Japanology Plus: Season 2019, Episode 5

2019 - 5: Wood: Culture

70% of Japan's land is covered in forests and woodland. For centuries, wood has been used for furniture, buildings, and tools. This time on Japanology Plus, our theme is the cultural significance of wood. Our main guest, architecture expert Kazuyoshi Fumoto, explains why wood continues to be a mainstay of modern Japanese life and why people feel so warmly towards it. And in Plus One, Matt Alt discovers the level of precision that Japanese carpenters are able to achieve.