Learn Japanese Joinery Online
Start with a Free Diagram or a Project
Structured, step-by-step courses for serious beginners and makers.
New to Japanese Woodworking?
Start your journey here.
Japanese Style Marking Gauge
The Kehiki (Marking Gauge) is the most fundamental, yet vital tool in Japanese joinery. What you will gain through this project is not just a layout tool. It is an experience of "Immersion"—the quiet dialogue with wood, the sharpening of the blade, and the feeling of a tool becoming an extension of your own hand.
Sushi Tray
The Sushi Tray project is a gateway to the elegance and precision of Japanese joinery. What you will gain through this project is not just a serving piece. It is an experience of "Immersion"—the quiet dialogue with wood, the rhythmic snapping of the fibers, and the feeling of creating a sanctuary on your own dining table.
Phone Stand
Coming Soon
Paper Towel Stand
Coming Soon
From Our Library
Meet Your Instructor
Hisao Zen is a Japanese woodworker and educator based in Australia, specialising in traditional Japanese joinery and manual tool work. He trained under a master craftsman in temple and shrine architecture, where precision, structure, and hand skills were essential.
Through years of hands-on experience with chisels, kanna, and layout tools, he learned not only how to cut joints, but how to understand the structure behind them. His teaching focuses on clarity, fundamentals, and step-by-step progression.
DIY Japanese Joinery was created to share traditional techniques in a way that is accessible to serious beginners and makers around the world.
Hisao Zen
Founder of DIY Japanese Joinery
Precision Starts with a Single Line.
Download the Structural Diagram of the Traditional Kehiki.
Master the foundation of Japanese joinery with a detailed structural diagram of the traditional marking gauge (Kehiki). Clear measurements. Clear proportions. No guesswork.
Before you build, understand the structure.
By submitting this form, you provide your explicit consent to receive ongoing communication, including promotional content, updates, and reminders via email in accordance with our Terms/Conditions, Privacy Policy.
© 2026 DIY Japanese Joinery. 24 Einstein Avenue Mulgrave VIC 3170, Australia
Legal Notices: Visit our terms and conditions page to view important information that will help you understand the benefits and limitations of our work. You can also view our privacy policy. All pricing is in U.S. dollars.
©2017–2026 DIY Japanese Joinery
All pricing is in U.S. dollars.
Some images by Freepik