content: They're actually insanely sophisticated and some of the world's greatest achievements in woodworking. Japanese were doing shit with woodworking over a thousand years ago that people don't do today. They built entire Shinto temples without using any metal fasteners, incredibly complicated origami-like joinery and craftsmanship that is second to none.  The metalsmiths who used to make Samurai swords also made (and now make) chisels and planes and the Japanese will sit there and shave off millimeters of wood so their joint fits perfectly instead of half-assing it and getting close and making up the difference with glue or nails. The interiors of these homes are fucking incredible, made from precise woodworking, sliding screens, an an incredible knowledge of how to build homes. That's why they have stood for so long. The thatching of the roofs is incredible, far more complex than just stacking some shit on some mud, as they must sustain the insane snowfall in that area. They are seriously works of art. I suggest looking up Japanese woodworking videos on YouTube.