In the wake of World War II, Japan’s culture shifted dramatically, shaped by rapid Westernization and urbanization. It was during this time that a sixteen-year-old Yoshi Morohashi began his carpentry apprenticeship in Tokyo.
Yoshiharu “Yoshi” Morohashi (1949-2017) spent twelve years working under skilled master carpenters, building over a hundred homes in the Tokyo and Yokohama areas.
This apprenticeship not only taught him how to build houses but also how to design them and oversee all stages of construction. His skills were closer to that of an architect, not just a carpenter.
After completing his apprenticeship and earning his license, Yoshi sought more creative freedom in woodworking. In 1974, he moved to New York and opened a woodworking shop. There, he collaborated with respected architects and artists like Billie Tsien and Tod Williams, culminating with work on the Eisenberg Residence which earned him the prestigious 1986 Distinguished Architecture Award.
In 1993, Yoshi returned to Japan, where he became a father the following year. Five years later, he and his family moved back to the United States, settling in Los Angeles. His work alongside Chu+Gooding Architects in renovating the Harold English house, originally designed by Harwell Hamilton Harris, was published in the LA Times and featured in LA Modern by Tim Street-Porter. Yoshi spent the rest of his life refining his craft and building relationships with leading architects and artists in LA.
Yoshi’s remaining handcrafted heirlooms—trays, cutting boards, and other wooden pieces—are available at Tortoise General Store.
