / Corner-cutting plane (right handed type)
Kiwa-kanna (hidari-gatte) / Corner-cutting plane (left handed type)
The kiwa-kanna (corner-cutting plane) features a diagonally-tilted blade that extends to the edge of the plane’s body. It is used to plane the inner corners of joints. Depending on the blade’s orientation, it is classified as right-handed (blade extends to the left) or left-handed (blade extends to the right). Some versions come with an adjustable guide attached to the bottom, allowing users to modify the width of the cut by adjusting the screws on the guide.
Soridai-ganna / Compass plane
Shihō-soridai-ganna / Compass plane
The soridai-ganna (lit. ‘curved base plane’), a type of compass plane, has a smoothing blade set into a smaller base that is curved at the bottom, resembling a spoon. It is used to plane significantly curved surfaces. A variant, the shihō-soridai-ganna (lit. ‘four-direction curved base plane’), features a base curved both in section and cross-section. Another type, the funazoko-ganna (lit. ‘ship-bottom plane’), is curved outwards in section but inwards in cross-section. Soridai-ganna are typically small in size.
Wakitori-ganna / Side shaving plane
Hibukura-ganna / Pointed side shaving plane
These planes are used for shaving and finishing the lateral sides of grooves (waki). Their blade extend to the side of the plane’s body, and they come in right-handed and left-handed versions. The cross-section of the plane is designed with a wider, sturdy upper part tapering to a narrower, stepped bottom. Those with a narrow, flat bottom surface are called wakitori-ganna and are used for shaving the sides of wider grooves. Those that narrow down almost to a pointed edge are called hibukura-ganna and are used for narrower grooves and fine inner corners.
Soko-jakuri-ganna / Plough plane
The soko-jakuri-ganna is a type of plough plane used to smooth and finish the bottoms of grooves in door sills or lintels. The blade is generally similar to that of a chisel and typically ranges in width from 0.9 to 3 cm, with most measuring between 1.5 and 2.1 cm.
Motoichi-jakuri-ganna / Wide groove plane (plough plane)
The motoichi-jakuri-ganna, or wide-groove plane, has the same function as the ari-jakuri-ganna, that is, to roughly shave dovetail joints. However it features adjustable guides at the sides of the base, allowing for control over the depth and length of the groove. The blade width typically ranges from 1.5 to 2.1 cm.
Ari-jakuri-ganna / Sliding-dovetail plane
The ari-jakuri-ganna, or sliding dovetail plane, is used for shaping the tongue and grooves of dovetail (ari) joints. There are two types: male and female. The male plane, used for carving the protruding tenon of the dovetail, features a diagonally cut indentation in the base that matches the blade’s width. The female plane is used for carving the concave mortise of the joint. It has a diagonally cut bottom and is sometimes equipped with a screw-operated adjustable guide to control the depth of the cut. There are also combination dovetail planes capable of handling both the male and female portions of the joint.
Kikai-jakuri-ganna / Dovetail plane
The kikai-jakuri-ganna, is a type of dovetail plane used for carving narrow grooves. Its Japanese name comes from the mechanical, or kikai in Japanese, look of its structure. It is equipped with a screw-adjusted guide to control groove width. The blade width generally ranges from 0.15 to 1.5 cm. Before the introduction of the screw mechanism it was known as the koana-tsuki.
Mentori-ganna / Moulding plane
Mentori-ganna are used for chamfering or shaping the edges of wood. The bottom surface of the plane body and blade are shaped according to the desired chamfer (a bevelled edge that transitions between two surfaces). Some are equipped with a fixed or adjustable guide for stabilizing the plane during use and determining the depth of the cut. Certain models feature two blades for carving complex shapes.
G. Gennō / Hammers (and I. Kuginuki (enma) / Pincers and Kuginuki (kajiya) / Crowbar)
A gallery of 1 item.
Ryōguchi-gennō / Double-faced hammer
The ryōguchi-gennō has two striking surfaces: one is flat and the other bulges out slightly in the centre. The flat side is for striking chisels and driving nails, while the convex side, called the kigoroshi-men (lit. ‘wood-killing surface’) flattens timber surfaces, and is also used for the final light strike when driving nails to avoid leaving marks on the timber.
Gennō are measured by weight in the traditional Japanese unit monme. Those used for rough work usually weigh 100 monme (375 g). The handle is typically made of oak.
Sakigiri-kanazuchi / Pointed hammer
Kanazuchi hammers are used principally for driving nails. They typically have one flat striking surface and one pointed striking surface for driving nails into narrow corners. Representative types include the sakigiri-kanazuchi (pointed hammer), shitahara-kanazuchi (underside hammer) and yonbun-no-ichi-kanazuchi (quarter hammer).
Kuginuki (enma) / Pincers
Kuginuki, also known as enma, are pincer-like tools used to grip and pull out a nail when the head is exposed. Japanese nails, with their square cross-section and flattened heads, are difficult to hook, making this tool essential. The curved part serves as the fulcrum of the lever. For longer or deeply embedded nails, a block of wood is placed under the curved side to use leverage for easier extraction.
Kuginuki (kajiya) / Crowbar
There are two types of crowbars used to remove nails from wood: the kajiya and the bar. The kajiya has split ends designed to grip nails. The head of the nail is hooked in the split and leverage is applied to extract the nail, similar to the mechanism of the enma pincers.
The bar has a long flat handle. This flat portion is also effective for dismantling work such as prying apart nailed sections.
H. Maintenance Tools
A gallery of 1 item.
Double open-ended spanner
Used similarly around the world, spanners are tools used for working with bolts and nuts, which can have openings on one or both ends.
Asari-tsuchi / Asari hammer
The teeth of a saw wear down over time, causing the cutting performance to deteriorate. The periodic sharpening of saw teeth is called metate. First, the blade is placed on an anvil and is hammered with a hazuchi (blade mallet) to correct any warping. Next, the teeth are set or aligned, using one of two methods. The first uses a saw setter, or meburi, which clamps the teeth and bends them alternately left and right to create the correct set. The second method uses an asari hammer, where teeth are hammered alternately on the anvil, flipping the saw to address all teeth. The teeth are then sharpened with a saw file.
Metate-yasuri / Saw file
When sharpening a saw, the blade is fixed in a saw clamp so only its teeth are exposed. A wedge is inserted at the bottom to secure the blade. The teeth are then filed and sharpened with a metate-yasuri (saw file) adjusting the grinding angle and cutting edge inclination depending on the saw’s application. Different files are used for various tasks. Cutting files are used for general sharpening and grinding files for larger teeth.
Shiage-to / Finishing stone
Finishing stones, known as shiage-to or awase-to, are used to refine cutting edges to a mirror-like surface. The hardness of these stones vary depending on the purpose. Examples of finishing stones include uchigumori-do and suita-to. Most finishing stones are sourced from Kyoto, with those from the Nakayama area, referred to as ‘Honyama’, being particularly renowned and synonymous with high-quality finishing stones.
Dai-naoshi ganna / Sole tuning plane
A dai-naoshi-ganna is a plane with a single blade set at almost a right angle to the body. It is shorter than a standard flat plane, and is an essential tool for finishing and adjusting the bottom surface of other planes, ensuring high-quality shavings. It is also used for shaving harder woods such as red sandalwood or ebony.
I. Other Tools
A gallery of 1 item.
Flat-blade screwdriver
This tool used to tighten screws by turning them is identical to its European counterpart.
Kizuchi / Mallet
The kizuchi is a mallet used principally for extracting or inserting the blade of a plane. The edge of the plane is tapped with the mallet to extract the blade, and the blade itself is tapped when inserting it into the plane.
J. Ono / Axes
A gallery of 1 item.
Chōna / Adze
The adze, or chōna, is primarily used for rough carpentry and wood scraping. It is ideal for tasks such as squaring timber, trimming rafter bases, rough-cutting gables, and finishing alcove pillars, where tool marks are often left as decorative elements.
An adze is used by holding the handle with both hands and striking downwards with the blade facing the user. It is designed to split and shave wood along the grain. For finishing work, thin, long strokes are preferred. Most adze blades are double-edged, with either symmetrical or asymmetrical sides.
Daiku-masakari / Carpenter’s broadaxe
Masakari are broadaxes used mainly to smooth down and finish timber. The carpenter’s broadaxe, or daiku-masakari, is used for rough carpentry work or for making wedges from scraps of wood.