Kumiko (woodworking)

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A complex kumiko panel

Kumiko (Japanese: 組子) is a Japanese technique of assembling wooden pieces without the use of nails.

Method

Thinly slit wooden pieces are grooved, punched and mortised, and then fitted individually using a plane, saw, chisel and other tools to make fine adjustments. The technique was developed in Japan in the Asuka Era (600–700 AD).[1] Kumiko panels slot together and remain in place through pressure alone, and that pressure is achieved through meticulously calculating, cutting, and arranging interweaving joints. The end result is a complex pattern that is used primarily in the creation of shoji doors and screens.[2]

Patterns

The designs for kumiko pieces aren't chosen randomly. Many of the nearly 200 patterns used today have been around since the Edo era (1603–1868). Each design has a meaning or is mimicking a pattern in nature that is thought to be a good omen. The patterns are designed to look good, but also to distribute light and wind in a calming and beautiful way.[3]

See also

Reference

  1. ^ "About Kumiko". Tanihata Co, Ltd. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
  2. ^ "6 Things You Need to Know About Kumiko Woodworking". Japan Objects. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
  3. ^ "THE ANCIENT ART OF KUMIKO – JAPANESE WOODWORK". The Goodlife Centre. 2019-01-30. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
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