Japanese Traditional Architecture

Japanese traditional architecture is a building tradition defined above all by wooden construction, raised slightly off the ground and roofed with tile or thatch, refined over centuries in temples, shrines and residential buildings. Its most distinctive structural technique, sometimes called kigumi, is a system of wood joinery in which carpenters cut interlocking joints that let structural members fit together without nails, screws or adhesives, relying instead on the wood's own tension and friction to hold a frame together. Japanese artisans have practiced these joinery techniques since at least the twelfth century, passing the methods down through successive generations of carpenters, and buildings built this way have proven able to stand for many generations using no metal fasteners at all. In 2020, UNESCO recognized the traditional carpentry skills behind this kind of joinery, known as kumiki, as an element of Intangible Cultural Heritage, formally acknowledging the craft knowledge that underlies the visible style.