Kumiko (woodworking)

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A complex kumiko panel

Kumiko is a Japanese technique of assembling wooden pieces without the use of nails. 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,[clarification needed] and that pressure is achieved through meticulous calculating, cutting, and arranging. The end result is a complex pattern that is used primarily in the creation of shoji doors and screens.[2]

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[]

  • Shoji#Frame

References[]

  1. ^ "About Kumiko｜Tanihata Co,Ltd". www.tanihata.co.jp. 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.

Sources[]

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