Shokunin 職人 is the Japanese word for craftsman. In Japan traditional carpentry is executed without the use of metal nails or fasteners of any kind, instead relying on precisely crafted hand-cut joints to fasten wood together and to build entire houses with. Canadian Adam Zgola is a shokunin and has been living and working as a 大工 “Dai-Ku” or traditional Japanese carpenter for over fifteen years. Using age old wood joining techniques passed down from his master, and his commitment to sustainable forestry using only locally sourced Japanese wood, Adam continues the tradition of the Dai-Ku by creating beautifully constructed hand built homes that will be cherished by the families using them for generations to come. Adam has also been featured on national television shows for NHK, both in Japan and abroad.
