Japan House São Pauloトピックス
Imbued with the power of Japan’s forests – KIGUMI: Revealing the carpentry behind the wood joint
Imbued with the power of Japan’s forests – KIGUMI: Revealing the carpentry behind the wood joint
As the second stage of the project ‘Imbued with the power of Japan’s forests’, dedicated to traditional Japanese woodworking, the exhibition highlights the kigumi, a ancient wood construction technique.
Imbued with the power of Japan’s forests – Part II
Bringing to a close the cycle dedicated to traditional Japanese woodworking initiated in 2025, Japan House São Paulo presents the exhibition ‘Imbued with the power of Japan’s forests – KIGUMI: Revealing the carpentry behind the wood joint’. The exhibition invites visitors to explore the kigumi technique up close—a method of carving and precisely interlocking pieces of wood that eliminates the need for nails, screws, or other hardware.
The project’s first stage—’Masters of Carpentry: Skill and Spirit’—explored the world of carpenters, their relationship with the forest, and the work of the master builders responsible for the traditional construction of temples and shrines (dōmiya-daiku) and tea houses (sukiya daiku). This new exhibition, meanwhile, returns to traditional Japanese construction methods from a new perspective: that of the kigumi technique.
More than just wooden joints
Also known as tsugite-shikuchi (loosely translated as “joints and notches”), these systems extend far beyond merely connecting pieces of wood—they represent a fundamental technology that balances strength, durability, constructability, and aesthetic refinement.
These methods evolved in response to the needs of each era, taking shape in diverse forms: kumiko, a refined wood lattice technique that emerged in the Kamakura period and continues to develop today; sashimono, a delicate joinery technique perfected during the Edo period, and kumimono, a complex structural system that supports the roofs of buildings above their pillars.
In this exhibition, kumimono is showcased through a reconstruction based on surviving examples from Engaku-ji, a temple founded in the 13th century in Kamakura.
Ancient carvings and joinery
The more than 50 fittings selected by curator Marcelo Nishiyama—associate director and curator of the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum—reveal a sophisticated system of joinery shaped by centuries of technical refinement and the intergenerational transmission of knowledge among artisans in Japan, while also expressing the values and ideals that underpin it.
Kintaikyō Bridge – Iwakuni, Japan
Previously presented at Japan House Los Angeles (2024) and Japan House London (2025), the exhibition arrives in São Paulo as its grand finale, featuring additional elements—including a previously unseen reproduction of part of the Kintaikyō Bridge, an iconic example of Japanese wooden engineering originally built in 1673. The bridge features an arch system capable of supporting a 36-meter span without the use of intermediate pillars—a rare solution, especially in wood, since structures of this type are, to this day, traditionally built in stone.
Alongside this unique piece, visitors can also delve into its architectural complexity through an interactive feature that enables them to digitally “disassemble” the structure, revealing the principles that ensure its stability and resilience.
“The precision of each joint, ensuring a perfect fit, delivers exceptional durability and structural integrity through the mutual support of its components. Functionality and aesthetics are equally important, and most of the time it is not possible to see the joints. At the exhibition, it is possible not only to see them but also to test their impressive efficiency,” explains Nishiyama.
How the joints work in practice
Another highlight of the exhibition is a series of tables featuring interlocking components that visitors can handle, allowing them to experience firsthand how these structures function. The aim is to reveal what normally remains hidden in buildings, facilitating understanding through sensory interaction.
Natasha Barzaghi Geenen, Cultural Director of Japan House São Paulo, notes that the collection presented over the course of the exhibition across the institution’s two floors offers a deeply immersive experience into the world of wood artisans. “The pursuit of constant improvement, the appreciation of manual labor, and the continuous transmission of this knowledge are essential to understanding Japan as a major reference in carpentry,” added Natasha.
JHSP Accessible Program
Multilingual content accessible via QR code, videos, and accessibility resources such as sign language interpretation, audio descriptions, and tactile objects will also be available at the exhibition.
About Marcelo Nishiyama
A curator specializing in the history of architecture and design at the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum in Kobe, Japan, he has organized numerous exhibitions grounded in research on construction technologies. His work encompasses a broad range of subjects, including carpentry and toolmaking, blade crafting, and the art of sakan (Japanese wall finishing made with a type of natural mortar), as well as modern construction methods such as cross-laminated timber (CLT). Recently, he curated exhibitions at the Manggha Museum, in Poland, and the Maison de la Culture du Japon in Paris, France, as well as the inaugural exhibition “Imbued with the Power of Japan’s Forests – Masters of Carpentry: Skill and Spirit” at Japan House São Paulo.
More information:
Exhibition // Imbued with the power of Japan’s forests – KIGUMI: Revealing the carpentry behind the wood joint
#KigumiNaJHSP #CarpintariaJaponesa
Period: May 5 to August 2, 2026
Free admission.
Japan House São Paulo | second floor
Location: Avenida Paulista, 52 – Bela Vista, São Paulo
Opening hours:
Tuesday to Friday, from 10 am to 6 pm;
Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, from 10 am to 7 pm.
Japan House São Paulo remains closed on Mondays, without exception, including on holidays.
