Okawa Kumiko: Okawa Kumiko Wood Joinery

March 24, 2017

Okawa prides itself as Japan's greatest producer of tategu -- space dividing and partitioning furniture that is best represented by Japanese sliding doors fusuma and shoji. About 460 years ago, Okawa woodworkers started woodworking in the field of ship carpentry. Through division of labour in the woodwork industry into more specialized fields such as general carpentry and furniture making, the tategu industry also came to be developed.

With the passing down of traditional woodworking techniques from generation to generation, Okawa now produces a wide variety of partition furniture --- not only shoji (sliding doors or windows made with paper over a wooden frame), but also fusuma (sliding screens made with paper or fabric over a wooden frame), doors, amado (rain shutters), closet doors and the like, all of which fit in well with modern interior design.

Read the full article:
Okawa Kumiko: Okawa Kumiko Wood Joinery

Translation by: Mavis Chng

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