Shokunin
Japanese term that doesn’t translate as “craftsman.” Toshio Odate in Japanese Woodworking Tools (1984): the shokunin polishes both technique and heart through daily practice.
“The Shokunin has a social obligation to work his best for the general welfare of the people. This obligation is both spiritual and material.”
Jiro Ono has made sushi for over 70 years. At 90, he still examines rice grains, still adjusts pressure based on who’s eating, still arrives before his apprentices. The documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi captured something: the practice never ends. The pursuit of perfection is itself the point.
The concept links craft to character. Your work reflects who you are. Tools are extensions of the hand — maintaining them is part of the practice, not separate from it. Dull instruments produce dull work. The sharpening stone matters as much as the blade.
Go Deeper
Books
- Japanese Woodworking Tools: Their Tradition, Spirit and Use by Toshio Odate — The source of the shokunin concept in English. Part tool guide, part philosophy of craft.
- Making Shoji by Toshio Odate — Practical application of shokunin principles to a specific craft.
- The Unknown Craftsman by Soetsu Yanagi — On mingei (folk craft) and the relationship between craftsmanship and beauty.
Films
- Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011) — Documentary on Jiro Ono, the 90-year-old sushi master. The visual definition of shokunin.
- Takumi: A 60,000-Hour Story on the Survival of Human Craft (Lexus, 2018) — Short documentary on Japanese master craftsmen.
Related: [[sharpening]], [[the-jig]], [[deliberate-practice]]