Forms and Woodwork Techniques of Axe and Adze from Traces Left on Building Components Built Between the Asuka Period and Kamakura Period

Axes and adzes used between the Asuka (6th–8th century) and Kamakura (12th–14th century) periods exhibited versatile functions beyond modern applications. Traces on wooden building components reveal that axes were primarily employed for lumbering, cutting raw wood into coarse blocks, while adzes served multiple purposes—shaping vertical splits, chipping surfaces, and creating flat or rounded features like joints, convex, and concave forms. Unlike today’s specialized use, these tools were integral to both rough and fine woodworking, reflecting advanced craftsmanship in ancient Japanese architecture.

UEMURA, M. (2014). FORMS AND WOODWORK TECHNIQUES OF AXE AND ADZE FROM TRACES LEFT ON BUILDING COMPONENTS BUILT BETWEEN THE ASUKA PERIOD AND KAMAKURA PERIOD. Journal of Architecture and Planning (Transactions of AIJ), 79(702), 1845–1852. https://doi.org/10.3130/aija.79.1845