Tansu Talk w/ Caleb Rogers

Japanese Kiri Tansu: History, Craft, and Tradition

This 1.5-hour presentation will explore the history, construction, and cultural significance of the Japanese kiri tansu—a traditional chest made from the light, resilient wood of the paulownia tree. Several examples of kiri tansu will be displayed, allowing participants to closely examine their proportions, joinery, hardware, and distinctive construction methods.

The talk will follow the process of making a kiri tansu from the selection and harvesting of the tree through the careful cutting, drying, preparation, and assembly of the wood. It will also introduce the traditional Japanese hand tools used by tansu makers and explain how these tools influence both the construction and character of the finished piece.

Live demonstrations will include the use of traditional Japanese pull saws and hand planes, showing how wood can be cut, refined, and fitted with remarkable accuracy using simple, finely tuned tools.

The presentation will be filmed by a Japanese television crew for broadcast in Tokyo, offering a rare opportunity to observe both an enduring Japanese craft tradition and its continued influence on contemporary woodworking.