Foreword

In recent years, “Japanese-modern” designs that reconstruct elements of Japanese architecture in a contemporary style are gaining attention. It’s been years since we first began lamenting the loss of traditional spaces in Japan, but it seems as though our wish to go back to the traditional landscapes of Japan, in which one can be at ease and take pleasure in watching the changing seasons, is growing ever stronger in a society rocked by earthquake disasters and nuclear accidents which have shaken our old values.
However, not many places where we can go to learn Japanese architecture exist today, even if we so desire. Sukiya-style architecture is especially popular for its traditional Japanese design aesthetics, but many believe that it is a difficult world to enter, and its teachings complex.
This is one of the reasons why we have planned an exhibition that deconstructs the various components of Sukiya architecture in a manner that is easy to understand, especially focusing on architectural elements and skills that the artisans themselves pursue most passionately, based on the perspective of master Sukiya carpenters who are the main designers of Sukiyastyle buildings.
Through this exhibition, we hope that visitors rediscover the finely-honed skills of the Sukiya artisans, and the traditional Japanese aesthetics that the country has been cultivating from long ago. Instead of ending up an artifact of the past, we hope that Sukiya architecture will continue to live on in contemporary homes in diverse ways.
Lastly, we would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who made this exhibition possible with their kind cooperation.

Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum