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I have long been interested in Japanese culture. A part of what has always impressed me is their ability to refine what they do down to an art. In the martial arts, years of practice and study are necessary to come to a place of proficiency. Each movement, breath, and inner state must be in harmony to achieve the desired results.

In Japanese manufacturing, autos and electronics are built with high quality standards and efficiency in mind. Set a Honda and a Yugo (I have had both) side by side and the quality differences become easily observable. Drive each and the difference gets burned into your brain.

So too with architecture and construction. My business partner lived and studied in Japan for several years. One day he was telling me about the way they could frame houses and temples using a system of complex joinery which required no nails. He said that during an earthquake these structures had the ability to flex with the movement without causing significant damage.

Being a fan of quality, craftsmanship, and ingenuity, I was immediately fascinated. I am an avid reader and researcher and I love finding new (and old) ways of doing things, of doing them better, and improving quality and aesthetics. I have a particular love of the craft of building and designing. I am inspired by traditional Japanese Carpenters, Amish Timberframers, and Mexican Bovedaros, to name a few.

And, I realized, this is what I want to bring through in my own work and business life. There are hundreds of contractors out there who can build stuff. For many it is simply a means to an end. And for others it is all about the joy of the craft and producing things of quality, beauty, and timelessness.

Kodama is a Japanese word that literally translated means “spirit of the tree.” Japanese Carpenters had respect for the philosophy of the “spirit of the tree” and considered it a duty and honor to use the tree to it’s best purpose and quality. It is a part of what impelled them to become the masters of their craft.

I created Kodama Construction to be a vehicle where we could blend these concepts and philosophies into the work we do. Whether we are building out a custom home or doing repair and maintenance work it is our goal to bring some of that ingenuity and reverence for our craft.

Thanks for reading,
Howard T. Bell
President, Kodama Construction, LLC.