Since the 12th Century, Japanese artisans have been employing a construction technique that uses just one simple material: wood. Rather than utilize glue, nails, and other fasteners, the traditional art of Japanese wood joinery notches slabs of timber so that the grooves lock together and form a sturdy structure. Yamanashi-based carpenter demonstrates this process in the above, which depicts multiple styles of the angular joints and how they’re slotted together with the tap of a mallet.
As Iwakuni notes at the end, new joineries often are used in traditional architecture to replace a damaged portion, maintaining the integrity of the original edifice. “Structures built from natural materials and the knowledge and skills passed down generations,” he says. “Through the fine skills and knowledge, Japanese Wooden Architecture has been standing for (thousands of) years.”
If you’re interested in trying your hand at the centuries-old artform, Iwakuni recommends reading and . He also offers a collection of tutorials and videos on his and . You might enjoy watching the creation of this and the fine art of , which uses razor-thin slices of mosaics, as well. (via )
