my name is Douglas Brooks and I’m an American boat builder writer and
American boat builder writer and
American boat builder writer and researcher for the last 20 years I have
researcher for the last 20 years I have
researcher for the last 20 years I have been studying traditional Japanese boat
been studying traditional Japanese boat
been studying traditional Japanese boat building my research involves working
building my research involves working
building my research involves working alongside craftsmen from throughout
alongside craftsmen from throughout
alongside craftsmen from throughout Japan
Japan
Japan in order to document their design
in order to document their design
in order to document their design secrets and techniques in my view this
secrets and techniques in my view this
secrets and techniques in my view this work is crucial because Japan’s last
work is crucial because Japan’s last
work is crucial because Japan’s last generation of boat builders is
generation of boat builders is
generation of boat builders is disappearing and almost none have taught
disappearing and almost none have taught
disappearing and almost none have taught apprentices I am the sole apprentice for
apprentices I am the sole apprentice for
apprentices I am the sole apprentice for all six of my teachers craftsmen from
all six of my teachers craftsmen from
all six of my teachers craftsmen from Sado Island Rhode iesous Tokyo Almaty
Sado Island Rhode iesous Tokyo Almaty
Sado Island Rhode iesous Tokyo Almaty Okinawa and ewot day these men have
Okinawa and ewot day these men have
Okinawa and ewot day these men have exposed me to the traditional Japanese
exposed me to the traditional Japanese
exposed me to the traditional Japanese apprentice learning
apprentice learning
apprentice learning my first trip to Japan I went to Sado
my first trip to Japan I went to Sado
my first trip to Japan I went to Sado Island at that time I was working as the
Island at that time I was working as the
Island at that time I was working as the museum boat builder at the Maritime
museum boat builder at the Maritime
museum boat builder at the Maritime Museum in San Francisco
Museum in San Francisco
Museum in San Francisco and before I left for Japan a friend
and before I left for Japan a friend
and before I left for Japan a friend gave me a photograph from a Japanese
gave me a photograph from a Japanese
gave me a photograph from a Japanese magazine it showed a woman floating in a
magazine it showed a woman floating in a
magazine it showed a woman floating in a large barrel gathering shellfish
large barrel gathering shellfish
large barrel gathering shellfish the caption of the photo said simply
the caption of the photo said simply
the caption of the photo said simply Oggy village Sado Island and I was
Oggy village Sado Island and I was
Oggy village Sado Island and I was determined to go to Sado to see if these
determined to go to Sado to see if these
determined to go to Sado to see if these strange little boats existed
strange little boats existed
strange little boats existed I took this photograph my first morning
I took this photograph my first morning
I took this photograph my first morning on thought oh Island
on thought oh Island
on thought oh Island these are tourist tugboats but every
these are tourist tugboats but every
these are tourist tugboats but every morning all along the OG Peninsula
morning all along the OG Peninsula
morning all along the OG Peninsula people get into boats like these and go
people get into boats like these and go
people get into boats like these and go to sea to gather seaweed and shellfish
to sea to gather seaweed and shellfish
to sea to gather seaweed and shellfish most of these people are women
most of these people are women
most of these people are women that first trip to Sado I met mr. Koh
that first trip to Sado I met mr. Koh
that first trip to Sado I met mr. Koh Ichi Fuji the last builder of tugboats
Ichi Fuji the last builder of tugboats
Ichi Fuji the last builder of tugboats two years later I came back to Sado with
two years later I came back to Sado with
two years later I came back to Sado with an interpreter and I interviewed mr.
an interpreter and I interviewed mr.
an interpreter and I interviewed mr. Fuji about his life and work he told me
Fuji about his life and work he told me
Fuji about his life and work he told me that when he was studying with his
that when he was studying with his
that when he was studying with his master his teacher refused to teach him
master his teacher refused to teach him
master his teacher refused to teach him any of the critical dimensions used in
any of the critical dimensions used in
any of the critical dimensions used in building the tub boats he told me that
building the tub boats he told me that
building the tub boats he told me that he used to sneak into his master’s
he used to sneak into his master’s
he used to sneak into his master’s workshop at night with a candle and
workshop at night with a candle and
workshop at night with a candle and study his layout
study his layout
study his layout he called this new Sumi giggle or stolen
he called this new Sumi giggle or stolen
he called this new Sumi giggle or stolen lessons
lessons
lessons that same trip a maritime historian took
that same trip a maritime historian took
that same trip a maritime historian took me to Kochi City and introduced me to
me to Kochi City and introduced me to
me to Kochi City and introduced me to the last boat builder there that man had
the last boat builder there that man had
the last boat builder there that man had drawings of his boats all drawn on a
drawings of his boats all drawn on a
drawings of his boats all drawn on a plank of wood he showed me his drawings
plank of wood he showed me his drawings
plank of wood he showed me his drawings his father’s drawings
his father’s drawings
his father’s drawings even his grandfather’s drawings
even his grandfather’s drawings
even his grandfather’s drawings but as I looked at the drawings I saw a
but as I looked at the drawings I saw a
but as I looked at the drawings I saw a problem you couldn’t build a boat from
problem you couldn’t build a boat from
problem you couldn’t build a boat from any of them
any of them
any of them because critical lines were missing I
because critical lines were missing I
because critical lines were missing I pointed this out to the boat builder and
pointed this out to the boat builder and
pointed this out to the boat builder and he said to me you’re right the missing
he said to me you’re right the missing
he said to me you’re right the missing information are my secrets I was really
information are my secrets I was really
information are my secrets I was really stunned by what these craftsmen were
stunned by what these craftsmen were
stunned by what these craftsmen were telling me in the West we have a long
telling me in the West we have a long
telling me in the West we have a long tradition of recording the crafts at
tradition of recording the crafts at
tradition of recording the crafts at home I have dozens of books describing
home I have dozens of books describing
home I have dozens of books describing in every detail all of the facts of
in every detail all of the facts of
in every detail all of the facts of western boat building and maritime
western boat building and maritime
western boat building and maritime museums throughout North America and
museums throughout North America and
museums throughout North America and Europe have published literally
Europe have published literally
Europe have published literally thousands of drawings of traditional
thousands of drawings of traditional
thousands of drawings of traditional boats but here in Japan the craft was
boats but here in Japan the craft was
boats but here in Japan the craft was completely undocumented and moreover the
completely undocumented and moreover the
completely undocumented and moreover the crafts have depended entirely upon the
crafts have depended entirely upon the
crafts have depended entirely upon the apprentice system and without a new
apprentice system and without a new
apprentice system and without a new generation of apprentices the craft was
generation of apprentices the craft was
generation of apprentices the craft was at risk of disappearing
at risk of disappearing
at risk of disappearing people often ask me why my teachers took
people often ask me why my teachers took
people often ask me why my teachers took me a foreigner on as their apprentice I
me a foreigner on as their apprentice I
me a foreigner on as their apprentice I think the answer is twofold first many
think the answer is twofold first many
think the answer is twofold first many of my teachers were second third and
of my teachers were second third and
of my teachers were second third and even fourth-generation boat builders
even fourth-generation boat builders
even fourth-generation boat builders they understood better than anyone the
they understood better than anyone the
they understood better than anyone the amount of knowledge about to be lost
amount of knowledge about to be lost
amount of knowledge about to be lost second when I met my teachers most were
second when I met my teachers most were
second when I met my teachers most were in their 70s and I think I was the first
in their 70s and I think I was the first
in their 70s and I think I was the first person to express a serious interest in
person to express a serious interest in
person to express a serious interest in their work for that reason the fact that
their work for that reason the fact that
their work for that reason the fact that I was a foreigner did not matter to them
I was a foreigner did not matter to them
I was a foreigner did not matter to them what was more important was what that we
what was more important was what that we
what was more important was what that we were both boat builders in my research I
were both boat builders in my research I
were both boat builders in my research I have traveled to 45 of Japan’s 47
have traveled to 45 of Japan’s 47
have traveled to 45 of Japan’s 47 prefectures meeting and interviewing
prefectures meeting and interviewing
prefectures meeting and interviewing almost 60 boat builders and I have never
almost 60 boat builders and I have never
almost 60 boat builders and I have never had a craftsman refer to me as gaijin or
had a craftsman refer to me as gaijin or
had a craftsman refer to me as gaijin or foreigner and for me the opportunity to
foreigner and for me the opportunity to
foreigner and for me the opportunity to study with such amazing craftsmen has
study with such amazing craftsmen has
study with such amazing craftsmen has been irresistible
been irresistible
been irresistible all six of my apprenticeships started
all six of my apprenticeships started
all six of my apprenticeships started the same way with my teachers telling me
the same way with my teachers telling me
the same way with my teachers telling me how I was expected to behave in the
how I was expected to behave in the
how I was expected to behave in the workshop
they all told me that my previous
they all told me that my previous experience building boats in America
experience building boats in America
experience building boats in America would be of no use to me they even said
would be of no use to me they even said
would be of no use to me they even said that my experience building other kinds
that my experience building other kinds
that my experience building other kinds of Japanese boats did not count because
of Japanese boats did not count because
of Japanese boats did not count because these were not the same boats that they
these were not the same boats that they
these were not the same boats that they built finally they all stressed one
built finally they all stressed one
built finally they all stressed one requirement we would work together in
requirement we would work together in
requirement we would work together in complete silence and I was not to
complete silence and I was not to
complete silence and I was not to interrupt them with questions unless
interrupt them with questions unless
interrupt them with questions unless absolutely necessary what this meant was
absolutely necessary what this meant was
absolutely necessary what this meant was that outside of break times there would
that outside of break times there would
that outside of break times there would be no speaking in the workshop
be no speaking in the workshop
be no speaking in the workshop ironically this meant that language was
ironically this meant that language was
ironically this meant that language was not an obstacle in my apprenticeships I
not an obstacle in my apprenticeships I
not an obstacle in my apprenticeships I didn’t necessarily need to speak fluent
didn’t necessarily need to speak fluent
didn’t necessarily need to speak fluent Japanese because my teachers weren’t
Japanese because my teachers weren’t
Japanese because my teachers weren’t going to speak to me and while they
going to speak to me and while they
going to speak to me and while they tolerated some questions
tolerated some questions
tolerated some questions if I did ask for an explanation the most
if I did ask for an explanation the most
if I did ask for an explanation the most common answer they gave me was simply
common answer they gave me was simply
common answer they gave me was simply wait and you will understand
wait and you will understand
wait and you will understand for those who haven’t experienced it
for those who haven’t experienced it
for those who haven’t experienced it it’s really difficult to appreciate the
it’s really difficult to appreciate the
it’s really difficult to appreciate the intensity of this kind of learning first
intensity of this kind of learning first
intensity of this kind of learning first it puts all of the responsibility for
it puts all of the responsibility for
it puts all of the responsibility for learning on the student you have to
learning on the student you have to
learning on the student you have to concentrate and pick up every detail of
concentrate and pick up every detail of
concentrate and pick up every detail of what is going on let me give you an
what is going on let me give you an
what is going on let me give you an example in Tokyo my teacher taught me
example in Tokyo my teacher taught me
example in Tokyo my teacher taught me how to sharpen the plane blade using the
how to sharpen the plane blade using the
how to sharpen the plane blade using the water stone 35 strokes on the bevel then
water stone 35 strokes on the bevel then
water stone 35 strokes on the bevel then turn the blade over and five strokes on
turn the blade over and five strokes on
turn the blade over and five strokes on the back one day I was sharpening a
the back one day I was sharpening a
the back one day I was sharpening a plane blade while my teacher was working
plane blade while my teacher was working
plane blade while my teacher was working on the boat I lost count but I continued
on the boat I lost count but I continued
on the boat I lost count but I continued anyway stopping when I thought I got to
anyway stopping when I thought I got to
anyway stopping when I thought I got to about 35 I turned the blade over but my
about 35 I turned the blade over but my
about 35 I turned the blade over but my teacher stopped me that was 34 strokes
teacher stopped me that was 34 strokes
teacher stopped me that was 34 strokes he said start over
with his back to me concentrating on his
with his back to me concentrating on his own work he had been counting while I
own work he had been counting while I
own work he had been counting while I sharpened
it taught me two things first that it
it taught me two things first that it was possible to listen and observe with
was possible to listen and observe with
was possible to listen and observe with a depth of understanding that I had
a depth of understanding that I had
a depth of understanding that I had never imagined
never imagined
never imagined in that moment he knew something about
in that moment he knew something about
in that moment he knew something about me that I did not know about myself
me that I did not know about myself
me that I did not know about myself and second I was to be absolutely
and second I was to be absolutely
and second I was to be absolutely obedient to my teachers methods and
obedient to my teachers methods and
obedient to my teachers methods and wishes
wishes
wishes I realize now that the first lesson in
I realize now that the first lesson in
I realize now that the first lesson in the Japanese apprenticeship is humility
to a westerner
to a westerner the Japanese the Masters treatment of
the Japanese the Masters treatment of
the Japanese the Masters treatment of The Apprentice can look like neglect
The Apprentice can look like neglect
The Apprentice can look like neglect certainly the apprentice is put in very
certainly the apprentice is put in very
certainly the apprentice is put in very difficult situations but I’ve come to
difficult situations but I’ve come to
difficult situations but I’ve come to realize that in my culture teaching is
realize that in my culture teaching is
realize that in my culture teaching is about giving students facts and skills
about giving students facts and skills
about giving students facts and skills as quickly and efficiently as possible
as quickly and efficiently as possible
as quickly and efficiently as possible whereas the Japanese apprenticeship is
whereas the Japanese apprenticeship is
whereas the Japanese apprenticeship is of values based education first forcing
of values based education first forcing
of values based education first forcing the student to obey then teaching him
the student to obey then teaching him
the student to obey then teaching him how to observe and how to concentrate
how to observe and how to concentrate
how to observe and how to concentrate the obstacles and difficulties the
the obstacles and difficulties the
the obstacles and difficulties the apprentice faces are the lessons
thing about building tugboats is
thing about building tugboats is braiding the bamboo hoops that hold the
braiding the bamboo hoops that hold the
braiding the bamboo hoops that hold the boats together
boats together
boats together when I apprenticed with my teacher mr.
when I apprenticed with my teacher mr.
when I apprenticed with my teacher mr. Fuji
Fuji
Fuji he gave me one hoop to braid while he
he gave me one hoop to braid while he
he gave me one hoop to braid while he braided the other two my wife videotaped
braided the other two my wife videotaped
braided the other two my wife videotaped him working but it all happened so fast
him working but it all happened so fast
him working but it all happened so fast that I really didn’t understand it and
that I really didn’t understand it and
that I really didn’t understand it and so there I was my first apprenticeship I
so there I was my first apprenticeship I
so there I was my first apprenticeship I had gone to Sado to document how to
had gone to Sado to document how to
had gone to Sado to document how to build tugboats and I didn’t understand
build tugboats and I didn’t understand
build tugboats and I didn’t understand how to do the thing that literally holds
how to do the thing that literally holds
how to do the thing that literally holds the boats together back home I watched
the boats together back home I watched
the boats together back home I watched the videotape over and over I used
the videotape over and over I used
the videotape over and over I used pieces of plastic strapping instead of
pieces of plastic strapping instead of
pieces of plastic strapping instead of bamboo trying to practice how to braid
bamboo trying to practice how to braid
bamboo trying to practice how to braid hoops I must have watched that tape
hoops I must have watched that tape
hoops I must have watched that tape dozens if not a hundred times but
dozens if not a hundred times but
dozens if not a hundred times but finally I got it
finally I got it
finally I got it the long hours I spent watching the
the long hours I spent watching the
the long hours I spent watching the videotape were like the years the
videotape were like the years the
videotape were like the years the apprentice spends watching his master
apprentice spends watching his master
apprentice spends watching his master slowly gaining insight into every facet
slowly gaining insight into every facet
slowly gaining insight into every facet of the work
of the work
of the work right now in 30 minutes I could teach
right now in 30 minutes I could teach
right now in 30 minutes I could teach all of you how to braid a bamboo hoop
all of you how to braid a bamboo hoop
all of you how to braid a bamboo hoop really but if we return to your from now
really but if we return to your from now
really but if we return to your from now probably none of you would remember how
probably none of you would remember how
probably none of you would remember how to do it I like to think that there is
to do it I like to think that there is
to do it I like to think that there is nothing I know better than how to do
nothing I know better than how to do
nothing I know better than how to do this and why because my teacher wouldn’t
this and why because my teacher wouldn’t
this and why because my teacher wouldn’t teach me because of the desperation I
teach me because of the desperation I
teach me because of the desperation I felt to learn how to do this because of
felt to learn how to do this because of
felt to learn how to do this because of the hours and hours I spent watching
the hours and hours I spent watching
the hours and hours I spent watching that video making mistakes to taking my
that video making mistakes to taking my
that video making mistakes to taking my mistakes apart and starting all over
mistakes apart and starting all over
mistakes apart and starting all over again
again
again this kind of learning engaged every part
this kind of learning engaged every part
this kind of learning engaged every part of me
a few years ago the Takenaka carpentry
a few years ago the Takenaka carpentry tools museum in co bay mounted an
tools museum in co bay mounted an
tools museum in co bay mounted an exhibition of japanese tools at harvard
exhibition of japanese tools at harvard
exhibition of japanese tools at harvard university the exhibit was titled the
university the exhibit was titled the
university the exhibit was titled the thinking hand
thinking hand
thinking hand it’s like the way I think about braiding
it’s like the way I think about braiding
it’s like the way I think about braiding barrel hoops it’s not something I know
barrel hoops it’s not something I know
barrel hoops it’s not something I know in my head the knowledge is as much
in my head the knowledge is as much
in my head the knowledge is as much physical as intellectual
I used to think it was enough to simply
I used to think it was enough to simply go to Japan and document how traditional
go to Japan and document how traditional
go to Japan and document how traditional boats are built before they disappeared
boats are built before they disappeared
boats are built before they disappeared but surprisingly my teachers didn’t take
but surprisingly my teachers didn’t take
but surprisingly my teachers didn’t take any of this very seriously many of them
any of this very seriously many of them
any of this very seriously many of them would point to my camera and say it’s no
would point to my camera and say it’s no
would point to my camera and say it’s no good taking pictures you have to train
good taking pictures you have to train
good taking pictures you have to train your eye what they were trying to tell
your eye what they were trying to tell
your eye what they were trying to tell me was they wanted me to develop a
me was they wanted me to develop a
me was they wanted me to develop a deeper more intuitive understanding of
deeper more intuitive understanding of
deeper more intuitive understanding of the craft ultimately I am so grateful to
the craft ultimately I am so grateful to
the craft ultimately I am so grateful to my teachers for humbling me for making
my teachers for humbling me for making
my teachers for humbling me for making me uncomfortable for forcing me to look
me uncomfortable for forcing me to look
me uncomfortable for forcing me to look and concentrate in the end they made me
and concentrate in the end they made me
and concentrate in the end they made me think like The Apprentice they wanted me
think like The Apprentice they wanted me
think like The Apprentice they wanted me to be and they taught me the ancient
to be and they taught me the ancient
to be and they taught me the ancient lesson of how to listen for the meaning
lesson of how to listen for the meaning
lesson of how to listen for the meaning in the silence arigato gozaimashita
in the silence arigato gozaimashita
in the silence arigato gozaimashita [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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