MURAYAMA MOKKO｜KYO-SASHIMONO

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Brand

Cutting-edge technology meets timber from Kyoto

MURAYAMA MOKKO

2017
Kyo Sashimono (Joinery)
Shinichi Murayama

History

Bringing the ancient art of Kyo Sashimono to the modern age

Murayama Mokko, located in Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, is a company that creates interior decorations using the techniques of "sashimono" joinery such as "kumiko".

Sashimono is an ancient Japanese technique of making furniture and furnishings by combining boards and pieces of wood without using nails.

Kyo-sashimono was born in the court nobles' culture of the Heian period (794-1185) and was greatly developed in the tea ceremony culture of the Muromachi period (1333-1573).

It is elegant and gorgeous, yet delicate at the same time.

The artwork beautifully reflects the spirit of the people of Kyoto, who believe that fragile things should be used with care.

Representative Shinichi Murayama began his apprenticeship under his father, a frame maker, more than 30 years ago, and has since been involved in the production of numerous Kyo Sashimono, such as furnishings for Hina Dolls, sekku ornaments, tea ceremony utensils, and flower arrangement tools.

While carrying on the traditional techniques, I felt a sense of crisis at the gradual decline in demand due to the decrease in the number of Japanese-style houses, and searched for a way to preserve them for the next generation.

I developed a technique for making a curved-surface kumiko in 2021 and applied for a patent.

I began to produce cylindrical Kyo-kumiko lighting and other products and today, I challenge myself to incorporate large kumiko and faceted interiors into modern architecture with reinforced concrete and air conditioning, in addition to small tools that I love to have at my fingertips.

Our work has been well received in chapels and lobbies of first-class hotels, where the interiors are beautiful even when viewed from an overhead perspective.

Characteristic

Masterpieces filled with the charm of Kyoto

Kyo-sashimono developed in Kyoto, a place with a high sense of interior design aesthetics combined with the spirit of "shitsurai" (room manners) and "omotenashi" (hospitality) that Kyoto has fostered over its long history.

Kumiko work, which creates continuous geometric patterns, and kiriko work, which expresses the Japanese four seasons, flowers, birds, winds, and the moon, are traditional crafts that have been favorably used in Japanese-style rooms, such as on transoms and shoji screens.

The simple patterns created by adjusting thinly split wood by applying grooves and holes while cutting and carefully assembling one piece at a time bring stability and comfort to the mind.

The slight fluctuation and error in the pattern, which is not a mechanical pattern but a result of handcrafting, makes the products masterpieces with a deep sense of taste.

This is a craft that has been nurtured by the delicate Japanese sensibility.

We insist on using high-quality wood from Kyoto and handcrafting with care by local craftsmen based on proper traditional craft techniques.

For Customers

Proud to offer the finest products

KYO-KUMIKO® is an innovative traditional handicraft created by using wood grown in Kyoto and evolving the traditional techniques of Kyo-sashimono.

The continuous patterns created by precise calculations are a masterpiece of Kumiko craftsmanship.

The delicate expression of seasonal sentiments in kiriko work reveals the dexterity and sensitivity typical of Japanese work, and the lighting of KYO-KUMIKO®, which makes full use of light and shadow, is sure to soothe and inspire the hearts of those who see it.

We will continue to take on the challenge of creating products that have never been seen before, while at the same time preserving traditional techniques.

We dream that our young craftsmen will continue to take pride in their craftsmanship and one day grow into one of the world's leading brands.

We hope that our customers will take this opportunity to incorporate our products into their daily lives, as we deliver products that they will want to show off to those around them.