Toyoda Mokkojo

Toyoda Mokkojo's craftsmanship has been nurtured in Kanuma City, Tochigi Prefecture, known as a woodworking town. Within the lumber distribution and craftsmanship culture that has continued since the Edo period, the workshop has honed its skills through joinery manufacturing — steadily progressing as a studio that excels in the delicate designs of Kanuma kumiko.

Kumiko technique — assembling pieces with wood alone without using nails or metal fittings — is a world where even slight changes in humidity or dimensional errors are not allowed. From material selection to joint precision to assembly order, the craftsman's experience and intuition are concentrated, and that technique is highly evaluated as the traditional craft "Kanuma kumiko."

In recent years, in addition to manufacturing large joinery, the studio has also developed many products that fit contemporary life — such as trays, coasters, and kits. Through kumiko experience classes at schools, local events, and introductions on TV and in magazines, the studio also engages in activities that pass on the techniques and appeal to the next generation.

Kumiko joinery craftsmanship passed down in the woodworking town of Kanuma

A workshop that has inherited joinery and kumiko techniques in Kanuma, which has developed as a lumber-producing area supporting the construction and restoration of Nikko Toshogu Shrine. While carefully judging the grain and material of wood, the workshop processes each component one by one — responding to a wide range of requests from traditional Japanese-room joinery to contemporary interiors.

Precise Kanuma kumiko assembled without nails

Kanuma kumiko involves making fine cuts in the wooden frames and interlocking hundreds and thousands of components. Centered on traditional patterns such as asanoha (hemp leaf), shippo, and kikko (tortoiseshell), it composes three-dimensional patterns through handwork that allows no margin for error — creating designs where even how light passes through is calculated.

From joinery to tableware to accessories

In addition to joinery products such as ranma (transoms) and shoji, the lineup includes small items that bring the beauty of kumiko into daily life — such as trays, coasters, kits, and amulets. The studio also focuses on creating items that decorate life and spaces — including gifts for domestic and international customers, and custom items for lodging facilities and stores.