Imbued with the Power of Japan’s Forests – KIGUMI: Revealing the carpentry behind the wood joint

Since ancient times, wood has been deeply rooted as part of Japanese cultural heritage. In everyday life, craftspeople have learned to use it with mastery, refining the technique of kigumi, a system of wooden joints that combines form and functionality. From everyday objects to grand structures such as shrines, temples, and palaces, this pursuit of practicality combined with beauty and precision has elevated the craft of wood joinery to a level of excellence admired around the world. The kigumi technique, which creates complex and robust forms, is applied in various contexts, including architecture, crafts, furniture, and utilitarian objects.
 

In architecture, kigumi is technically called tsugite-shikuchi (which literally means “joints and notches”). However, its purpose goes far beyond the simple joining of pieces, which is why it is considered a fundamental technology that conveys strength, durability, construction feasibility, and ornamentation. The methods that comprise the kigumi have evolved to meet the needs of each era, manifesting themselves in various forms that exist to this day. Their application ranges from delicate fine woodwork (sashimono) and lattice work (kumiko) to use in large civil construction works, such as wooden bridges, rarely seen in other parts of the world.
 

In the previous exhibition, Imbued with the Power of Japan’s Forests — Masters of Carpentry: Skill and Spirit, the techniques and soul of Japanese master carpenters who seek to prolong the life of trees transformed into wooden pieces were presented. In this second act, entitled Imbued with the Power of Japan’s Forests — KIGUMI: Revealing the carpentry behind the wood joint, the attention is turned to kigumi as the specific technology that underpins this craft. By carefully dismantling its structures, we follow the traces of its wisdom found. A single tree inhabits its time in the forest before being entrusted to human hands and transformed. Kigumi is, perhaps, the art of connecting, across generations, the power of nature to the human hand. Through this exhibition, we invite you to gently take another step closer to the spirit of reverence that the Japanese people dedicate to wood.
 

What is kigumi?

By making the best use of the natural properties of wood to join pieces without leaving any gaps, the material reveals its maximum strength and beauty. Instead of gluing or using metal hardware, we invite you not only to observe, but also to try it out: assemble the pieces with your own hands and feel the true kigumi.
 

Revealing what is hidden

Only by disassembling kigumi do the intentions and advanced techniques behind each joint become visible. That is why, in this exhibition, we decided to be bold: we disassembled the interior of these joints, revealing parts that we don’t normally see. From architecture to design objects and furniture, each joint is unique and surprising!
 

Contemplate the world's highest level of technique

Instead of mass production, we celebrate design that is born from the complexity inherent in manual labor. We invite you to appreciate the various works created especially for this exhibition by some of Japan’s leading craftspeople, masters of a technique recognized worldwide.
 

Enjoy the world of kigumi!
 

Marcelo Nishiyama, Ph.D.

Associate Director and Chief Curator of the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum