A craftsman based in the mountainous town of Kumano, Hiroshima Prefecture, is expanding his works nationwide, which include wooden furniture and accessories made without using nails, and through active collaborations with designers and companies at home and abroad.
Yuji Takahashi, 45, who opened his studio Sashimonokagu Takahashi in 2010, uses a traditional technique called sashimono, in which wooden materials are combined by carving out grooves and fitting the joints together — no nails are used. His products are attracting attention for their comfort and well-loved design.
Before opening his own studio, Takahashi studied wooden crafts and furniture-making at a vocational school in Gifu Prefecture, then worked at sashimono studios in Miyazaki and Kyoto prefectures and polished his skills.