Woodcarver

There are many professions in Japanese craftworks that use wood. Works of the woodcarver can be seen in various places such as the architecture itself, its furnishings, and furniture. A woodcarver is called upon when you need a decorative installation.

A woodcarver mainly deals with flat surfaces. Carvings on transoms and makuita panels are typical products. There are numerous flat surfaces and corners in buildings and furniture. Using these spaces as a canvas, the woodcarver creates the desired forms. Their works are as if they added untold depth, such as beauty, quality, elegance, and vibrancy to the object, which can’t be described only by forms. Without carvings, the flat surface would look plain and unexciting. The woodcarver uses technique to create something in the world of decoration that leaves a lasting impression on people by embodying a sense of beauty that cannot be created by the shape of the product alone.

There are two types of carving: flat and three-dimensional objects. Broadly speaking, the work of a Buddhist Sculptor is to make three-dimensional shapes, while the work of a woodcarver is to carve flat surfaces. Of course, there are some three-dimensional products which have depth, but mainly they deal with flat surfaces.

The sculptures are also unique in their form. The work of carving three-dimensional objects is a realistic cut-out representation of something as three-dimensional as a living creature, and this is exactly what the work of a busshi, Buddhist Sculptor. On the other hand, what a woodcarver creates is a 'picturesque scene.' To put it simply, their work is like an illustration in a picture book; it influences the imagination and impression of the viewers, however, it is not the main focus. Rather, it expresses and embodies the beauty and quality of the whole product. The same applies to the transoms found in Japanese architecture. It is only an architecture, a building, and a room, and while it is never the main focus as a complete product, it has a significant impact on the overall impression and texture of the room. The delicate work of a woodcarver is like a great supporting actor who exists alongside the essence of the scene.

The subjects of the scenes and illustrations carved by the woodcarver depict stories from Japanese history and traditions, as well as numerous events and folklore handed down with the introduction of Buddhism, and stories that have been integrated into Japanese life and culture, such as good omens, national protection, and warding off bad luck. The woodcarver often depicts clothes, belongings, and foods called ‘engimono’, lucky charms, in Japan.

There are many rules and combinations in the design of these motifs, based on history and tradition. Typical examples include combinations of plants and animals, such as ‘pine tree and crane,’ ‘plum and warbler,’ or ‘grape and squirrel,’ or other stories and characters from Buddhist sutras. With this in mind, we look at the carvings again, and now we can find the continuous changes of the design, depending on the period and region in which they were made, who ordered their creation, what it was used for, who made it, and what lineage the artisans belonged to.