Tsugite, Japan’s Traditional Wood Joining Art

We are all capable of learning the basics of woodworking , and according to many experts, it is advisable to learn this skill . Most of those who learn usually do so with techniques that involve joining wood with nails or glue. A few, however, have the patience and dedication to master the art of woodworking without nails or glue, an art that has been refined in Japan for many generations. Traditional Japanese carpenters build entire buildings using only wood, cutting it into pieces that fit together so perfectly that it seems as if they were created by nature. This technique of working with wood is undoubtedly a maximum test of skill; if you don’t do it right, the temple will just collapse.

“In the late 12th century, detailed woodworking and knowledge of this technique came to Japan from China,” says Dylan Iwakuni, a carpenter from Yamanashi. “Over the time, these splicing skills were honed and learned by the following generations, resulting in the perfect splices that we can now find in Japan.”

As it became a tradition in Japan, the carpentry developed its rules and methods for these joints, some of which Iwakuni shows us in the video at the beginning of the post. These junctions are not only very safe, like the other junctions we can enjoy on the Iwakuni canal, but some that would seem “impossible”, such as the shihou kama tsugi , are also aesthetically perfect, a pleasure to behold!

In addition to his YouTube channel, Iwakuni has an Instagram account where he posts photos of the splices he makes, not only in classes he teaches, but in real situations where he works in building construction and maintenance. “The splices can be to replace damaged parts,” he says, “allowing the structure to last another hundreds of years.” To make a perfect splice, you not only need to perfect a series of very complicated skills, but also tools that are always in perfect condition. In the case of Iwakuni, the sharp edge of his tools is so evident that he even receives comments from carpenters and craftsmen from all over the world, surprised by them.