I don't think the chance of dropping and damaging a Tachihara should be a major factor in your buying decision. Any camera, wood or metal, can sustain damage if it's dropped. Linhof Technikas (very sturdy metal cameras) have a reputation of being almost indestructable. But I dropped mine a distance of maybe three feet onto soft dirt paths twice, both times a protruding knob that controls back movements broke and had to be replaced at considerable expense. So I don't think there's any such thing as a bullet proof camera, wood or metal.
For your purposes I think the Tachihara would be an excellent choice. It weighs about 4 pounds (2 pounds lighter than the Shen Hao), has all the movements you'll need for landscape photography and most other purposes, is well built, sturdy, and reasonably precise. It's very simple to operate and quick to set up and take down.
In addition to books already mentioned I'd recommend "View Camera Technique" by Leslie Stroebel. Many people consider it the bible of large format photography books, not light reading but very thorough.
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