Remembering a carver - Ito Susumu

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  • čas přidán 1. 06. 2024
  • This video from Tokyo woodblock printmaker Dave Bull tells the story of his experiences with one of the old carvers - the late Mr. Susumu Ito. It's a combination of reminiscences and video clips from TV programs of the 1990's.
    The meetings with Ito-san were very important for Dave, and it was thus especially gratifying to him when Ito-san's family got in touch recently ... bringing with them a few interesting items ...
    The URL referenced in the video - showing Ito-san's carving knife - is here:
    woodblock.com/encyclopedia/ent...
    And a small story about him (from 1995) is on Dave's website here:
    woodblock.com/encyclopedia/ent...
    A 'sequel' to this video has been published - including content from the video tapes mentioned:
    • Remembering a Carver -...
    ***
    We now have a Patreon page for support of these videos:
    / mokuhankan
    People have asked for information on similar videos on this channel, and a few more of these 'rambles' can be found here:
    • Beginnings (part 1)
    • Beginnings (part 2)
    • Making a kuchi-e print
    0:00 1980s Introduction and Meeting Matsuzaki-san
    5:09 1992 First Meeting with Ito-san
    9:06 1998 Meeting Ito-san Again
    11:13 Losing Ito-san
    13:14 A Wonderful Gift
    14:59 'One day, I will be able to use this knife'
    22:23 'We're gonna get to the good part now'
    26:12 'One last episode...'

Komentáře • 4,1K

  • @rubberfist100
    @rubberfist100 Před 5 lety +6482

    that's actually why the internet is so important: people's memories and stories, like these, needs to be preserved

    • @temptor7585
      @temptor7585 Před 4 lety +113

      Until CZcams deletes it 7 years down the line for no reason to save "space"

    • @crabapples1995
      @crabapples1995 Před 4 lety +66

      Johnny5Tech
      You’ve got a point, but at the same time if something really blows you away it takes 20 seconds to download the video to a hard drive. CZcams really is the most amazing archive on earth.

    • @ArieteArmsRAMLITE
      @ArieteArmsRAMLITE Před 4 lety +8

      Great sentiment. My 2400 vids hidden due to constant trolling / hatemail.

    • @ArieteArmsRAMLITE
      @ArieteArmsRAMLITE Před 4 lety +1

      @@crabapples1995 how do you do that ?

    • @crabapples1995
      @crabapples1995 Před 4 lety +3

      Dark Mice there’s a lot of video downloader apps and I think with CZcams premium you can download a lot of files.

  • @vafeas84
    @vafeas84 Před 8 lety +11783

    I don't know how I got to this video, I don't know what woodblock carving is, and I had no intention of watching a 28-minute video when I sat down; I thought I'd spend 30 seconds on this, max. Watched the whole thing. What a great story.

    • @cheecheneg
      @cheecheneg Před 7 lety +126

      vafeas84 Same, man. Same.

    • @balorth
      @balorth Před 7 lety +26

      vafeas84 i stumbled here from nhk japanology series

    • @drix4275
      @drix4275 Před 7 lety +24

      Exactly the same as my experience. ^^

    • @jamesdunbar7992
      @jamesdunbar7992 Před 7 lety +115

      Not a clue how I ended up here. or the fact that I just watched a 30min video. I ain't mad at it though. Dude had me listening to every word wanting more. Great story teller.

    • @TestarossaF110
      @TestarossaF110 Před 7 lety +5

      vafeas84 same.

  • @stockloc
    @stockloc Před 4 lety +5398

    Buddy's been living in Japan for so long, he says "ano" instead of "uh" lmao

  • @robrick9361
    @robrick9361 Před 4 lety +537

    He kept the same hair style and beard for decades. Now that's dedication.

  • @stone4070
    @stone4070 Před 4 lety +3177

    " 'It's just a hobby for you.'
    No it isn't, I am a craftsman."
    Beautiful.

    • @bigsmoke1787
      @bigsmoke1787 Před 4 lety +89

      this shows that David bull does it out of passion and the other guy just to make money so he has food on his table, in my opinion he embarrassed himself by saying that to David

    • @brandysigmon9066
      @brandysigmon9066 Před 4 lety +38

      He's more than a craftsman, he is an artist

    • @loggingfire1
      @loggingfire1 Před 4 lety +1

      Nice

    • @weirdguy4948
      @weirdguy4948 Před 4 lety +2

      Wow... how beautiful.....

    • @adamkent639
      @adamkent639 Před 4 lety +10

      @@bigsmoke1787 Really. No.

  • @sikchopper
    @sikchopper Před 5 lety +841

    If Bob Ross had a carving brother, I think I just found him.

  • @beanie5851
    @beanie5851 Před 4 lety +857

    This is so interesting. You can tell he never really got the respect from his idol that he wish he did, but at the same time he idolizes and honors and loves him all the same. There’s a bit of competitiveness. “This is just a hobby for you” “no it’s not, I’m a craftsman” a small amount of tension but a vast amount of respect and admiration. A really great story.

    • @smilingjackl
      @smilingjackl Před 3 lety +91

      Sometimes old men say such things not in harm but in wisdom to light fires in young men so young men set out to prove old men wrong, then old men laugh...
      It's a good way to separate the wheat and husk...

    • @eddieruddock7014
      @eddieruddock7014 Před 3 lety +33

      @@smilingjackl
      CT Fletcher ~ "The worst thing you can do is tell me that I cannot do something"

    • @venomtang
      @venomtang Před 2 lety +22

      Actually, it's a business thing. I just learned Ramen shops do the same thing. They only train people they want to supersede them, everyone else they dont teach, even if from their own store and studio. They teach them the smaller basic things, not the main techniques

    • @xenthia
      @xenthia Před rokem +8

      They say to never meet your heroes, but don't say to never argue with them.

    • @chey6073
      @chey6073 Před rokem +9

      @@venomtang Isn’t that a pretty bad business model? It’s good to be guarded with information, but being too stingy can lead to a small pool of knowledge being passed from one person to another.

  • @ducky5368
    @ducky5368 Před 2 lety +156

    “No fight, no trouble. I’ll remember that. I’ll show you.” This resonated with me so much. How polite and humble, but refusing to undervalue his own worth. Absolute legend.

  • @BeachHead
    @BeachHead Před 8 lety +3783

    the bob ross of print making, love it.

    • @leanneg6017
      @leanneg6017 Před 7 lety +5

      xxBeachHeadxx exactly! I was going to write just that! haha

    • @stormt1000
      @stormt1000 Před 7 lety +5

      xxBeachHeadxx Damn! Beat me to it. Haha.

    • @marymaggotface1994
      @marymaggotface1994 Před 7 lety +1

      BeachHead I was just about to say this! Can't believe I just now found this account.

    • @yoli3477
      @yoli3477 Před 7 lety +1

      you read my mind

    • @jeremygross992
      @jeremygross992 Před 7 lety +13

      BeachHead I was LITERALLY scrolling down so I could comment that!!

  • @virileagitur7403
    @virileagitur7403 Před 5 lety +1165

    "A week later he was dead."
    Well I was not prepared for that

    • @Goldennote
      @Goldennote Před 4 lety +15

      Jesus man spoilers

    • @Johannes00
      @Johannes00 Před 4 lety +36

      If anime can teach you one thing it's that the Japanese's mortal weakness is rain, no joke. 😅

    • @remlezar9397
      @remlezar9397 Před 4 lety +4

      @@Yo_DynamoJoe snape kills dumbledor

    • @AddyWulff
      @AddyWulff Před 4 lety +3

      Neither was he apparently.

    • @lordsmobile4692
      @lordsmobile4692 Před 3 lety +1

      Death comes usually unprepared

  • @OneBiasedOpinion
    @OneBiasedOpinion Před 4 lety +828

    I love how he occasionally slips into Japanese naturally, like at 13:20. It goes to show just how immersed he's become in their culture throughout his life.

    • @zank_frappa
      @zank_frappa Před rokem +4

      Haha, I noticed that too.

    • @toxy3580
      @toxy3580 Před rokem +1

      Lmao

    • @danvol3835
      @danvol3835 Před 10 měsíci +38

      Yes, it's very noticeable, especially if you're familiar with Japanese. He regularly punctuates his speech with "ano~", which is like he's subconsciously pausing to search for the precise word to use, similar to a simple "uh," or "er" in English. Obviously a verbal habit that he's picked up after years of speaking the language with natives.

    • @InspiriumESOO
      @InspiriumESOO Před 9 měsíci

      Their culture? The man has been Japanese for decades. This insane xenophobic attitude that Japanese is some superior culture that other humans are too inferior to experience needs to fuck right off.

  • @ExzoSSG
    @ExzoSSG Před 3 lety +289

    "I don't know if this has been interesting enough"
    Bro, you can talk for 8 hours about how cows shit and I would be completely enthralled by you and your story.

  • @windsblade1048
    @windsblade1048 Před 5 lety +2781

    so we just gonna ignore this dude's beautiful, luscious hair?

    • @h.e.finleyjr.8463
      @h.e.finleyjr.8463 Před 5 lety +17

      LMMFAO

    • @NickC_222
      @NickC_222 Před 5 lety +42

      Winds Blade Of course not. It needs no introduction!

    • @tarutaruomen
      @tarutaruomen Před 5 lety +59

      which hasn't changed in 40 years lol

    • @sicksamuel5110
      @sicksamuel5110 Před 5 lety +28

      Lmao I thought the guy at my work was the only man alive with this hairstyle, if anyone knows the name of it please let me know what its called

    • @pythonjava6228
      @pythonjava6228 Před 5 lety +3

      We are not

  • @LaidbackLost
    @LaidbackLost Před 5 lety +1126

    When you get to Dave’s level it becomes less carving and more molecular wood surgery

    • @MatrixExpress
      @MatrixExpress Před 4 lety +12

      "Dave Level" ...... sounds like a meme ;-)

    • @goinhot9133
      @goinhot9133 Před 4 lety +27

      Talk about high level manipulation of dead tree carcass !

    • @pseudonayme7717
      @pseudonayme7717 Před 4 lety +23

      Lol yeah. And Susumu"Yoda" Ito performs quantum carbon reorganization 😁 which Dave hopes to pull off some day 😎

    • @Cernumospete
      @Cernumospete Před 3 lety

      @@goinhot9133
      *High level manipulation of wood via molecular surgery.

  • @B3_6
    @B3_6 Před 4 lety +818

    It’s sad that so many carvers don’t want to talk about their profession, the other major carver hiding his tools when you went to see him and not wanting to talk. You would think they would want to pass down their knowledge from generation to generation but I guess not. It’s unfortunate.

    • @hellishcyberdemon7112
      @hellishcyberdemon7112 Před 4 lety +70

      Well they will learn eventually that If you dont pass down your passion it will die with you.... or they wont like most of them and their knowledge will die with them

    • @slaughtered777
      @slaughtered777 Před 4 lety +134

      You can't understand their... level or psyche, I can't pinpoint the exact thing about them, but they're probably so introverted and consumed by their work for decades, that teaching and 'spreading knowledge' isn't on their agenda. Those who want to learn will find a way and persevere. For instance, Da Vinci was a god-level master, but probably not a great dude to hang out with 😁

    • @francisdoherty5580
      @francisdoherty5580 Před 3 lety +57

      From what I understand, part of the disconnect is that if they teach you their secrets, you may become a rival. But if you prove worthy of their time, you may glean enough to become good in your own way. Not every master takes an apprentice, but those who do, could teach the secrets of the universe. Or at least their little corner of it. Peace to Ito-San and happiness to all.

    • @Tnecniv12321
      @Tnecniv12321 Před 3 lety +5

      They only want to share if it’s on tv. Obviously likes the publicity

    • @vassili8577
      @vassili8577 Před 3 lety +9

      most of them have bad memories about ww2 and don’t want to share with peoples somehow related to places that nuked them twice

  • @jacksongreen1319
    @jacksongreen1319 Před 4 lety +103

    He is the Bob Ross of carving. The hair, the voice, the charm....he's amazing.

  • @RESIDENTHOB0
    @RESIDENTHOB0 Před 6 lety +1063

    The feeling in that statement is amazing.
    "No, it isn't. I'm a Craftsman."
    Gave me shivers

    • @jacobk.2500
      @jacobk.2500 Před 6 lety +14

      RESIDENTHOB0 You aren't kidding!! Great final comments...

    • @spartan1010101
      @spartan1010101 Před 5 lety +43

      It’s the moment of self-realization. Everything is a hobby until you have that moment.

    • @ahmadkhilfi2620
      @ahmadkhilfi2620 Před 5 lety +32

      Probably one of the most badass sentence I've heard

    • @majesticmojo3823
      @majesticmojo3823 Před 5 lety +5

      I'm a Craftsman

    • @shaun9399
      @shaun9399 Před 5 lety

      actually sun tzu When’s the part when he says it? 😯

  • @bushbeatinbeaver2032
    @bushbeatinbeaver2032 Před 7 lety +1109

    Your voice is so delicate it could clean butterfly wings.

  • @petesessa2041
    @petesessa2041 Před 2 lety +146

    Well......this was an unexpected diamond in my, normally, less-than-rewarding CZcams feed. Nicely done.

    • @meredithahern-tamilio4667
      @meredithahern-tamilio4667 Před 2 lety

      It's a gift for us good people who have been through hell and back ,to watch this was random ...I look at it as a gift that came across my feed ..gratitude ,I'm honestly thankful to watch this video it was a refreshing feeling that I haven't felt in it seem's like forever with what has been going on in our world...blessings to you my friend...😁🌅

  • @blickluke
    @blickluke Před 4 lety +153

    "This has gone on far too long, I dont know if its interesting enough..."
    Meanwhile, 1.6 million views later...

  • @falconpunch6360
    @falconpunch6360 Před 4 lety +937

    "28 minutes? Nah I dont thi- Lul did anyone else watch the entire thing? kept me hooked.

  • @lvaxb24
    @lvaxb24 Před 4 lety +1647

    Me: [nearly in tears from the sheer passion and humility of this amazing man]
    David: "We're going to get to the good part now"
    Me: oh shit i'm not ready

    • @irishnovember5900
      @irishnovember5900 Před 4 lety +15

      Nearly in tears? Bruh, be more dramatic

    • @alaskaismyhome39
      @alaskaismyhome39 Před 4 lety +2

      Seriously? Tears? Why? Firstly, it sounded like Ito Susumu was entirely indifferent to this man's existence. On top of that, I'm surprised you thought Dave showed humility...I thought repeatedly while watching this, "wow, he's a little bit arrogant!"
      Soothing voice? Yes. Humble? Not so much. Touching story? Hardly.

    • @Russell-1
      @Russell-1 Před 4 lety +41

      Saoirse Dove - Arrogant? He’s honest. You’d prefer the current trend for totally false modesty?

    • @alaskaismyhome39
      @alaskaismyhome39 Před 4 lety +2

      @@Russell-1 Even when their art is good, artists are not supposed to praise their own work. It's just the way things are. Better to be overly humble than prideful. Generally, it's best to let others praise your work while you maintain a modest attitude.

    • @spiken6017
      @spiken6017 Před 4 lety +49

      You're wrong. As an artist you can reflect over your own work and compare it to other pieces you have done in the past. To witness your own progression and the journey you have taken as a craftsmen or artist. The arrogancy takes form when you start comparing you own work to others. Especially if your claiming that your work is better while looking over the diffences all artists have.

  • @BackToReality
    @BackToReality Před 3 lety +1771

    This is one of the most relaxing, interesting, and inspiring videos I've seen in a very long time. You are an excellent story teller, and clearly a very fine craftsman. Thank you for sharing this with us.

    • @2lvss
      @2lvss Před 2 lety +7

      agreed this is a story i can fall asleep to, but not wanna fall asleep to hear the story.

    • @chimmychuck
      @chimmychuck Před 2 lety +2

      not relaxing but yeah interesting

    • @l750z_6
      @l750z_6 Před 2 lety

      Your late

    • @shutbag328
      @shutbag328 Před 2 lety

      Agreed

    • @charliebowen5071
      @charliebowen5071 Před 2 lety

      He is not a craftsman...

  • @LunaCosmia
    @LunaCosmia Před 3 lety +148

    I’m so obsessed with this story. Every few months I come back to listen. Especially because this year has been rough and I feel disconnected from people. This story just reminds me of the beauty of humanity. I don’t if that makes sense but that’s all I got.

    • @mikewaters2126
      @mikewaters2126 Před rokem +6

      I do the same, funnily enough. I have the biggest dumbest smile on my face the whole time I watch. It just makes me happy, and it's incredibly comforting.

    • @Drew791
      @Drew791 Před 7 měsíci +1

      11:13 I feel bad because I’ve watched this video quite a few times and the 5 second pause takes such a dark turn that it’s almost funny; and I let out a quick laugh.

  • @Splendrous
    @Splendrous Před 8 lety +180

    I've never commented on a CZcams video ever in my entire life. I just want you to know that I feel my life has been enriched now that I've heard this story. Thank you for taking the time to share. That was truly wonderful.

  • @fae-chan7914
    @fae-chan7914 Před 4 lety +452

    It’s really amazing how he’s subsumed the Japanese equivalent of “um” - 「あの」(Ano), into his casual english vocabulary

    • @lukelemke2783
      @lukelemke2783 Před 4 lety +40

      Yeah, that happens when you learn Japanese. I only studied Japanese for about 8 years, but by year 6 or so, I had a hard time not using Japanese filler words when I was speaking English.

    • @zombieinject
      @zombieinject Před 4 lety +2

      Can you post the time stamp ?

    • @flyingsnake3737
      @flyingsnake3737 Před 4 lety +8

      @@lukelemke2783 I find people that do that quite the show offs. I grew up being fully bilingual (English and Spanish) and i never do that. I find it strange.

    • @fae-chan7914
      @fae-chan7914 Před 4 lety +30

      @Медуса From my understanding, growing up bilingual leads to a more natural understanding of both languages, and the brain does not need to try quite so hard to switch back and forth. Folks who learn a language post adolescence may find that, due to the difficulty of retraining the brain once it has “settled”, it’s just hard for them to use their second language smoothly. Which is why, when someone moves to a country where their first language is not the dominant language, you see some really interesting quirks appear in their first language, where their brain has made new connections (in their second language) and potentially discarded old ones (in their first). Take this guy, who doesn’t really use many English filler words - he has lived in Japan a very long time, and likely uses Japanese more than English, meaning that he has trained his brain to think in Japanese. So in trying to back-translate to his original language, some of those linguistic quirks stick!
      Another fun example is how a lot of American or English expats will - when needing to be quick - count forwards in their second language and backwards in English, or vice versa. The brain connections for counting forwards and backwards seem to be different because we can engrain such different patterns. Really neat!
      ... I’m sorry, this is just me geeking out about linguistics for a little while haha, I do agree that some folks can try to be a bit haughty, but overall it’s such an exciting and interesting topic. Sorry to bug ya!

    • @fae-chan7914
      @fae-chan7914 Před 4 lety +23

      @Lukas Tschoep he does one quietly at 1:09 - listen for the murmur at the end of the in-breath. It’s typical in Japanese to murmur out an “ano” after a pause to indicate that you would still like to speak.
      And at 1:17 he uses “ano” in another typical way as a filler word, giving him time to think.
      Once you notice it, it’s hard to stop noticing, haha!

  • @paadoxal
    @paadoxal Před 4 lety +211

    "the hair isn't delicate at all..."
    *shows the most precise carving technique i've ever seen*

    • @zombieicecreamparty4408
      @zombieicecreamparty4408 Před 4 lety +8

      Right? It’s so common for talented people to focus on the mistakes in the work that no one else notices

    • @paadoxal
      @paadoxal Před 4 lety +2

      @@zombieicecreamparty4408 that makes me think i'm not actually that bad at art i do:)

    • @marekcunderlik6815
      @marekcunderlik6815 Před 3 lety +10

      I'm pretty sure he said "the hair is so delicate, ano (ano being "umm" in Japanese)".

    • @paadoxal
      @paadoxal Před 3 lety

      @@marekcunderlik6815 oh sorry, i didn't notice that, that makes sense (hej i didn't know ano was that in japanese, how interesting:) wonder if it has anything to do with slavic languages)

    • @marekcunderlik6815
      @marekcunderlik6815 Před 3 lety +3

      @@paadoxal I highly doubt it, japan never really had much interaction historically with slavic countries, so their language wouldn't be influenced by it. I'd say it's just a coincidence.

  • @bryan_garcia
    @bryan_garcia Před 3 lety +134

    25:10 "I have a story to tell" the emotion on Dave's face and voice is just about as pure as anything I've ever heard. I know nothing about wood carving and honestly didn't have interest in it prior to this but I could not look away or stop listening for the entire video. One thing I appreciate in life is listening to a master of any field talk about their craft and the passion behind it as well as hearing stories of souls since passed and how their influence continues today. We read about the major public figures in school and what not, but hearing of these individual tales reminds us how truly influential you could become to someone and how for every story or person we know there are millions of others we may never know about.

  • @ctbypwrlftr7409
    @ctbypwrlftr7409 Před 6 lety +359

    I'm blown away at how well you were able to improvise when the producer gestured to the knife. It really shows how well spoken and articulate you are, even when taken somewhat off guard.

  • @pdoherty926
    @pdoherty926 Před 8 lety +536

    > I don't really know if it's been interesting enough...
    Dave, this video was, indeed, interesting and touching. Thanks for sharing.

    • @blackangel6682
      @blackangel6682 Před 6 lety

      pdoherty926 I

    • @jimmyboe25
      @jimmyboe25 Před 6 lety +2

      I subbed because of this video

    • @rakmaarcg1553
      @rakmaarcg1553 Před 6 lety +1

      pdoherty926 i subbed during the video too. That story actually took tears out of my eyes :-) great story of a craftsman's life !

  • @Exile_Sky
    @Exile_Sky Před 4 lety +185

    Four years later, hearing this story again, I worry that traditions like these will die due to that secrecy and unwillingness to teach the craft by the older generation to the younger. Many techniques and methods likely just die with those that developed them...

    • @manurajsinghchauhan8803
      @manurajsinghchauhan8803 Před 2 lety +4

      True

    • @Lucasxd331
      @Lucasxd331 Před rokem +11

      Try convincing a young kid to get out of TikTok and learn a craft that requires patience and practice 🦍

    • @GunslingerRose
      @GunslingerRose Před rokem +9

      @@Lucasxd331 it would be a lot easier if they weren’t so secretive

    • @Lucasxd331
      @Lucasxd331 Před rokem +4

      @@manurajsinghchauhan8803 How many kids have you seen thanking anyone recently? Because I've seen people learning new things, posting online about it and not crediting anyone for teaching them, reposting other people's videos online with only a mindless greenscreened video of themselves pointing their fingers up as if they are adding something to the content they stole. I would also hide my art away if anyone could copy me, not credit me for it and the art dies anyway because instead of learning the art in earnest, people learned 1/10 of the way for a cool video and move on. Being secretive means that they only share with people as passionate as they are, like the story of Ito told in this video for example.

    • @TheGoodDoktor4451
      @TheGoodDoktor4451 Před rokem +13

      @@Lucasxd331 I don’t think letting a centuries old tradition slowly die off because some people on the internet seem ungrateful is a sensible position to hold. And I have to assume, isn’t the reason these master carvers held. They were evidently secretive before the internet.

  • @Ohnonoki
    @Ohnonoki Před 2 lety +21

    "I am a craftsman, and I recarved it better the second time."
    Perfect video to eat my dinner to. Thank you for the video, I didn't think I'd be so captivated by woodcarving, but here I am, sitting at my table with cold noodles lol.

  • @Weeblewobb
    @Weeblewobb Před 4 lety +363

    22:23 "We're gonna get tot he good part". Sir, that whole thing was the good part.

  • @Gennys
    @Gennys Před 5 lety +419

    It's actually very sad to think about how many great craftsmen and women have been lost to history where their works inspired the things we see and love today with no recognition by name. I hope somebody somewhere thinks about it every once and a while. I know I will. Thank you David for this wonderful story and thank you for your dedication to a passion.

    • @JiggyWatt
      @JiggyWatt Před 4 lety +1

      Ito-san was racist and it got him killed.

    • @EEFFEMM
      @EEFFEMM Před 4 lety +1

      @@JiggyWatt that escalated quickly

    • @isaiahjjs8114
      @isaiahjjs8114 Před 4 lety +1

      @@JiggyWatt Proof

    • @shebschaf7608
      @shebschaf7608 Před 4 lety +1

      And than come some people around and looking at Machu Pichu and the Pyramids and say... "the aliens did it". But they just didn´t realise how much lost craftmanship was able to do. What is possible to produce if someone spend his entire life with passion to become a master.

  • @anxtypical
    @anxtypical Před 9 měsíci +3

    The "not sure what to watch" button brought me to this, it did not disappoint. Great story.

  • @matthewsawczyn6592
    @matthewsawczyn6592 Před 4 lety +179

    Imagine the next generation of carvers talking about how they met Dave :)

  • @ferna2294
    @ferna2294 Před 6 lety +359

    I know nothing about carving, but the passion and the way you related this made me stay until the end.
    This could easily become a whole movie.

  • @frank3manuel
    @frank3manuel Před 7 lety +442

    Don't know why I'm watching this. Thought I'd see some documentary about some old Japanese guy, but ended up watching all 28 minutes of a man telling a story. And wonderfully, at that.
    No regrets. You're a great story teller.

    • @zboi3098
      @zboi3098 Před 5 lety +1

      i watched this a year ago and i still get so much more intrest from it.
      Netflix/anime/socialmedia

    • @WoodartAve
      @WoodartAve Před 5 lety +1

      Seems like you know exactly why you watched it. ;)

  • @davishatler1874
    @davishatler1874 Před 2 lety +22

    This is the most human video I’ve ever seen. Everything good about humanity, here

  • @y1521t21b5
    @y1521t21b5 Před 3 lety +68

    16:54 This has to be one of the best extemporaneous tributes to a master ever. Beautiful to watch, privilege to witness.

  • @NecrosAcolyte
    @NecrosAcolyte Před 5 lety +376

    I hope you've duplicated those tapes, or digitized them. I've lost tapes myself due to overuse, the magnetic strip has a finite life that is much shorter than most people realize.

    • @celinak5062
      @celinak5062 Před 5 lety +3

      +

    • @benstanley8825
      @benstanley8825 Před 4 lety +37

      Wouldn't the fact that he showed us a clip of it mean he digitized them?

    • @sirbillius
      @sirbillius Před 4 lety +8

      Ben Stanley
      hopefully

    • @KallePihlajasaari
      @KallePihlajasaari Před 4 lety +30

      @@benstanley8825 The clips, he said, were from the TV shows. The tapes were the raw footage that he was asked not to distribute. He did say near the end that he would be making a DVD copy for the family so I expect that he would have his own digital copy to refer to, rather than lugging out the old VCR just to reminisce.
      So yes he will digitise them but not planning to publish them and he had promised not to even mention receiving them for 10 years.

    • @chrisd530
      @chrisd530 Před 4 lety +5

      Ahhh he finally did it!

  • @tehweine
    @tehweine Před 5 lety +111

    Shit I think I just became relaxed for the first time since 2012

    • @jamil3286
      @jamil3286 Před 4 lety +9

      Don't know what happened to you onward from 2012, but I hope you're situation gets better and you find your peace in life.

  • @FindingTom
    @FindingTom Před 2 lety +405

    This needs to have an "ASMR" somewhere in the title.

    • @edwincaraballo2414
      @edwincaraballo2414 Před 2 lety +6

      I got recommened this video today and im glad to say this story touched me even tho im a young guy. Its nice to see art and someones work cherished. It really is.

    • @Skaffa
      @Skaffa Před 2 lety +5

      no, just no

    • @Bananapants000
      @Bananapants000 Před 2 lety +6

      I think that might actually be why youtube recommended it to me :) But i sat and listened to the story instead of leaving it as background. You only get so much good storytelling like this nowadays

    • @Razer5542
      @Razer5542 Před 2 lety +3

      Not everything HAS to be ASMR..

    • @kccupido3518
      @kccupido3518 Před 2 lety +3

      No.

  • @andrewfphoto
    @andrewfphoto Před 4 lety +47

    Your humility brings tears to my eyes - I thought that there was nobody like yourself left!

  • @Th3shootist
    @Th3shootist Před 8 lety +708

    You need to do a whole story series, you're an exceptional narrator and the stories you've told just in this one part kept me hooked until the end.

    • @profanitymanatee4039
      @profanitymanatee4039 Před 7 lety +47

      Stories like this don't always come in the form of a series. The reason it's so captivating is that the man telling it has a personal connection to this story spanning decades, a story that has just recently concluded in a manner that would make you ask yourself if it was just meant to be.

  • @cloudwolf3972
    @cloudwolf3972 Před 5 lety +40

    "I don't know if it has been interesting enough"
    5 minutes in and I felt thirsty af but I was laid on my bed and didn't wanted to pause. I watched till the end before I went to get some water.

  • @andreasnewhagen7610
    @andreasnewhagen7610 Před 2 lety +8

    getting this completely randomly recommended 5 years after it was published and watching the whole thing and being completely interested the whole time was fun

  • @fouav6520
    @fouav6520 Před rokem +23

    I just finished watching this. I can’t wait to watch it again. One thing I enjoyed as a child, the PBS shows, documentaries and going to the library to check out VHS of interesting topics like this.

  • @GlassesnMouthplates
    @GlassesnMouthplates Před 5 lety +289

    "You're a Craftsman, David."

  • @shane8037
    @shane8037 Před 5 lety +180

    "ano... ano... anooooo....."
    Dude went full native.

    • @drankydrank1
      @drankydrank1 Před 4 lety +11

      Lol ikr I caught that too, it's so subtle I have a feeling anyone unfamiliar didn't even notice.

    • @amistry605
      @amistry605 Před 4 lety +1

      What do you mean? Can u explain?

    • @YaYeetBeet
      @YaYeetBeet Před 4 lety +12

      @@amistry605 I'm pretty sure ano is the japanese equivalent of "um"

    • @amistry605
      @amistry605 Před 4 lety +3

      @@YaYeetBeet ohhh ok thanks

    • @zombieinject
      @zombieinject Před 4 lety +2

      Time ?

  • @deoyx
    @deoyx Před 4 lety +30

    When he brought out the tv block I just was in awe. Stories like this are so amazing.

  • @miweneia
    @miweneia Před rokem +4

    Talk about an inspiring story - Dave left his job and home in the 80s to move to Japan because of his interest in printing and wood carving. Nearly a decade later he finally met a printer but didn't get to meet the carver (Susumu Ito) in person. Half a decade later he finally got to meet him through the TV show, another half decade later met him once again in the TV show's update, just a week before his passing. Then some 15 odd years later the Ito-san's family came over to his shop and brought the very same carving block Dave watched Ito-san carve in these two TV episodes so many years ago.
    I sat through the whole 28 minutes, not skipping a second of it. It made me feel like listening to my grandpa telling me old stories, I was so engrossed in it. Thank you for uploading this and I wish you all the best!

  • @ScrapwoodCity
    @ScrapwoodCity Před 5 lety +534

    I just came across this video. You reminded me of old master craftsmen stories here in Greece. They used to take their secretes to their graves! Not sharing their knowledge even with their children! My granddad used to say that you can't learn a craft, you "steal" it! There was something romantic and mystical about those people! Thanks for sharing this video it is really inspiring!

    • @lancecadiz1253
      @lancecadiz1253 Před 4 lety +7

      It's "secrets" not "secretes" which actually made me imagine people getting buried with shit

    • @ItsTealv
      @ItsTealv Před 4 lety +38

      @@lancecadiz1253 wth dude, just chill, its just a spelling mistake

    • @smilingjackl
      @smilingjackl Před 3 lety +6

      So true about stealing a craft instead of learning a craft. Many people will say they want to learn but don't commit 💯 which becomes frustrating and most craftsman are not great teachers.
      I have learned more from a craftsman who will not take a apprentice by just hanging out with him and watching him and asking "what are you doing now?" And he would teach me without the pressure of teaching...

    • @Jdplayz-bq4ys
      @Jdplayz-bq4ys Před 3 lety +2

      @Chandler Burse his comment isn’t that nice and he was being overly critical.

  • @ottergreen8190
    @ottergreen8190 Před 4 lety +477

    This dudes voice is like a human Quaalude.

  • @SebastianPerezG
    @SebastianPerezG Před 4 lety +16

    You do not need to scream when you talk , this guy speaks so calm.
    Instant Subscribe.

  • @SirShiv7
    @SirShiv7 Před 11 měsíci +4

    This one man's passion for a hobby turned vocation may very well be the single thing that saves this art from disappearing into the past.

  • @jaelsonnen5750
    @jaelsonnen5750 Před 4 lety +173

    13:05 Look at the bottom picture.
    Legend has it they still haven't found exactly where the tip of Ito San's blade ends and the air around it begins.

  • @wiggy1988
    @wiggy1988 Před 5 lety +1053

    "Anno"...he's gone native.

    • @KalinoursEU
      @KalinoursEU Před 5 lety +59

      omae wa..

    • @horaciogovea7433
      @horaciogovea7433 Před 5 lety +38

      @@Raven-wr4hm shindeiru

    • @AwesomeDude799
      @AwesomeDude799 Před 5 lety +3

      Chibaku Tensei

    • @rich1051414
      @rich1051414 Před 5 lety +5

      @@KalinoursEU Kimi no*
      Only an english speaker would understand :)

    • @rich1051414
      @rich1051414 Před 5 lety +17

      @Madina It's just a word inserted to string together thoughts, like 'and, uh'.

  • @impsycko_
    @impsycko_ Před rokem +14

    It’s interesting how I watched the whole thing even though I am not interested in carving, it’s really nice to see someone talk about something they are passionate about.

  • @bharland85
    @bharland85 Před 5 měsíci +2

    I don't know how many times I've watched this video, it always ends too soon.

  • @ivoryfalcon5494
    @ivoryfalcon5494 Před 7 lety +94

    "this has gone on far too long"
    this hasn't gone on long enough, i NEED MORE!

  • @AdaptiveReasoning
    @AdaptiveReasoning Před 8 lety +191

    This made me cry.

    • @RazsterTW
      @RazsterTW Před 8 lety +12

      +AdaptiveReasoning I'm there with you. Heart breaking even through I do not know him. Great respect.

    • @123reletive123
      @123reletive123 Před 7 lety +27

      I know right. Such a great narrator and story. I literally have no idea what this printing is but ive sat through this whole video fascinated, and i wanna see more

    • @branimirmarold7343
      @branimirmarold7343 Před 6 lety

      Respect on steroids 8'-)

    • @CenturianEagle
      @CenturianEagle Před 6 lety

      Guys, I've came back and rewatched this several times, and it was a great story and I love this guys passion for his art and can genuinely relate to loving an art so much- and beyond that, I find inspiration for my own particular arts/hobbies, EVEN on days where I feel very unmotivated/ lacking in passion myself, he manages to inspire me in this video with the love for his craft, so this video is very great, but.. crying? Seriously ? Ha. Come on now!!

  • @jorgealexphoto
    @jorgealexphoto Před 9 měsíci +2

    Idk why or how this ended up on my feed, but I am so thankful it did.

  • @cc-zn2ty
    @cc-zn2ty Před rokem +3

    This CZcams video is priceless

  • @statiksea
    @statiksea Před 6 lety +598

    I love that your Uhs or Ums are all in japanese out of habit. I dont know why, it just makes me happy

    • @asmrtime5971
      @asmrtime5971 Před 5 lety +36

      Ano is anus in Spanish lol. As a Spanish speaker, I was so confused when I first started watching anime.

    • @haferman92
      @haferman92 Před 5 lety +19

      You're a fucking weeb

    • @deciphermysoul926
      @deciphermysoul926 Před 5 lety +31

      yo momma and you’re an obnoxious twat.

    • @icxcnika9399
      @icxcnika9399 Před 5 lety +2

      Eehhhhhh so so so so

    • @ae4164
      @ae4164 Před 5 lety +5

      Well, he has clearly lived there a very long time. He has the classic backstory of wishing to move to Japan to follow a craft or art and finding out that no real experience means your job is teaching ESL, haha. It's no surprise he has acquired an accent.

  • @SepiaSepiaKR
    @SepiaSepiaKR Před 7 lety +169

    "Its just a hobby for you.".
    Sounds harsh.
    But in the softest way, It might've just brought up the best in you, Dave.
    This was a very touching story, and I'm glad I could, for couple of minutes, get a superficial glimpse into the life of two amazing carvers.

    • @ZephyrMcIntyre
      @ZephyrMcIntyre Před 5 lety

      Lead up to the above quote. czcams.com/video/ij9KXgiyDAc/video.html

  • @holyarchon9564
    @holyarchon9564 Před 5 měsíci +3

    This is a wonderful story. I’ve had mentors but nothing as memorable as yours. Not diminishing my memories but Japan has always been a dream of mine

  • @HamletNOR
    @HamletNOR Před 4 lety +7

    What an unbelievably beautiful story and video. What a voice! It's 1:34 AM in Norway right now, and whoever finds this comment, I hope you enjoy this treat as much as I just did. Arigato!

  • @adorableandray
    @adorableandray Před 8 lety +62

    Much respect from a fan in Russia : )

    • @adorableandray
      @adorableandray Před 8 lety +10

      +Adorable Andray ... I am at a loss of words, dear David. What a POWERFUL and moving story (I'd hate to call it just "video")! Felt like 4-6 minutes to me. Too short! And magic, and fascinating.
      Thank you for this, big time! It was a very-very good day when you decided to share your work on youtube.

  • @M3XYPZ
    @M3XYPZ Před 4 lety +87

    My heart contracted when he started talking about "when would that day be?" I though I was about to see this man pick up that old knife and possibly break it. I was having an attack wtf I've never been so invested on a random dude's video. CZcams algorithm I can thank you for once.

  • @MikeFrazee222
    @MikeFrazee222 Před 4 lety +8

    The producer did something amazing. The tape would have been lost if it wasn't for this.

  • @DannyB-cs9vx
    @DannyB-cs9vx Před 3 lety +1

    I was in Japan as a young man in the 1970's. I was in the US Navy. I was on a ship that would be berthed in port for months at a time. It was a repair ship. We were like a floating repair shop for other ships. I was able to learn a bit about the culture. I grew up in the USA where as an apprentice in my trade I was instructed how to perform different functions of my trade. In Japan the masters of their craft are inclined to not instruct you how to do anything. They say, you must steal my knowledge. Meaning you must pay very close attention to what I am doing.
    Them sharing any knowledge with you tells me they considered you special. I see this is a video from several years back, but I also see you have made very recent videos. I came across this video looking for beginner carving instructions. In my retirement I thought I would be a hobby carver. I had not considered the facet of print carving. You have my interest, I may steal from you.

  • @ButterBallTheOpossum
    @ButterBallTheOpossum Před 4 lety +568

    14:16
    Lady:don't tell anyone I gave you those tapes
    Guy: tells 1.2 million people

    • @Erksah68
      @Erksah68 Před 4 lety +38

      Enough time has passed

    • @Loxris
      @Loxris Před 4 lety +50

      She said to keep it under his hat for 10 years, probably meant the footage as well.

    • @bellablow4287
      @bellablow4287 Před 4 lety +24

      He honoured her wishes, of ten years

    • @InsaneClown2
      @InsaneClown2 Před 2 lety

      Ironically 2.1 now

  • @brandongammon6978
    @brandongammon6978 Před 5 lety +56

    I randomly stumbled upon this but when he was describing ito's last carving I almost cried

  • @sungha360
    @sungha360 Před 4 lety +4

    He is naturally a good historian. I have no interest in wood carving but he is such a good storyteller that he kept me interested in listening.

  • @risitaswithbigote9384
    @risitaswithbigote9384 Před rokem +2

    Here i was trying to find an ASMR video to sleep, but here i am now, 28 minutes later trying to find the part 2 of this story.

  • @chompi2358
    @chompi2358 Před 4 lety +517

    Shaggy found his inner peace in carving

    • @Jesse__H
      @Jesse__H Před 3 lety +16

      ano, ruh roh

    • @robrick9361
      @robrick9361 Před 3 lety +1

      Lucky for that Woodblock that Shaggy was only using 0.000000001% of his power.

  • @Geolas88
    @Geolas88 Před rokem +3

    What still amazed me about this story is that this man got into Japanese wood carving and not only moved to Japan but literally practiced and learned this all my himself, without the internet, with probably barely any guidance for years and years on end.
    The dedication, drive and resilience of this man is fascinating.

  • @FurryFantasyRave
    @FurryFantasyRave Před 2 lety +7

    This video gives me chills, the whole life story of how a man against the odds goes to Japan and learns to become his passion.

  • @gokogi
    @gokogi Před 5 lety +872

    This feels like an ASMR 🤔

    • @gloriouspurpose18
      @gloriouspurpose18 Před 5 lety +52

      George unintentional asmr is the greatest💜

    • @gokogi
      @gokogi Před 5 lety +2

      @@gloriouspurpose18 yeah, it's great to make me fall asleep >.

    • @sazam9700
      @sazam9700 Před 5 lety +2

      True True, but such an amazing story

    • @colonelgraff9198
      @colonelgraff9198 Před 5 lety +10

      If it feels like ASMR, it is ASMR.

    • @rl6173
      @rl6173 Před 4 lety +2

      Asmr can be anything that relaxes you even a person screaming in agony

  • @suicidalkatt
    @suicidalkatt Před 7 lety +68

    DAVID, PLEASE DIGITIZE THESE AND PRESERVE THEM!! OLD TAPES WILL BREAK!

    • @Tressym.
      @Tressym. Před 6 lety +4

      He already said he's making DVD copies for the carver's daughter.

  • @gordondawson8576
    @gordondawson8576 Před 3 lety +26

    Hello Dave,
    Thank you for sharing your knowledge and the process of improving your skills. I have not cried as much over your story (happy emotional outburst) than anything else. Once again thank you.

  • @cannon2004
    @cannon2004 Před 6 měsíci +1

    I found myself here after watching the wood carving episode of Sakura Quest because i wanted to learn more. This craft is really pretty and cool.

  • @guppy8073
    @guppy8073 Před 5 lety +119

    Feels like a story from a grandpa I don’t have. Your storytelling is incredible, thank you for sharing

  • @maxwell_edison
    @maxwell_edison Před 5 lety +87

    I don't know why I was recommended this video but I'm crying now

  • @Punkanova
    @Punkanova Před 5 měsíci +3

    This is probably my third or fourth time listening to this all the way through but I hadn’t seen it in a good year or two.. wanted to see if it would make me cry like every time before. It has in fact made me cry more than any time before… your passion for this art is inspiring and your respect and admiration for Ito is endearing. Thank you so much Dave, for making this, and every other video you have along the way.

  • @pepperlewis1
    @pepperlewis1 Před 7 měsíci +2

    You are the Bob Ross of wood carving. God bless

  • @thialfi2289
    @thialfi2289 Před 5 lety +214

    As with many others, I really don't know how this ended up in my feed but I really wanted to say that this was a beautiful story. It was incredible to hear about some of the culture behind this kind of craftwork and I really hope you did the videos explaining some of your knowledge because it would be really sad for that knowledge and experience to be lost.

  • @Mrblobbybobby
    @Mrblobbybobby Před 8 lety +259

    Don't you DARE apologise for rambling Dave, that is why we love you and your videos!
    You have so many interesting stories to tell, and a beautiful way of telling them, so ramble away! :)

  • @DavidBrown-nd9mf
    @DavidBrown-nd9mf Před 7 měsíci +1

    Homeboy is the Bob Ross of the carving world. One of the few people that really chill me out just by talking. I'm glad I found this channel.

    • @BerticusBersht
      @BerticusBersht Před 2 měsíci

      There isnt anything funnier than refering to someone as "homeboy" who doesn't fit that culture 😂

  • @JoeyLovesTrains
    @JoeyLovesTrains Před 7 měsíci +3

    This is an amazing story for anyone to listen to, it’s inspiring and interesting as if it was written by a radio show host such as the moth radio or NPR. Your rambling and tangents were just right to keep me involved. This is masters class story telling

  • @theshwinkie
    @theshwinkie Před 5 lety +90

    Stumbled upon this video and thrilled that I did. This gentleman has such an aura of intelligence, peace, and stoicism. And what a story to pair. Thank you!

  • @falconpunch6360
    @falconpunch6360 Před 4 lety +132

    20:23 He's basically carving at an Atomic level at this point.

    • @Ashutosh0797
      @Ashutosh0797 Před 4 lety +1

      Perhaps microns but you my friend went too faaaar 😂

    • @vance6355
      @vance6355 Před 4 lety +1

      @@Ashutosh0797 he' exaggerating bc of His impressive skills, i mean the man was 43 year's older then me but even my poor Mole eye's are struggeling to barely See what He is carving there.

  • @jjones503
    @jjones503 Před 7 měsíci +2

    This video came out of nowhere, it's been amazing to watch.

  • @blkrbbt
    @blkrbbt Před 10 měsíci +2

    I'm taking away three things from this gentleman.
    1) he is passing along techniques to keep them from being lost.
    2) a true gift to hear that story with so much reverence for Ito-san and the craft.
    3) such a great storyteller. The voice carries the narrative and slips it into your arms to hold.

  • @garouproxyNEW
    @garouproxyNEW Před 6 lety +117

    I cannot remember when last I spent 28 minutes on a youtube video that left me feeling as... no words really apply. Thank you!

    • @seseragistudio
      @seseragistudio  Před 6 lety +9

      Shall we call a doctor? :-) Thanks!

    • @garouproxyNEW
      @garouproxyNEW Před 6 lety +6

      Already did. He prescribed a instant channel subscription and at least a few videos from your channel a day until I am caught up ^_^.

    • @seseragistudio
      @seseragistudio  Před 6 lety +10

      Sounds good to me ... but don't 'drink' too much all at once!

    • @garouproxyNEW
      @garouproxyNEW Před 6 lety +6

      Verily I shall savour the "taste" rather than gorging ^_^.

  • @TheEphemeris
    @TheEphemeris Před 7 lety +20

    It's currsntly 4am and I have work tomorrow...why am I so captivated by this soft spoken man!

  • @redneckhippiefreak
    @redneckhippiefreak Před 4 lety +3

    I have NO Idea how I got here..Im just glad I made it..

  • @jorgecardoso5863
    @jorgecardoso5863 Před 3 lety +13

    Every once in a while I come back here either to relax, or to, for the 100th time hear David sharing his awesome story and love for this craft

  • @spacecorgi3074
    @spacecorgi3074 Před 5 lety +170

    27:47 Also that is the most badass anime thing I've ever heard

    • @RabidlyTaboo
      @RabidlyTaboo Před 3 lety +1

      do the people clothes tear off when they see amazing work?
      citation: food wars

    • @jonnevitu4979
      @jonnevitu4979 Před 3 lety +2

      * opening starts playing *