Kumiko

Kumiko (組子) is a Japanese woodworking technique in which fine strips of wood are fitted together into intricate patterns without nails or glue. The technique is thought to have developed in Japan as early as the 7th century, and many of the nearly 200 patterns known today date from the Edo period (1603 to 1868). Kumiko is used mainly for shoji, the paper-covered sliding doors and room dividers, but also as a decorative element. Every pattern has its own meaning: many are inspired by plants and natural forms and are considered good omens. Traditionally, craftspeople work with hinoki cypress and hand tools. The strips are cut so precisely that they hold together through pressure alone.