The London School of Furniture Making

Sketches and notes from Alan Peters' travels through Japan 1975

Last April I spent a fruitful afternoon leafing through the Alan Peters archive held at the Crafts Study Centre in Farnham.

There are umpteen books, podcasts and interviews about why crafts matter. Sometimes a photo sums it up more succinctly.

User made hammer sawset - oak and brass.

I'm trying to be ruthless with my clear out, but tempted to keep this cos I like it. If you make me a reasonable offer I might let it go...

A few of the things I brought back from my travels.

1. The laminated knife I made with Miki City bladesmith Sadahide Chiyozuru

2. Natural polishing stone from Aiwadani mine, Kyoto

3. Cherry bark box - shimofuri natural finish. Akita prefecture

4. Tabi work boots

5. Indigo dyed handkerchief - Miki City

6. Sori Yanagi - The Philosophy of Design

Exploring Himeji Castle today was like stepping back in time. Known as the "White Heron Castle" for its elegant, soaring design, it’s one of Japan's most stunning and well-preserved feudal castles. Built in 1609, this UNESCO World Heritage Site has stood as a symbol of resilience and architectural brilliance.That's what the guide says so I'm not going to argue with them.

Sam and I had a blast nosing into the castle's nooks and crannies, and trying to track down as many splice joints as we could—those intricate wooden joinery techniques are a testament to the craftsmanship of the Edo period and that of the recent renovation work. Every corner of the castle tells a story. I was particularly entertaining by the catastrophic search for a tree tall enough to replace one of the two 25m long main support pillars. After taking ages to find a suitable specimen disaster struck as it was being driven to site. The flat bed took a too sharp bend and the precious trunk snapped in two😮.

Afterward, we visited an exhibition featuring architectural models by Kengo Kuma. Seeing his modern designs, rooted in traditional Japanese aesthetics, was the perfect complement to our day of historical trolling about. Kuma’s ability to blend natural materials with contemporary concepts is bloody clever.

From ancient fortresses to modern masterpieces 🏯

Beautiful rundown shop fronts in Kyoto

We wandered through a neighbourhood where the buildings have had a make over. Very nice if a bit bougie. Sadly, we weren't allowed to photograph the streets; we didn't fancy getting slapped with a ¥10,000/£50 fine if caught snapping.