指物

Sashimono joinery
 

板と板を組む

直角に合わせる「留め接ぎ」「組み接ぎ」

Board to board

Perpendicular joints

When joining two boards at right angles, there are two types of joints: the mitre joint (tome-tsugi) where the corners are cut at a 45-degree angle to conceal both the end grain and the joint, and the box joint (kumi-tsugi), where the assembled parts are exposed.
 

1. 蟻天秤

Ari-tenbin

Wide dovetail joint

The ari-tenbin (wide dovetail joint) stands out for its excellent combination of design and strength, and is used to join the front panels of drawers and in furniture such as dressers and cabinets.
 

2. 水組（捻れ組接ぎ）

 Mizu-gumi (nejire-gumi tsugi)

Water joint (twisted tenon joint)

Mizu-gumi is so named because the joined pieces resemble the kanji character for “water” (水). This joint is used for braziers (hibachi) and offering boxes (sainsenbako) in temples and shrines, among other items.
 

3. 留め形隠し蟻形接ぎ

Tome-gata kakushi ari-gata tsugi

Hidden mitred dovetail joint

The tome-gata kakushi ari-gata tsugi (hidden mitred dovetail joint) is used in the assembly of luxury boxes. Made from a single piece of wood, the beauty of its finish lies in the wood grain, which runs continuously throughout the piece.
 

4. 蟻組み接ぎ

Ari-kumi tsugi

Dovetail joint

The ari-kumi tsugi is a tsugite joint that combines strength and aesthetic beauty. It incorporates and joins an odd number of dovetail-shaped tenons, such as three or five pieces, inserted in a single direction. It is used to connect the side panels of dressers and other box-shaped furniture.
 

5. 斜め組み接ぎ（縄組み）

Naname-kumi tsugi (nawa-gumi)

Slanted joint (rope joint)

The naname-kumi tsugi is a slanted joint of the kumite type that is difficult to loosen, made using diagonal tenons that are identical on both pieces. Because it resembles a braided rope, it is also known by the alternative name nawa-gumi (nawa means “rope” in Japanese).
 

6. 石畳み組み接ぎ・千枚組み接ぎ

Ishidatami-kumi tsugi / senmai-kumi tsugi

Stone pavement joint (thousand-pieced joint)

The name of this joint varies according to the number of incisions made along the piece of wood: sanmai-gumi (three-piece joint), gomai-gumi (five-piece joint), or nanamai-gumi (seven-piece joint). Those with a larger number of finer incisions are called ishidatami-kumi tsugi (stone pavement joint), and those with even more detail are called senmai-kumi tsugi (joint of a thousand pieces).

__________________________________________
 

三方向　L字型+垂直材

Three-way

L-shaped + vertical beam joints
 

These joint combinations are often used in decorative shelving units, forming an L-shaped horizontal frame around a vertical corner post.
 

7. 三方留め接ぎ

Sanpō-dome tsugi 

Three-way mitre joint
 

8. 流れ三方留め接ぎ

Nagare sanpō-dome tsugi 

Varied three-way mitre joint
 

9. 棚と柱の接合部分

Tana to hashira no setsugō bubun

Shelf-to-pilar joint

_________________________________
 

板材と角材を組む（板材×角材）

Board to beam

Board material + rectangular beam joints
 

In furniture and sashimono pieces with decorative shelving, mortise and tenon joinery connects posts to shelves. This requires a high degree of craftsmanship to ensure both strength and the appearance of a single, continuous pillar.
 

10. ローソクホゾ接ぎ

Rōsoku-hozo tsugi 

Hidden stepped double mortise and tenon joint
 

11. 三枚ホゾ接ぎ

Sanmai-hozo tsugi 

Triple-tenoned joint

_______________________________
 

二方向　L字型

Two-way

L-shaped joints
 

In furniture and sashimono pieces, two-way L-shaped joints are particularly useful in frame, shelf and box construction to connect two pieces of wood at right angles. 
 

12. 留め形箱ホゾ接ぎ

Tomegata-hako-hozo tsugi

Mitred hidden capped mortise and tenon joint
 

13. 留め形隠し七枚接

Tomegata-kakushi-nanamai tsugi

Mitred hidden seven-layered mortise and tenon joint

_____________________________
 

角材と角材を組む

Beam to beam

Rectangular beam + rectangular beam joints

Similar to board joinery, a tenon is created in one beam and a mortise in the other. Both mitre and open-mortised box joints are used when connecting two or more beams.
 

14. 地獄蟻枘接ぎ

Jigoku ari-hozo tsugi

Foxtail wedged tenon joint
 

15. 重ねホゾ接ぎ

Kasane-hozo tsugi

Split tenon joint
 

16. 隅胴付平ホゾ接ぎ

Sumi-dōtsuki-hira-hozo tsugi

Corner shoulder mortise and tenon joint
 

17. 剣留めホゾ接ぎ

Kendome-hozo tsugi

Tenoned sword-tip mitre joint
 

18. 蟻形仕掛け接ぎ

Arigata-shikake tsugi

Cross-lapped slanted dovetail with hidden mortise and tenon joint

_____________________________________
 

板材と板材を組む

Board to board
 

矧ぎ接ぎ

Hagi-tsugi 

Edge joints

Edge joints (hagi-tsugi) connect the edge grain of two boards producing a wider surface. The technique is commonly used for tabletops.
 

19. 蟻核平矧ぎ

Ari-zane hira-hagi

Sliding dovetail joint
 

20. 雇い核矧ぎ

Yatoi-zane hagi

Loose tongue joint

__________________________________
 

端嵌め接ぎ

End joints

End joints (hashi-bame-tsugi) are used to cap the ends of wide boards with crosspieces, concealing the end grain and preventing warping. The grain of the crosspiece runs perpendicular to the main board. 
 

21. 本核留め形端嵌め

Hon-zane tome-gata hashi-bame

Mitred tongue-and-groove edge joint
 

22. 本核端嵌め

Hon-zane hashi-bame

Tongue-and-groove edge joint