Why Nail-less Buildings Last for Hundreds of Years: Japanese Carpentry

Why Nail-less Buildings Last for Hundreds of Years: Japanese Carpentry

Fig. Tsugite and kumite, no nails. The image is generated by Chatgpt according to the author’s instruction.

Fig. Kamakura

source: google earth modified by the author

The footage of Great Big Story [1] describes nailless carpentry. Takafumi Matsumoto is a miyadaiku — a shrine and temple carpenter based in Kamakura, Japan. He belongs to a lineage of craftsmen who preserve Japan’s ancient wooden architecture using techniques passed down for centuries. Kamakura lies about 50 kilometers southwest of Tokyo. Surrounded by natural beauty, it served as the capital of Japan from the early 12th to mid-13th century CE and was the seat of Japan’s first military government under Shogun Minamoto Yoritomo. The feudal system that began there lasted for more than 600 years until the Meiji Restoration in 1868 CE.

Japanese shrines and temples are constructed with wood, which naturally deteriorates over time — typically within 150 to 200 years — due to rot, structural fatigue, or natural disasters. In ancient times, iron was scarce, so builders created complex wooden joints known as tsugite and kumite to connect beams without nails or glue.

Remarkably, these craftsmen anticipated future maintenance. They designed their structures not to last forever, but to be repairable — entrusting their legacy to future generations of artisans.

A Goosebump-Worthy Moment (1:35 of [1])

The carpenter fits two precisely carved wooden pieces together — tsugite and kumite — and gently taps them into place with his hands.

There are no nails, no adhesives. Just wood shaped with such care and intention that the two pieces join with perfect harmony. It’s more than carpentry — it’s quiet reverence, expressed through touch and sound.

The Carpenter Speaks:

“After I graduated from high school, I became a live-in apprentice and learned the techniques of miyadaiku. By learning these things, one can understand what Japanese people have done throughout history.”

“When I go to a shrine or a temple, I feel like serving them.”

My Reflections

I discovered something unexpected in this video: the beauty of the carpenter’s voice. Calm, smooth, and meditative. Until I heard him speak, I hadn’t realized that the Japanese language could resonate with such quiet dignity.

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-u4T13guko&t=27s