By KENSAKU NISHIDA/ Staff Writer
November 3, 2022 at 07:00 JST
A chisel from 400 years ago that was found in the attic of Daitokuji temple’s “hojo” building in Kyoto’s Kita Ward (Kensaku Nishida)
KYOTO--Craftsmen stumbled upon a chisel left by a carpenter around 400 years ago during repairs of a national treasure building of Daitokuji temple here.
The tool was found in the attic of the “hojo” chief priest’s residence dating from 1635, which was used for receptions and rituals as well, according to an Oct. 18 announcement by Kyoto Prefecture’s cultural property protection division.
The structure is undergoing a six-year preservation and repair work from 2020.
“The discovery allowed me to vividly imagine how a craftsman wielded this chisel in those days,” said Hironobu Takeshita, 46, a key member of the on-site project team. “Coming across traces of handwork during dismantling process is the best part of our job.”
Chisels from bygone days are rarely discovered because they are ordinary tools. In Kyoto Prefecture, old chisels have previously turned up on three occasions during conservation work of cultural properties.
Daitokuji, located in Kyoto’s Kita Ward, is the head temple of the Rinzai sect’s Daitokuji school.
Kyoto prefectural authorities said the chisel was found buried between a decorative backboard of the roof and a rafter to support the roof in the southeastern corner of the hojo at the end of April.
The artifact had likely lain there since the hojo was built because the section had never been dismantled before. Why the chisel ended up there remains a mystery, given that they were expensive, important tools for craftsmen.
The chisel, which measures 23 centimeters long, has a 17-millimeter-wide, double-edged blade. It was designed to roughly carve and shave wood. Today, single-edge chisels are the norm.
When the blade’s edge was placed onto a shaving mark near where it was discovered, their widths matched perfectly, officials said.
The site of the conservation work will be shown to the public on Nov. 5 and 6 free of charge. The chisel will also be on display.
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