Last Updated: Mar 22, 2025

Head to Hanbara

Home of Miya-daiku Japanese Carpenters

This story was originally published on donnykimball.com and has been syndicated here on Medium.

In the fall of 2024, I was invited by the powers that be to join a two-day monitor tour. Our destination was a region known as Hanbara, nestled in the semi-rural town of Aikawa. Located in northern Kanagawa Prefecture, this charming hamlet is home to the Hambara Miya-Daiku Guild — one of the foremost groups of traditional Japanese carpenters in the entire country. For centuries, these skilled artisans have played a vital role in constructing shrines, temples, and other traditional wooden structures across Japan. Most notably, the craftsmen of Hanbara were entrusted with overseeing the construction of Edo Castle, the Tokugawa shogunate’s former seat of power.

Though definitely tucked far off the beaten path, Hanbara is brimming with hidden gems waiting to be explored. What’s more, the region’s lush natural environment offers a refreshing contrast to the chaos of nearby Tokyo. Pristine rivers wind through the heart of the town, which is bordered by the towering Tanzawa Mountain Range, with peaks soaring over 1,000 meters high. Historically, this part of Japan has been a place where people could sense the divine in every tree, waterfall, and mountain. It’s this deep reverence for nature — infused with a spiritual essence — that ultimately gave birth to the artisanal tradition now known as Hanbara Miya-Daiku.

All throughout Hanbara, you’ll find countless examples of these residential carpenters’ work. From temple buildings like the towering gate of Shoraku-ji to the woodwork that went into the durable house of a wealthy farmer and a renowned teahouse, there are a ton of carpentry masterpieces in Hanbara. While some are indeed challenging to get to without your own set of wheels, I highly encourage anyone with the means and ability to drive to make the rounds to some of these properties. The wood buildings are truly exemplary of the Miya-daiku craft and are a perfect fusion of art and history.

Moving forward, we’ll be using the word Miya-daiku quite a bit, so for those unfamiliar with the term, let’s take a quick moment to highlight the definition. Essentially, Miya-daiku refers to traditional Japanese carpenters who specialize in the construction and restoration of properties such as shrines…