Ooooh. That reminds me of a funny coincidence. When I did my woodworking I only used japanese tools because they always felt natural to me. The maintenance and sharpening to me was easier than western tools (of which are generally said to be easier).

Even complicated procedures came naturally with little practice, and basic maintenance on western tools rarely "clicked". I talked to my mother about this and i learned my great grandfather in japan was a carpenter, and would have used the same exact tools i was "familiar" with.