Kyo-sashimono is a Kyoto woodworking craft made without metal nails or other joining fittings, instead using "kumite" joinery techniques that fit wooden boards to boards and rods to boards, along with mortise-and-tenon joints. Its origins are said to trace back to the court culture of the Heian period, and it developed by incorporating culture that arrived from China and Korea into distinctly Japanese woodworking techniques of the kind seen in the Shosoin Repository. From the Muromachi period onward, specialized sashimono craftsmen emerged, and as tea ceremony culture spread, refined techniques were honed for both sashimono as furnishings and sashimono as tea utensils. It is characterized by discerning use of woods suited to their properties — lightweight, warp-resistant paulownia; soft, smooth cedar; and sturdy, luxurious zelkova — assembled with precision while making the most of the wood grain's beauty. It is used for a wide range of items including Kyo-tansu chests, shelving, tea utensils, and inkstone boxes, and it received national Traditional Craft designation in 1976.
Origin
The origins of Kyo-sashimono are said to trace back to the court culture of the Heian period. In the Nara-period court and temples, distinctly Japanese woodworking of the kind seen in the Shosoin Repository had already developed, and while incorporating stone and metal craft culture that had arrived from China and Korea, it blossomed into a unique craft using wood as its material. Within this flow, the technique of sashimono, in which pieces of wood are fitted and shaped together, was nurtured.
History
From the Muromachi period onward, specialized sashimono craftsmen began to appear, and technique became established against the backdrop of an era in which wooden implements were prized by the upper classes. The spread of tea ceremony culture since Sen no Rikyu had a major influence on Kyo-sashimono as well, bringing sashimono as tea utensils to a high degree of refinement. Throughout the Edo period, techniques for both furnishings and tea utensils were honed, and in 1976 it received national Traditional Craft designation; the technique continues to be passed down today, centered on the Kyoto Woodcraft Cooperative.
Features
The greatest characteristic of Kyo-sashimono is that it is shaped entirely through "kumite" joinery techniques — fitting boards to boards, rods to boards, or inserting pieces into mortises — without using any metal nails or other joining fittings. Its appeal lies in elegant, precise craftsmanship, and it is broadly divided into two categories: "chodo-sashimono" for storage and furnishings, and "chado-sashimono" for tea utensils. Woods such as paulownia, cedar, and zelkova are chosen according to their properties, and the refined finish that makes the most of the wood grain's beauty is highly regarded.
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Design drafting and lumber selection
A design is drawn up according to the intended use, and lumber is selected and cut based on the properties of the wood.
- 2
Joint and joinery processing
The joints and fittings needed to assemble the piece without nails are precisely processed.
- 3
Trial assembly and adjustment
The piece is temporarily assembled to check for any misalignment, then fine-tuned.
- 4
Final assembly and finishing
The piece is permanently assembled and fixed in place, and the surface is finished.
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Artisans & Workshops
指物師 川本光春
Founded in 1938 by the first-generation Mitsuharu Kawamoto as a tea-ceremony sashimono craftsman. The current head is the third generation, with a workshop in Ohara and works handled in front of the Kyoto Imperial Palace, focusing on sashimono centered on tea utensils.
Official site →How to Buy
- 京都伝統産業ミュージアム
- At the museum shop in the basement level of Miyako Messe, you can purchase Kyoto traditional crafts including Kyo-sashimono. Items are also available through the online shop.Where to buy →PR