This design applies the art of “tsugite” joints traditionally used by carpenters in Japan to attach pieces of wood together without nails or screws. Rather than placing the joints at the end as a bit of decoration, they are placed at the point that takes the most strain.
The techniques used to join the chopsticks are the same as those used by “sashimonoshi”, masters of craft to make Buddhist altars, bureaus, and other furniture.
This project is a collaboration between Katsuhisa Toda, a traditional carpenter in Shizuoka JAPAN, and studio yumakano. These designs were developed to help solve the problems around traditional crafts through the concept of “everyday crafts”, extending the breadth of ordinary work, rather than struggling to develop something entirely new.