Mesmerizing Interlocking Geometric Patterns Produced with Japanese Woodworking
19 comments
·April 27, 2025paulgerhardt
JKCalhoun
Thanks. I have watched a few YouTube videos of people doing this beginning with just the wood (I happen to have a lot of wood working tools already). I would like to make a lamp/lantern some day.
mikhailfranco
Reminds me of Islamic Mashrabiya screens.
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Mashrabiya&ia=images&iax=images
Historically, the screens were quite simple, with more complex patterns reserved for ceramic tilings (symmetry groups, colorings, knots and intertwinings). Now there are good modern screens with more innovative patterns, made with computer-controlled laser cutters.
In a quick search for Kumiko examples, I very much like the irregular patterns that add or remove various symmetrical elements across the piece, often in an irregular macro-pattern. Similar pattern evolutions are possible with Islamic designs, but are not yet common - perhaps an opportunity.
poeticfolly
I have wanted such screens for ages, do you know where I can buy such screens for my house?
scorchingjello
Kinda bummed there wasn’t any Japanese woodworking in the picture. Just this American artist’s studies of it. I was hoping for some comparison shots to the historic Japanese forms mentioned.
Calwestjobs
Most annoying thing about this art is that i can see how these small parts can be manufactured by machines in huge quantities quite easily. And so when we have capability to make such stuff, why don't we? Is it crisis in schooling, in our world view? Also with other kind of arts, why dont we have it more in our lives?
0_____0
Who is "we"? The purpose isn't scaling up.
I sometimes think that the "hypergrowth" segment of the population will efficiency-hack everything until either they all, or perhaps the rest of us, have left our meatspace bodies behind and simply exist as a series of Docker containers
guhidalg
Who has the kubectl credentials to humanity?
jasonthorsness
I think the bent and “through” pieces would be quite difficult to make and assemble in bulk. You could produce something sort-of similar with laser cut or maybe stamped pieces but the grain would be all wrong and you would need to deal with charring in the case of the laser. So maybe this would not be so easy to mass-manufacture and still have it look impressive.
rocqua
The bending might be difficult. But the through pieces are easily done by hand on a table saw with a simple jig. Making that fully CnC seems easy.
egypturnash
There are a lot of artists out there who are doing work with a similar vibe by stacking up multiple layers of laser-cut matte board. Usually these have gallery-ready prices.
You can buy kits of thin sheets of metal that are intricately die-cut, and assemble into little sculptures of trains and buildings and bugs and whatnot.
But who can afford to buy anything any more?
bradly
> why don't we have it more in our lives?
That is up to you. I have it in my life. Lots of others do to. Most of us here are fairly privileged and get to choose how we spend multiple hours each day.
And young kids will emulate their parents. Want your kids to read? Read. Want you kids to go outside? Go outside. Want your kids to make art? Make art.
ceejayoz
If you want a machine-made masterpiece, buy an iPhone. The intricacy of a modern CPU far exceeds this woodwork.
Mass producing these would be like hiring a print shop to send a “I love you” note to a million random humans. It misses the point.
gus_massa
Because usig them is expensive. Using a nail gun or supeglue is cheaper.
DamnInteresting
I've been reading Smithsonian Magazine for a long time, and I would like to take this opportunity to complain about one element of their recent website redesign. I find it deeply annoying that there is no publication date anywhere on the page. It's especially annoying in their News section. Am I looking at new news, or old news? I do know that it's in the source code, but I shouldn't have to view source for such a basic and important detail.
Hnrobert42
Thank you for this post. It inspired me to go down and see the craft fair today. It was great!
adrianN
How difficult is it to make these with the tools available in the Asuka period compared to modern tools?
joshvm
I would imagine the most difficult part would be preparing thin enough stock accurately, but that's possible via planing. The cutting and angle-forming can be done with custom planes or jigs/guide blocks. I don't think you even need a particularly thin saw blade.
amelius
Looks nice, but will catch a lot of dust. How do you keep it clean?
This is one of those things I would recommend trying yourself for the full experience. I visited an exhibition on woodworking at the Japan House on high street and they were selling kits similar to this [1][2]. It was a very fun, soothing, asmr-style experience assembling them. Sadly I was unable to find more kits when I was in Japan last, but it has inspired me to get into the hobby of crafting them from scratch.
[1] https://pojstudio.com/products/kumiko-coaster-kit
[2] https://a.co/d/5zRbxp6