The Complete Guide To Shoji and Kumiko Patterns-2

The Complete Guide to
Shoji and Kumiko Patterns

Volume 2
by Desmond King
Copyright © 2013, Desmond King
Photographs and Diagrams by D & M King
Published by D & M King
Queensland, Australia
June 2013
kskdesign.com.au
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE
MAKING A KAWARI-GUMI SHOJI
Calculating dimensions
Preparing the timber
Cutting the frames
Cutting and assembling the kumiko
Yotsuba izutsu-tsugi
Planing the rails and stiles
Assembling the shoji
Attaching the paper
Fitting and adjusting the shoji
MAKING A MASU-TSUNAGI TATESHIGE-SHŌJI
Cutting the frames
Masu-tsunagi
Attaching the paper
KUMIKO PATTERNS
Kaku-tsunagi
Kaku-tsunagi
Futae kaku-tsunagi
Izutsu-tsunagi
Izutsu-kiriko-tsunagi
Chōchin izutsu-tsugi
Mie masu-tsunagi
CONCLUSION
APPENDIX A — LIST OF FIGURES
APPENDIX B — ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PREFACE
This is the second volume in my series on making shoji and kumiko patterns. Continuing on from
Volume 1, I give detailed instructions on making two additional shoji—a kawari-gumi shoji with the
yotsuba izutsu-tsugi kumiko pattern, and a tateshige kumiko arrangement featuring twin bands of the
masu-tsunagi kumiko pattern.
[Fig-01] The two shoji we make in this book
I also give detailed instructions on making six new kumiko patterns: kaku-tsunagi, futae kaku-
tsunagi, izutsu-tsunagi, izutsu-kiriko-tsunagi, chōchin izutsu-tsugi, and mie masu-tsunagi. All
patterns generally fall under the broad families of the patterns in the two shoji.
[Fig-02] Six kumiko patterns
Volume 1 covers the fundamentals of making a standard shoji, and is critical for understanding the
best way of making these slightly more complex shoji and patterns, so you should read through that
book carefully and at least complete the exercises before attempting any of the projects in this book.
When making the shoji in particular, rather than repeating the explanation of each of the processes, if
the process was explained in Volume 1, I will simply refer to that. Any new process in this book will
of course be explained in detail.
All these patterns can be made with the jigs I detailed in Volume 1. No special tools are necessary,
and there is no need to go out and buy Japanese tools; Western planes and chisels are more than
adequate. As I mentioned in the first book, though, I recommend using a thin-kerf Japanese saw, and
the kakumen-ganna for chamfering the rails and stiles.
Good luck, and I hope you find this group of patterns interesting, and a challenge.
Des King
Gold Coast, Queensland
June 2013
MAKING A
[Fig-03] Kawari-gumi mizugoshi-shōji with yotsuba izutsu-tsugi base
In this section I’ll describe how to make a kawari-gumi shoji with the mizugoshi structure, and the
yotsuba izutsu-tsugi kumiko pattern. The term kawari in regards to shoji simply means a variation, so
essentially any pattern that varies from the traditional form is called a kawari-gumi. It is also often
used when the internal kumiko alternate between left and right.
Although quite simple, this pattern is challenging, as all miters must join with just the right amount of
tension, otherwise the pattern can look very untidy. There is a way of doing this, and I’ll explain this
as I go through the cutting and fitting process.
[Fig-04] Kawari-gumi joinery details
As with the kasumi-gumi shoji described in Volume 1, the two panels are a mirror image of each
other, so care must be taken when cutting all joints and mortises.
[Fig-05] The two panels are a mirror image
The kumiko pattern extending across the bottom of the shoji is the yotsuba izutzu-tsugi pattern. Please
note that in my book Shoji and Kumiko Design, Book 1 The Basics, I referred to this as izutsu-
tsunagi. I used this as a generic term—there is a range of similar patterns grouped under this name—
so to avoid confusion with the izutsu-tsunagi we tackle later in this book, I’ll now refer to this
particular pattern as yotsuba izutsu-tsugi.
Although very time-consuming, these patterns are indeed the fun part of shoji and kumiko design, and
how you incorporate them will give your shoji a completely unique feel that can be as subtle or as
unrestrained as you like.
At this point, it would be advisable to review the section on calculating dimensions in the standard
shoji in Volume 1.
The detailed dimensions of the shoji (single panel) are shown in the following figure.
[Fig-06] Shoji dimension details
Overall shoji size

The holding frame is the same as the one I used for the two shoji I covered in Volume 1, so the
overall dimensions for this shoji are exactly the same as the overall dimensions for those two shoji:
1000 x 1045 mm, and 515 x 1045 mm for a single shoji.
For this shoji, I’ll use the maru-zan top rail, and the joinery will feature the jaguchi joint on both top
and bottom rails.
The internal space is exactly the same as the standard shoji in Volume 1: 441.2 x 927.2 mm.
Kumiko calculations
In patterns such as this, there is a certain amount of flexibility with kumiko intervals to alter the
overall feel of the shoji.
The three vertical kumiko have to be evenly spaced so these intervals and the kumiko pitch are
straightforward: (441.2 + 6.4) ÷ 4 = 111.9 mm (Volume 1 gives detailed instructions on calculating
kumiko pitch). We can, however, vary the horizontal kumiko intervals to our preference. I decided to
give the horizontal kumiko an interval of 20 mm (26.4 mm pitch), which gives sufficient spacing
between the kumiko so they don’t appear cramped.
The yotsuba izutsu-tsugi pattern has to fit within a square, so there’s no choice with the bottom
intervals—the pitch is 55.9 x 55.9 mm (rounded to the first decimal).
Calculating the intervals between groups of horizontal kumiko is also quite simple—consider each
group as a single entity. There are five kumiko of 6.4 mm, and four spaces of 20 mm, so each group is
112 mm. The internal space between the top tsukeko and the top of the upper base kumiko is
762.6 mm, and there are three groups of 112 mm, so 762.6 – 336 = 426.6 mm. There are three groups
so four intervals: 426.6 ÷ 4 = 106.65 mm. Therefore the interval between groups is 106.6 mm (there
is a small amount of accuracy leeway with this interval).
On a kumiko pattern design point, contrast this with the calculations for the kasumi-gumi shoji in
Volume 1. In this shoji we are making here, the upper groups and the bottom pattern group are clearly
divided by a single horizontal kumiko extending the entire width, so we can safely space the upper
groups at even intervals. This was not the case for the kasumi-gumi shoji, and the V-shape opening at
the bottom had to be accounted for visually, so trial and error for balance was necessary for that
shoji.
I cover calculations for the yotsuba izutsu-tsugi pattern later.

Milling
The shoji frame will be exactly the same as in the standard shoji in Volume 1, so the rail, stile and
tsukeko dimensions are the same as in that shoji.
The ends of some of the vertical and horizontal kumiko are joined with miters, so the mikomi
measurement of both will be the same. In this case it will be 15 mm. The yotsuba izutsu-tsugi kumiko
will have a mitsuke of 4.0 mm because the thinner kumiko make the pattern feel less cluttered and
more balanced. Since there are many short kumiko in this pattern, working out how many kumiko are
required is largely guesswork. In this case, allowing for wastage, the 15 listed in Figure 07 below
should be sufficient.
[Fig-07] Kawari-gumi shoji cutting list
Marking
The marking process is exactly the same as in the shoji in Volume 1. Points to note here are that the
four short vertical kumiko at the bottom (kumiko B, E, G and J; see Figure 08) are fitted after the
tsukeko have been attached, so the ends are cut slightly oversize, then trimmed to fit. They do not
have tenons, so do not cut mortises in the tsukeko and bottom rail for these pieces.
Story stick
Mark the story stick with all stile, rail and kumiko markings with a sharp marking knife according to
the dimensional drawing at Figure 06.
You will notice that the majority of horizontal kumiko do not extend all the way across, so you should
number all kumiko to keep track of their correct order when marking, cutting and assembling. I
suggest that you use the method I described in Volume 1; i.e. letters from the left for the vertical
kumiko, and numbers from the bottom for the horizontal kumiko. The following diagram shows the
suggested numbering system.
[Fig-08] Suggested numbering system — left shoji
For the three upper groups, mark the main horizontal kumiko first, then the shorter kumiko measured
from the main kumiko in their respective groups.
As was done with the kasumi-gumi shoji, the horizontal kumiko that do not extend all the way across
should be clearly marked on the story stick. The joint locations for the short vertical kumiko that close
off the horizontal kumiko should also be clearly indicated.
Stiles
All marks should be made on the inner side of the rails and stiles. Clamp the story stick to one of the
stiles, and transfer the markings. Use this stile to mark the other three stiles, making sure that the top
and bottom orientation is correct.
Mark the mortise locations on all stiles as shown in the following diagrams. There is no need for a
tsukeko mortise in the bottom of the stiles, but because of the wide interval at the top, the top and side
tsukeko will need to be joined with a miter bridle joint as in the standard shoji (see Volume 1 for
details of cutting this joint), so a tsukeko mortise is required at the top of the stiles.
[Fig-09] Stile mortises — bottom
[Fig-10] Stile mortises — top
Pay particular attention to the location of the mortises for the horizontal kumiko, and which kumiko
extend to the stiles, and which do not. Note in the following figure that the backs of the horizontal
kumiko are 3 mm from the back of the stile, so the kumiko mortises are positioned 7.3 mm from the
back of the stile.
[Fig-11] Stile mortises — kumiko
Once you have finished marking, trim the ends of the stiles at the horn marks, and chamfer around the
top and bottom edges.
Rails
The rails are exactly the same as those in the standard shoji in Volume 1, so mark the tenons and
mortise locations as shown in the following diagrams. At this point, I suggest you run through the
exercises I detailed in Volume 1 again, especially the jaguchi joint. This is indeed a critical joint,
and the more you practise, the easier it becomes.
[Fig-12] Rail mortises — kumiko
Note that the backs of the vertical kumiko are 1.5 mm from the back of the rail, so the kumiko mortises
are cut 5.8 mm from the back.
[Fig-13] Rail tenons
Tsukeko
Mark all tsukeko as shown in Figure 14. Note that the backs of the kumiko are flush with the back of
the tsukeko, so the mortises are cut 4.3 mm from the back edge.
Mortises in the horizontal tsukeko are reasonably straightforward, but as in the case of the stiles, for
the vertical tsukeko pay particular attention to which kumiko extend to the tsukeko.
[Fig-14] Tsukeko mortises
The miters at the top are joined with a miter bridle joint as was done in the standard shoji in Volume
1, so mark these miters to the dimensions shown in that shoji. A tack or small nail will suffice for the
miter joints at the bottom, as was done in the kasumi-gumi shoji in Volume 1.
Cutting the frames

Stiles
First, check again that the mortises for the kumiko are marked in their correct position.
Cut out the mortises for the rail tenons, tsukeko and kumiko in the stiles using your preferred method.
The mortises for the rail tenons are 22 mm deep, and the haunch housing is a fraction deeper than
8 mm. The mortises for the tsukeko are 5.5 mm deep. The mortises for the kumiko are 7.5 mm deep.
There is a 1.5 mm offset between the backs of the stiles and the rails, and also between the backs of
the rails and tsukeko, so take extra care with the position of the mortises in relation to the back.
Rails
Cut the mortises for the kumiko to a depth of 7.5 mm.
Cut the jaguchi on the rails as explained in the jaguchi joint exercise, then cut the tenons and trim the
haunches to the dimensions shown in the following diagram.
[Fig-15] Rail tenon dimensions
Remember from the standard shoji in Volume 1, the tenons are each 1 mm wider than the mating
mortises, giving a very clean and tight joint when the shoji is assembled.
Chamfer the ends of the tenons, but do not chamfer the sides of the stiles and rails—these are
chamfered at the end just before assembly.
Tsukeko
Cut the mortises in the tsukeko. These are through mortises, so make sure the back face where the
mortise came through is clean of waste.
Cut the miter bridle joints in the tsukeko at the top as explained in Volume 1. Chamfer the front inner
edges of all tsukeko.
Rebates
Cut the rebates in the rails as shown in the following diagram and as explained in the standard shoji
in Volume 1.
[Fig-16] Rebate dimension details
Raising the grain

Place the tsukeko safely to one side. Thoroughly wet a piece of cloth and wipe the water liberally
over the rails and stiles, then place to one side and allow to dry.

Unlike in the two shoji we tackled in Volume 1, in this shoji some of the ends of the vertical and
horizontal kumiko are joined to each other, so the mikomi of both the vertical and the horizontal
kumiko is the same at 15 mm. The kumiko are not chamfered.
Mark the backs of the kumiko with a single or double pencil mark, depending on whether they are for
the first or second shoji panel, toward the bottom for the vertical kumiko and toward the left for the
horizontal kumiko.
Similar to the kasumi-gumi shoji in Volume 1, this shoji presents a challenge when cutting the kumiko
because not all horizontal kumiko extend all the way across. To reduce the possibility of error when
cutting the horizontal kumiko, closely follow the kumiko and joint numbering system shown in Figure
08, or your own system if you prefer.
Vertical kumiko
Clamp one of the vertical kumiko to the story stick, making sure that the kumiko is correctly oriented
with the top and bottom of the story stick. Transfer the marks from the story stick to the back of the
kumiko with a sharp marking knife. Remove the kumiko and mark the ends of the 13 mm tenons
separately. Extend the tenon shoulder and tenon end marks around to the front side of the kumiko.
Mark the cheeks of the tenons according to the following diagram. Note that because the mikomi is the
same for the vertical and horizontal kumiko at 15 mm, the depth of the half-lap joint is slightly greater
than half at 7.8 mm.
[Fig-17] Vertical kumiko joinery
Provided you take sufficient care, the cutting sequence for the vertical kumiko does not really matter,
but this is the way I tackle it.
Secure the six long vertical kumiko for both shoji panels (D, F and H) in the kumiko cutting jig,
making sure the ends are firmly against the end stop. Cut the 19 half-lap joints for all horizontal
kumiko to a depth of about 7.8 mm, then cut and chamfer the tenons.
Next, cut eight short vertical kumiko for both panels (B, E, G and J) to a length of about 200 mm, and
cut the three half-lap joints for the bottom three horizontal kumiko (kumiko 1, 2 and 3). Make sure you
leave enough on the top and bottom so you can trim them to size. Remember, these short vertical
kumiko do not have tenons.
If you are confident that your spacing between individual horizontal kumiko within the three upper
groups is exactly the same, secure six kumiko about 200 mm long and cut three half-lap joints, using
any of the relevant horizontal kumiko markings: 6, 7, 8; or 11, 12, 13; or 16, 17, 18. These pieces will
close off the outer horizontal kumiko in each group (C and I), so make sure you leave enough on the
top and bottom for the 45° miter.
Finally, secure six kumiko about 100 mm long and cut a single half-lap joint. These pieces will close
off the inner horizontal kumiko in each group (A and K), so make sure you leave enough on the top
and bottom for the 45° miter.
Do not cut any of the miters at this stage.
Horizontal kumiko
Cutting the horizontal kumiko can become somewhat confusing, so work carefully with the numbering
system as you make your cuts. For the horizontal kumiko, you will need two master kumiko for each
shoji, so prepare these from the story stick.
All cuts for the horizontal kumiko are made on the front.
[Fig-18] Horizontal kumiko joinery
This is the sequence I use for the left-hand shoji. The right-hand shoji is a mirror image of the left, so
you will have to keep this in mind when making the cuts for it.
The kumiko cutting jig is not wide enough to hold all 19 kumiko, which in any event would be too
difficult to manage, so you will need to split this in two. Secure the master kumiko and horizontal
kumiko in the kumiko cutting jig front up and with the ends firmly against the end stop. Cut the joints
for the three long vertical kumiko (joints D, F and H), then cut the left and right tenons. DO NOT cut
off the ends of the tenons at this stage. Some of these tenons will be discarded, but cutting them
together is more efficient.
Secure the master kumiko and the bottom three kumiko (kumiko 1, 2 and 3) in the jig and cut joints B,
E, G and J. This set of four cuts is the same for both panels, so you can combine the kumiko for the
two panels. Remove the kumiko once these cuts have been made.
It is also possible and much quicker to join kumiko from both panels for the next cuts, but you must be
very careful and make sure you observe the plan closely and cut the correct kumiko in the correct
position if you decide to proceed in this way. I will, however, only describe the sequence for cutting
the left-hand shoji.
Secure the master kumiko and kumiko 11, 12 and 13 in the jig and cut joint C. Remove kumiko 11 and
13, and cut kumiko 12 at joint A.
Next, secure the master kumiko and kumiko 6, 7, 8, 16, 17 and 18 in the jig and cut joint I. Remove
kumiko 6, 8, 16 and 18 and cut kumiko 7 and 17 at joint K.
The cuts for the right-hand shoji are the same, except the cuts A and C, and I and K are reversed.
Cut off the ends of the tenons and chamfer. That completes the kumiko cutting.
Assembling
First assemble the full-length vertical and horizontal kumiko, ensuring you have the correct left/right
and top/bottom orientation.
[Fig-19] Assemble the full-length kumiko first
Next is the most difficult aspect of this pattern—cutting the miters joining the shorter vertical and
horizontal kumiko.
The miter joint is held together with a dab of glue and just the right amount of tension. If the tension is
too great or not enough, or if one side is too long or too short, the miter will open up or will be lop-
sided, so care must be taken with every miter.
The following is the method I use, and while it can be slightly time-consuming, I’ve found it is the
best way to achieve good consistent results. Miters are a regular feature of kumiko patterns, so
learning how to cut and join them accurately and firmly now will save a great deal of heartache in the
future as the miter patterns become increasingly complex.
It is very easy to make errors in miter orientation, so the easiest way to avoid this is to align the pairs
of kumiko and place a rough orientation mark well past the cut-off length, as shown in the following
photograph.
[Fig-20] Rough miter orientation marks to prevent errors
The horizontal kumiko are always inserted first, followed by the short vertical kumiko. When
inserting the horizontal kumiko, it makes no difference whether you start with the inner or outer pairs
of the three groups. I started with the inner pairs (horizontal kumiko 6 and 8; 11 and 13; and 16 and
18).
Rest each kumiko upside-down next to its adjacent kumiko that has already been assembled so that the
half-lap joint is partially engaged, and place a pencil mark at the joint where the miter is to be cut, as
shown in the following photograph.
[Fig-21] Mark the miter locations
Remove the kumiko and cut at 45° on the waste side of the pencil mark you just made, making sure
you have the correct miter orientation.
Using the 45° shooting board or the 45° jig, whichever you prefer, trim the 45° miter to the point
where the inside edge of the miter is slightly longer than its half-lap position—this should be no more
than the thickness of one or two shavings, as shown in the following photograph (Figure 22). Work
carefully here, and regularly check to make sure you don’t trim off too much.
[Fig-22] Trim the miter joint
Repeat for all inner pairs, and glue into place. Do not trim the short vertical kumiko at this stage.
[Fig-23] Assemble the inner pairs
Next, go through exactly the same procedure for the outer pairs (kumiko 5 and 9; 10 and 14; and 15
and 19), and glue into place.
[Fig-24] Repeat for the outer pairs and assemble
The next step is to trim the longer of the short vertical kumiko (kumiko C and I). The process is
essentially the same, though you now have to trim both ends.
[Fig-25] Trim the longer kumiko first
As in the case of the horizontal kumiko, the miters for these vertical kumiko should be trimmed
slightly over-length, but no more than the thickness of one or two shavings.
[Fig-26] Trim so the kumiko are slightly over-length
Once they have been trimmed, glue them into place.

[Fig-27] Assemble the longer kumiko
When the longer of the short vertical kumiko have been assembled, trim the shorter of the short
vertical kumiko (kumiko A and K), following exactly the same procedure, and assemble. This
sequence of assembling the longer vertical kumiko before the shorter kumiko is important. Do not
assemble the shorter kumiko before the longer kumiko are in place.
[Fig-28] Trim and assemble the shorter kumiko
If you have followed this process and trimmed the miters carefully so they are just over-length, the
miter joints should be tight-fitting with no gaps.
If you look closely at the miters, you will notice that the ends of the kumiko are pushed out very
slightly. In the following photograph (Figure 29), I’ve placed a straightedge firmly against the miter
section of the kumiko, and you can detect the smallest of gaps at the half-lap joint. This indicates a
slight amount of tension on the miter joint, and is exactly what you should aim for.
[Fig-29] Correct amount of tension on the miter
Next attach the tsukeko, making sure that the kumiko tenons are firmly engaged in their respective
mortises in the tsukeko, especially the bottom three horizontal kumiko. The top miters are held
together by the bridle joints, while thin tacks or nails through the miters from the stile side will
suffice for the bottom miters. After attaching the tsukeko, set the assembled frame aside to allow the
glue to dry thoroughly.
Once the glue has dried, trim the bottom short vertical kumiko (kumiko B, E, G and J) at both ends to
fit. I use a 90° shooting board, which is exactly the same as my 45° shooting board, except the fence
is set at 90° instead of 45°.
Trim carefully, because too much tension at the bottom could force open gaps between the major
vertical kumiko and the tsukeko. However, gaps will also appear if there is not enough tension. Here,
too, the difference between too much and not enough is the thickness of one or two plane shavings.
This is another process that occurs frequently when making shoji and kumiko patterns.
[Fig-30] Trim the ends carefully, making sure the joints are properly aligned
When trimmed, apply a small dab of glue to the half-lap joints and the two ends, and insert. Repeat
for all kumiko, then set aside to allow the glue to dry thoroughly.
[Fig-31] Completed kumiko pattern
Follow the same procedure for the right-hand shoji, but remember that it is a mirror image of the left-
hand shoji.
Once the glue has dried, it’s on to the yotsuba izutsu-tsugi pattern, and the fun part begins.
Izutsu is the Japanese term for well curb—the parallel crossed supporting structure around a well—
and this pattern has been used in motifs, designs and also literature since ancient times. Yotsuba
means “four-leaf”, and tsugi simply means “joint”. There are quite a few different kinds of izutsu
patterns—we tackle several in this book—and this one is perhaps among the simpler of these
patterns, but the uncluttered feel makes it look quite stunning in a row across the width of a shoji or
bordering another pattern.
[Fig-32] Yotsuba izutsu-tsugi dimension details
As can be seen in the diagram above, it consists of a square held in place by four diagonal locking
pieces extending from corner to corner. The balance between the square framing structure (jigumi)
and the izutsu square is critical, and in this case, I’ve opted for even intervals between the
components of the izutsu square and the jigumi kumiko (the intervals are slightly out because of
rounding). The measurement for the interval is calculated in the same way as when calculating normal
kumiko intervals.
A slight chamfer on the top and side edges of the ends of the square gives the pattern a feeling of
polish. The locking pieces are trimmed to fit using the 45° jig.
The internal kumiko have a mitsuke of 4.0 mm to prevent a cluttered feel within the pattern. The pitch
of the izutsu square is 17.9 mm, and the ends of the kumiko extend past the joint by 6.0 mm. The
locking pieces are 19.6 mm, but in practice, their length can vary slightly, so they are trimmed to fit.
First, make up 32 squares for the two shoji panels. For this, simply group a comfortable number of
kumiko in the kumiko cutting jig—say eight or twelve—and cut the half-lap joints in pairs with a pitch
of 17.9 mm. Make sure you leave enough on either side of the paired joints for the 6 mm extension.
Cut away the first group of paired joints, and flip half over so that the joints are facing up in half and
down in the other half. The kumiko with the joints facing up will be the horizontal kumiko, and those
with the joints facing down will be the vertical kumiko.
Trim the ends to a 6 mm extension, and chamfer the tops and side of the ends with the 45° jig as was
done for the kasumi kumiko in Volume 1. When chamfering the tops, make sure you check whether the
kumiko are horizontal or vertical kumiko (joints up or down), and chamfer the appropriate edge.
Assemble the izutsu squares, and check again that the chamfers on the vertical and horizontal kumiko
are facing upward.
Repeat this process until you have made up the required 32 squares.
Place one square inside one of the jigumi squares, making sure that the horizontal and vertical kumiko
are oriented correctly (the vertical kumiko is on top of the horizontal kumiko).
[Fig-33] Make sure of the correct horizontal/vertical kumiko orientation
Trim a locking piece to about 19.6 mm on the 45° jig. Holding and trimming the short pieces in the jig
may feel awkward at first, but it becomes much easier and faster with practice. Make sure that the
vertex of the 90° angle at the end is exactly in the center.
[Fig-34] Trim the first locking piece to size
Glue this locking piece to the corners of the izutsu square and jigumi square. Trim the diagonally
opposite locking piece to size and insert in the corners to hold the square in place. This should be a
firm fit, but it should not be forced.
[Fig-35] Insert the diagonal locking pieces to hold the square
Repeat this for the other two locking pieces. The final locking piece is the critical piece, and it should
be firm enough to lock the square securely in place.
A small dab of glue can be added to the corners if you prefer.

[Fig-36] The final locking piece is the key
This completes one square.
[Fig-37] First square completed
Continue this process for all squares.

[Fig-38] Continue inserting the squares
After completing all jigumi squares on one shoji panel, repeat for the second shoji.
[Fig-39] First panel completed
Take extra care when inserting the squares at the ends next to the tsukeko, because if the fit is too tight
or the locking pieces are forced in, there is a risk that the tsukeko will be pushed away from the
kumiko and a gap will open up. A slightly easier fit with glue attached to all corners and both ends of
the locking pieces will prevent this.

The shoji frame is exactly the same as the frame in the standard shoji in Volume 1, so the processes
detailed for that shoji apply here as well.

Similarly, the processes detailed in assembling the standard shoji also apply to this shoji.
However, care must be taken when tapping the stiles into the rail tenons. If the stiles are hit with too
much force by the gennō and hardwood block, there is a high risk that the kumiko miter joints may be
jarred loose, especially if the joints do not have sufficient tension. To prevent this from happening,
tap carefully, and if necessary, bring the mortise and tenon joints together with clamps.
When the shoji have dried thoroughly, inspect the join between the jaguchi and the chamfers in the
top and bottom rails, and plane flush with the stile if required. This should only take a couple of very
light shavings.
Mark the location for the door pulls in the stiles and cut out the housing mortise. I decided to place the
door pulls level with the middle of the bottom group of shoji, but they could equally have been
located centrally between the bottom and middle groups of shoji. The location is entirely your own
preference.
When cutting the housing mortise, be careful not to mar the face of the shoji. This step can be done
before applying water to raise the grain if you prefer, but the pull should not be inserted at that time.
Attaching the paper

Attach the paper in exactly the same way as described for the standard shoji in Volume 1. There are
many more kumiko to which glue has to be applied, so you will need to work efficiently to ensure that
the glue doesn’t dry before you’re ready to attach the paper.

This final procedure is exactly the same as detailed in the standard shoji.
[Fig-40] Project completed
This is quite a challenging shoji to make, but with care and accuracy in marking and cutting, it will
come together very well. The kumiko miter joints form the basis of a vast number of patterns, and this
project has been an excellent launching pad for those. Trimming kumiko to fit firmly against the sides
of other kumiko or the tsukeko is also a common process in other shoji and patterns, including the
next shoji project in this book, so the practise you gained here will stand you in good stead for those.
MAKING A
[Fig-41] Masu-tsunagi tateshige-shōji
For this project, we will tackle the masu-tsunagi tateshige-shōji. This is quite a simple design,
however accuracy in measuring and cutting the kumiko and the pattern is no less important than when
making the much more complex patterns.
The kumiko arrangement is based on the tateshige-shōji design of very narrow horizontal intervals
and quite broad vertical intervals. The tateshige-shōji arrangement was described in the shoji types
and characteristics section in Volume 1.
The two band patterns are called masu-tsunagi. The word masu means a measuring cup used in
Japan in the past to measure liquids, or rice and other grains. It was cube-shaped, so the top formed a
square, and by extension, masu in this case means a square. This is the same term used for the
masugumi-shōji, which was also described in Volume 1. Tsunagi means “join” or “connect”. The
central band features are therefore a “connection of squares”.
[Fig-42] Kumiko joinery details
The masu-tsunagi pattern fits within squares, so this pattern can easily be substituted with the square
asa-no-ha explained in Volume 1, or any of the other patterns described in this book.
[Fig-43] Both panels are identical
The large number of vertical kumiko and narrow horizontal intervals in this shoji combined with the
interesting double pattern make this an ideal and relatively inexpensive design for shoin-shōji.
The dimensions of the shoji (single panel) are shown in the following figure.
[Fig-44] Shoji dimension details
Overall shoji size

The overall dimensions for this shoji are exactly the same as those for the kawari-gumi shoji in this
book: 1000 x 1045 mm, and 515 x 1045 mm for a single shoji. The internal space is also exactly the
same at 441.2 x 927.2 mm.
Kumiko calculations
In this shoji there are eleven vertical kumiko, consisting of five full-length kumiko and six shorter
kumiko. Therefore the pitch of the vertical kumiko is (441.2 + 4.0) ÷ 12 = 37.1 mm.
Remember that the mark for the first kumiko is pitch minus the mitsuke of one kumiko, so the first
kumiko is marked at 33.1 mm, and all others at 37.1 mm.
Calculations for the horizontal kumiko are slightly more complex, but no more difficult. The design
has two bands running across the shoji, so above all else, we need to achieve a visual balance with
these bands and the intervals between them.
To my eyes, equal spacing between the bands and between the bands and the rails gives the best
visual balance. This is purely subjective, and you may prefer some other layout. You should therefore
design your own band layout to suit your own preference. For the purpose of this exercise, though, I’ll
use my preferred layout.
You will notice in the design that there are additional horizontal kumiko on the top and bottom of each
of the two bands, and also below the top rail and above the bottom rail. These serve two functions:
one visual, and the other structural.
Visually, without these additional horizontal kumiko, the bands would look quite plain and ordinary,
so they give an added feeling of body to the patterns. The additional horizontal kumiko next to the
rails provide balance.
The structural function is even more important. They provide support for the six shorter vertical
kumiko. Without them, these shorter vertical kumiko would be held in just by end-grain to face-grain
glue, so the joinery would be extremely weak and unworkable. In Figure 42 you can see how the half-
lap joints secure these shorter vertical kumiko in place.
In this shoji, I’ve set the interval of these supporting horizontal kumiko at 15.0 mm, or the pitch at
19.0 mm.
Now that we’ve looked at the design considerations, we need to calculate the placement of the bands.
The masu-tsunagi pattern fits within squares, so the pitch between the horizontal kumiko forming the
square jigumi is exactly the same as that between the full-length vertical kumiko, which is 74.2 mm.
The total height of each of the bands is therefore 74.2 + 74.2 + 4.0 (kumiko mitsuke), which equals
152.4 mm. There are two bands, so their combined height is 304.8 mm.
The vertical space is 927.2 mm, so the vertical space less the two bands is 927.2 – 304.8, which is
622.4 mm. This has to be divided into three intervals, which, when rounded equals 207.5 mm. The
interval between the rails and bands and between the two bands is therefore 207.5 mm.
These dimensions are shown in Figure 44. I cover the calculations for the masu-tsunagi pattern later.

Milling
The shoji frame will be exactly the same as in the kawari-gumi shoji, so the rail, stile and tsukeko
dimensions are the same.
The shoji contains a pattern, so the mikomi of both horizontal and vertical kumiko is the same. The
mitsuke of the main kumiko in the other shoji we have made so far has been 6.4 mm (other than the
kasumi kumiko), but because this is a tateshige design, if we were to retain the 6.4 mm mitsuke, the
kumiko would appear far too cramped, so I have reduced the mitsuke to 4.0 mm.
The pattern kumiko are the same mitsuke and mikomi as the main kumiko, so the overall number of
kumiko required can vary quite considerably depending on how accurately you cut the patterns and
how much wastage there is.
The kumiko number shown in the cutting list in the following figure is the minimum required, but it is
advisable to cut quite a few extra.
[Fig-45] Masu-tsunagi tateshige-shōji cutting list
Marking
Story stick
Mark the story stick with all stile, rail and kumiko markings with a sharp marking knife according to
the dimensional drawing at Figure 44. Use one side of the story stick for the vertical dimensions, and
another side for the horizontal dimensions.
Similar to the kawari-gumi shoji, I suggest that you use the following numbering system to help you
keep track of the kumiko marking, cutting and assembly. For clarity, the diagram does not show the
masu-tsunagi patterns.
[Fig-46] Suggested numbering system — left shoji
For the vertical marking, mark the positions of the center kumiko in each of the bands first (kumiko 4
and 9), then mark the outer kumiko measured from those center kumiko marks. A pair of compasses is
a very convenient tools for this.
Take care with the horizontal marking, and indicate which marks are for the full-length vertical
kumiko, and which are for the shorter kumiko. I find that color-coding these marks provides a good
visual check.
[Fig-47] Story stick — color-coded horizontal marks
Figure 47 above shows a part of the story stick side I used for the horizontal pieces. The marks are
color-coded: the shorter vertical kumiko are marked in red (kumiko A and C), and the full-length
kumiko are marked in black (kumiko B and D).
Stiles
As with all the shoji, marks should be made on the inner side of the rails and stiles. Clamp the story
stick to one of the stiles, and transfer the markings. Use this stile to mark the other three stiles, making
sure that the top and bottom orientation is correct.
Mark the mortise locations on all stiles as shown in the following diagrams. There is no need for
tsukeko mortises in the top or bottom of the stiles.
[Fig-48] Stile mortises — bottom
[Fig-49] Stile mortises — top
Note in the following figure that the backs of the horizontal kumiko are 3 mm from the back of the
stile, so the kumiko mortises are positioned 7.3 mm from the back of the stile.
[Fig-50] Stile mortises — kumiko
The following photograph shows how I mark the stile mortises and kumiko locations. This is the top
of the stile. All marks were taken either directly from the story stick for the first stile, or from the first
stile for subsequent stiles. You can see that I clearly indicate in pencil which side of the mark the
kumiko mortise has to be cut; this prevents any possibility of cutting the mortise on the wrong side.
[Fig-51] Marks for the top of the stile
Once you have completed marking, trim the ends of the stiles at the horn marks, and chamfer around
the top and bottom edges.
Rails
Review the jaguchi joint exercise in Volume 1, and mark the tenon and mortise locations as shown in
the following diagrams. Note that the shorter vertical kumiko (kumiko A, C, E, G, I and K in Figure
46) do not have tenons, so mortises are not cut for these kumiko. Use this rail to mark the three other
rails, making sure you have the correct left and right orientation.
[Fig-52] Rail mortises — kumiko
Note that the backs of the vertical kumiko are 1.5 mm from the back of the rail, so the kumiko mortises
are cut 5.8 mm from the back.
[Fig-53] Rail tenons
Tsukeko
Mark all tsukeko as shown in Figure 54. Note that the backs of the kumiko are flush with the back of
the tsukeko, so the mortises are cut 4.3 mm from the back edge.
Mortises in the vertical tsukeko are quite straightforward, but as in the case of the rails, the shorter
vertical kumiko do not have tenons, so take care and do not mark mortises for these.
[Fig-54] Tsukeko mortises
The tsukeko miters are a 45° cut secured with a small tack or nail from the vertical tsukeko side.
Cutting the frames
Stiles
Cut the mortises for the rail tenons and kumiko in the stiles using your preferred method.
The mortises for the rail tenons are 22 mm deep, and the haunch housing is a fraction deeper than
8 mm. The mortises for the kumiko are 7.5 mm deep. Remember, there is a 1.5 mm offset between the
backs of the stiles and the rails, and also between the backs of the rails and the tsukeko, so take extra
care with the position of the mortises in relation to the back.
[Fig-55] Cut the mortises for the rail tenons
Rails
Cut the mortises for the kumiko to a depth of 7.5 mm.
Cut the jaguchi on the rails as explained in the jaguchi joint exercise, then cut the tenons.
[Fig-56] Cut the rail mortises, jaguchi and tenons
Mark and trim the haunches to the dimensions shown in the following diagram. Take care not to
damage the jaguchi extension when you work on the tenons, especially when trimming the haunches.
Also, make sure that the haunches are cut on the correct edges; i.e. the outside edges.
[Fig-57] Rail tenon dimensions
As explained in Volume 1, the tenons are each 1 mm wider than the mating mortises—31 mm for the
bottom rails, and 23 mm for the top rails.
[Fig-58] Cut the haunches and chamfer the ends
Chamfer the ends of the tenons, but do not chamfer the sides of the rails and stiles—these are
chamfered at the end just before assembly.
Tsukeko
Cut the mortises in the tsukeko. These are through mortises, so make sure the back face is clean of
waste.
Trim the ends to length at 45° for the miters, and chamfer the front inner edges of all tsukeko.
Rebates
Cut the rebates as shown in the following diagram.
[Fig-59] Rebate dimension detail
[Fig-60] Cut the rebates in the rails
Raising the grain

Place the tsukeko safely to one side. Thoroughly wet a piece of cloth and wipe the water liberally
over the rails and stiles, and allow to dry.

All vertical, horizontal and pattern kumiko have the same mikomi (15 mm) and mitsuke (4.0 mm), so
they are not chamfered.
Mark the backs of the kumiko with a single or double pencil mark, depending on whether they are for
the first or second shoji panel, toward the bottom for the vertical kumiko and toward the left for the
horizontal kumiko.
To reduce the possibility of error when cutting the horizontal kumiko, closely follow the kumiko and
joint numbering system shown in Figure 46, or your own system if you prefer.
Vertical kumiko
All cuts for the vertical kumiko are on the back.
Clamp one full-length vertical kumiko to the story stick, and transfer all tenon and horizontal kumiko
marks (marks 1–12) with a sharp marking knife. Remove this kumiko, and mark the ends of the 13 mm
tenons. Extend the tenon shoulder and tenon end marks around to the front side, and mark the cheeks of
the tenons according to the following figure.
[Fig-61] Vertical kumiko joinery
Secure this marked kumiko and all other full-length kumiko (B, D, F, H, and J) for both shoji in the
kumiko cutting jig, making sure that the ends of the kumiko are firmly against the end stop. Also make
sure that the kumiko orientation is correct; i.e. the bottom ends are against the end stop.
Extend the marks from the marked kumiko across all kumiko, and make the cuts for the half-lap
housing joints, and also for the tenons. Once all cuts have been made, cut off and chamfer the ends of
the tenons.
Cut all the shorter vertical kumiko to lengths of about 250 mm. Again, after taking the marks from the
story stick, secure the bottom group of shorter vertical kumiko (A, C, E, G, I and K) for both shoji in
the kumiko cutting jig, and cut half-lap joints 1 and 2. Secure the center group in the jig and cut joints
6 and 7, then the top group and cut joints 11 and 12.
These shorter kumiko do not have tenons, so make sure you leave sufficient room on the top and
bottom of the cuts so they can trimmed to fit.
That completes all the cuts for the vertical kumiko.
Horizontal kumiko
Cutting the horizontal kumiko is slightly more complicated. These will have to be divided into two
sets of cuts: joints for the full-length vertical kumiko, and joints for the shorter vertical kumiko. Note
that all horizontal kumiko are cut on the front.
Clamp two horizontal kumiko to the story stick, and transfer all marks, including the tenons. Remove
the kumiko and extend the tenon marks around to the other side, according to the following figure.
These two marked kumiko are the master horizontal kumiko for each of the two shoji, and will be
kumiko 1 (because kumiko 1 has all joints cut).
[Fig-62] Horizontal kumiko joinery
First, secure one of the marked kumiko and eleven other horizontal kumiko in the kumiko cutting jig,
making sure that the orientation is correct and the ends are firmly against the end stop, and cut joints
B, D, F, H and J.
[Fig-63] Cut the full-length kumiko first
Cut the tenons, but do not cut off the ends of the tenons at this stage.
[Fig-64] Do not cut off the ends of the tenons yet
Remove kumiko 3, 4, 5, 8, 9 and 10, and cut kumiko 1, 2, 6, 7, 11 and 12 at joints A, C, E, G, I and K.
When these joints have been cut, remove the kumiko from the jig, and cut off and chamfer the ends of
all tenons. Repeat this for the second shoji. That completes the kumiko cutting.
[Fig-65] Kumiko cuts completed
Assembling
As is the case with all shoji, assemble the main kumiko first; i.e. the full-length vertical and
horizontal kumiko. Ensure you have the correct left/right and top/bottom orientation.
[Fig-66] Assemble the main kumiko first
Next, attach the tsukeko, making sure that the kumiko tenons are fully engaged in their respective
mortises in the tsukeko. Small tacks or nails with glue hold the tsukeko miters firmly together.
[Fig-67] Attach the tsukeko
After attaching the tsukeko, set the assembled frame aside to allow the glue to dry thoroughly.
Once the glue has dried, trim the shorter vertical kumiko (A, C, E, G, I and K) at both ends to fit. This
process was described in the kawari-gumi shoji in Figure 30. Insert each shorter kumiko as it is
trimmed.
[Fig-68] Insert the shorter kumiko
Follow the same procedure for the right-hand shoji.
Once the glue has dried thoroughly, we move on to the masu-tsunagi pattern.
Masu-tsunagi
The masu-tsunagi pattern is simply a square lattice rotated 45° to fit within the square jigumi. The
square jigumi is quite open, and since there is no concern about the design becoming cluttered, I have
made the mitsuke of the pattern kumiko the same as that of the main kumiko.
The size of the internal square is largely a matter of feel, and trial and error. In my initial design I
split the diagonal length into thirds, but I wasn’t happy with the result. After looking at a few
variations, I eventually decided to increase the outer intervals from the diagonal corners by 2 mm
each to make the inner square slightly smaller. This made the pattern much more balanced. The
dimensions are shown in the following figure (Figure 69).
One design element you must be aware of is that the four sides of the square are consistent—the four
sides are either on top, or underneath (this design element can be seen clearly in the mie masu-
tsunagi pattern at Figure 153). For example, the four sides forming the central square in the following
diagram are all on top. Be conscious of this when fitting the individual parts in the jigumi.
[Fig-69] Masu-tsunagi dimension details
The critical aspect of this pattern is that the four parts of the square lattice must be exactly the correct
length so that it fits snugly within the jigumi.
To begin, cut half-lap joints in a manageable number of kumiko according to the dimensions shown in
the above diagram. Make sure you leave enough on the ends to trim at 45°. Cut these in multiples of
four.
[Fig-70] Cut the half-lap joints
Trim these pieces to the correct length using the 45° shooting board or the 45° jig.
I have found that the easiest method for obtaining good, consistent results reasonably quickly is to
measure the length of the ends from the half-lap joint, as can be seen in the following photograph.
Similar to other kumiko patterns, the dimensions indicated for this pattern should be viewed as a
guide, as minor inaccuracies in marking and cutting will affect the lengths.
[Fig-71] Measure the ends from the joint
Assemble four pieces, making sure the 45° ends are facing the correct way, as shown in the following
photograph. Provided the joints have been cut well, there is no need to glue these pieces together;
however you can add a dab of glue if you prefer.
[Fig-72] Make sure of the correct orientation of the angled ends
Fit these assembled pieces into the jigumi. If one or more pieces of an assembled square are too
short, try to fit it into a different jigumi square. Regardless of how accurate your marking and cutting
has been, there will always be slight variations in the size of the jigumi squares, so in some cases, we
can use this to our advantage. You should never, however, come to rely on inaccuracy.
If, on the other hand, one or more pieces are too long, place the long pieces on sandpaper attached to
a flat board resting up against a piece of wood so that the square is perpendicular to the sandpaper,
and lightly sand the end or ends, as shown in the following photographs. This method, however,
should only be used for very minor adjustment.
[Fig-73] One piece too long
[Fig-74] Two pieces too long
Take extra care when inserting the squares at the ends next to the tsukeko, because if the fit is too tight
with too much pressure, there is a risk that the tsukeko will be forced away from the kumiko and a
gap will open up.
[Fig-75] Take extra care on the ends
Continue fitting the squares until both shoji panels have been completed.
[Fig-76] First panel completed

The shoji frame is exactly the same as the frame in the standard shoji in Volume 1 and the kawari-
gumi shoji in this book, so the processes detailed for those shoji apply here as well.

Similarly, the processes detailed in assembling the standard shoji also apply to this shoji. Take care
when tapping the stile into the rail tenons so that the pattern kumiko do not become detached.
When the shoji have dried, inspect the jaguchi joints and carefully plane flush where required.
Mark your preferred location for the door pulls, and cut out the housing mortise. Apply a small dab of
glue to the mortise, and insert the pull so that it sits flush with the face.
Attaching the paper

Attach the paper in exactly the same way as described for the standard shoji in Volume 1. In this
shoji, there are many more kumiko to which glue has to be applied, so you will need to work
efficiently so that the glue doesn’t dry before you’re ready to attach the paper.

This final procedure is exactly the same as detailed in the standard shoji.
This was quite a simple kumiko arrangement and pattern that will ease you into the much more
complex and challenging patterns we tackle later in this and subsequent books. The two horizontal
bands combine well with the vertical composition of the kumiko to provide a very attractive shoin-
shōji design.
KUMIKO PATTERNS
As I mentioned in the Preface, the six kumiko patterns we tackle in this section are broadly connected
to the patterns in the two shoji in this book. All patterns are relatively straightforward, and require
only the skills you gained in Volume 1 and in making the shoji in this book. Also as I mentioned, there
are no additional jigs to be made, and the standard set of tools will more than suffice.
Kaku-tsunagi
[Fig-78] Kaku-tsunagi
The kaku-tsunagi is a simple pattern that requires the skills at fitting miters you gained in the kawari-
gumi shoji project earlier. In this case, kaku means a “90° angle”, so the pattern is a “connection of
right-angles”. Along with the kawari-gumi shoji, this pattern lays the foundation for much more
complex patterns in this and subsequent books.
Unlike many other patterns that fit independently into their own squares, this pattern is connected to
the jigumi through half-lap joints, and keeping track of where the cuts should be made is perhaps the
main difficulty in making it.
The jigs we need for this pattern are the kumiko cutting jig, the 90° shooting board and the 45° jig.
The overall dimension of the piece we will make for this project is shown in the following figure.
For consistency, this will be the standard jigumi for all of the square patterns we make. In most of the
patterns, I have added extra framing kumiko to highlight the pattern, and also to give it balance. If this
pattern is used as a band in a shoji, the extra horizontal kumiko is necessary on the top and bottom to
close off the shorter vertical pieces, while the shorter horizontal pieces on the ends would simply fit
into the tsukeko.
[Fig-79] Kaku-tsunagi dimension details
The pitch of the jigumi kumiko is 75 mm, which is large enough so that with the 4 mm kumiko
mitsuke, even the more complex patterns do not become cluttered, but the piece still remains
manageable.
The pitch of the pattern kumiko is quite simple to calculate. Each of the jigumi squares is divided by
two kumiko into three even intervals, so the pitch calculation is the internal space plus one kumiko
mitsuke divided by the number of even intervals; therefore (71 + 4) ÷ 4 = 25 mm.
I set the interval between the outer framing kumiko and the main jigumi kumiko at 10 mm (or a pitch
of 14 mm). I chose this interval because I thought it gave a balanced feel to the piece, but it could be
larger or smaller depending on your own preference.
Timber requirements
For this and the other patterns, we only need kumiko, so there is no need to prepare timber for the
rails, stiles or tsukeko. Kumiko cut to the appropriate length can be used as story sticks for the
vertical and horizontal kumiko.
The kumiko mikomi is 12 mm and the mitsuke is 4 mm. A minimum of about ten kumiko 1000 mm
long should suffice, although it is always a wise idea when making patterns to prepare a few extra
kumiko.
Marking
Mark separate horizontal and vertical story sticks with a sharp marking knife according to the
dimensional drawing at Figure 79. Because we are only making one kumiko pattern piece, we will cut
the kumiko directly from these story sticks.
To keep track of the joints for marking and cutting, I suggest that you use the following numbering
system.
[Fig-80] Suggested numbering system — kaku-tsunagi
The following photograph shows a part of the two story sticks I used with the joint numbering.
[Fig-81] Story sticks
Cutting the kumiko

The kumiko mikomi is 12 mm, so cut the half-lap joints to a depth of about 6.5 mm.
I used the following cutting sequence to minimize the number of cuts and reduce the possibility of
errors. It doesn’t matter whether you start with the horizontal or vertical kumiko; in this case, I started
with the vertical kumiko.
Begin with the jigumi, securing the vertical story stick and kumiko A, B, E, H, K, N and O in the
kumiko cutting jig. Make sure they are butted up firmly against the end stop, and cut joints 1 and 9.
[Fig-82] Secure the first group of kumiko
Next, place kumiko A, B, C, E, G, H, I, K, M, N and O in the jig and cut joints 2 and 8.
Cut kumiko B, C, G, H, I, M and N at joints 3 and 7; then cut kumiko D, E, F, J, K and L at joints 4
and 6.
Finally, cut kumiko A, B, D, E, F, H, J, K, L, N and O at joint 5.
That completes the vertical kumiko, now on to the horizontal kumiko.
Place kumiko 1, 2, 5, 8 and 9 in the jig and cut joints A and O.
Next, cut kumiko 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8 and 9 at joints B, H and N; cut kumiko 2, 3, 7 and 8 at joints C, G, I
and M; then cut kumiko 4, 5 and 6 at joints D, F, J and L.
Finally, cut kumiko 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9 at joints E and K.
That completes the cutting, and your kumiko should look like this.
[Fig-83] Your kumiko should look like this
Assembling the pattern

First assemble the main vertical and horizontal kumiko, making sure of the correct top/bottom and
left/right orientation.
[Fig-84] Assemble the main jigumi kumiko first
With the jigumi assembled, it is now just a matter of applying the skills gained in the kawari-gumi
shoji at mitering (see Figures 20 to 29), and trimming the kumiko to fit (see Figure 30).
I find it easier to assemble the horizontal kumiko first, and in this pattern I’ll start at the top.
Miter and trim the left end of kumiko 7 as explained in the kawari-gumi shoji.
[Fig-85] Miter and trim the left end of kumiko 7
Continue this for the rest of the joints in kumiko 7.

[Fig-86] Miter and trim the remaining joints in kumiko 7
Start on the next horizontal row (kumiko 6), making sure the miter is oriented the correct way.
[Fig-87] Miter and trim kumiko 6
Continue until you complete all the horizontal kumiko.
Now start on the vertical kumiko. The miters are cut in exactly the same way as in the kawari-gumi
shoji. Similar to that pattern, here, fit the longer vertical kumiko before fitting the shorter ones.
[Fig-88] Fit the longer kumiko first
Once the longer kumiko is secured, assemble the two shorter kumiko.
[Fig-89] Next, fit the shorter kumiko
Continue fitting the longer, then the shorter kumiko.

[Fig-90] Continue fitting the kumiko
Continue until all kumiko are assembled, and you have completed the pattern.
[Fig-91] Continue until the pattern is completed
Although this is quite a simple pattern, it is very effective as a supporting pattern at the bottom of a set
of shoji, or in conjunction with other patterns. Together with the kawari-gumi shoji, it gives a solid
grounding for the next pattern, the futae kaku-tsunagi.
Futae kaku-tsunagi
[Fig-92] Futae kaku-tsunagi
The futae kaku-tsunagi is a much more complex sibling of the kaku-tsunagi. Futae means “double”,
so this pattern is a “connection of double right angles”.
The pattern itself can be applied in a similar way to the kawari-gumi pattern in which it forms a
major feature, or it can be reduced in size to form an attractive band or border. The use of timber of
different colors within the pattern can also add interest.
The jigs we need for this pattern are the kumiko cutting jig, the 90° shooting board and the 45° jig.
The overall dimension of the piece we will make for this project is shown in the following figure
(Figure 93). The pitch of the jigumi kumiko is, as in the previous exercise, 75 mm. This pitch gives an
open feel relative to the complexity of the pattern. As in the previous exercise, the kumiko mitsuke is
also 4 mm, but when making this pattern, I used the kumiko left over from the masu-tsunagi
tateshige-shōji, so the mikomi for this exercise is 15 mm.
The mikomi can of course be the same as the other pattern-only projects at 12 mm, so if you have
additional kumiko from those projects, by all means use them.
[Fig-93] Futae kaku-tsunagi dimension details
In this pattern, the internal squares of the jigumi are divided with seven horizontal and seven vertical
kumiko, which gives eight even horizontal and vertical intervals. For the futae kaku-tsunagi pattern,
the two outer and the center kumiko are removed, leaving four horizontal and four vertical kumiko,
although there is still the equivalent of eight even intervals. This gives the pattern its wonderful
balanced feel.
The pattern in which no kumiko are removed and all seven horizontal and seven vertical kumiko are
used is called the yae kaku-tsunagi. Yae here means “multiple”.
For calculating internal pitch: pitch = width or height of internal space + mitsuke of one kumiko ÷
number of even intervals. The internal space is 71 mm, so pitch = 71 + 4 ÷ 8, which is 9.375 mm.
Kumiko are therefore positioned at multiples of this pitch; e.g., 46.875 is a multiple of 9.375.
Timber requirements
We only need kumiko, and a kumiko cut to the appropriate length can be used as a story stick.
Considerably more kumiko will be needed for this project that was needed in the previous project, so
you should prepare at least 25 kumiko 1000 mm long with a mitsuke of 4 mm and a mikomi of 15 mm
(or 12 mm if you prefer), although preparing a few extra kumiko certainly would not be a waste.
Marking
Mark all of the joint locations shown in the dimensional diagram at Figure 93 along the story stick
(Figure 95). I have not indicated every dimension in the figure otherwise it would become too
cluttered and unreadable, so for those dimensions that aren’t shown, remember that these joints are in
multiples of 9.375 mm.
Cutting the kumiko

At first the pattern may appear like a very confusing maze with no clear indication of where to begin
cutting and which kumiko can be cut together, but if you look closely at the diagram, a clear cutting
strategy should begin to emerge.
Unlike the other pattern pieces in this book, this is a square, so the first point to note is that because
the pattern is square and symmetrical, we don’t have to worry about separate cuts for the vertical and
horizontal kumiko: make the appropriate cuts on the kumiko, then flip half over; the kumiko with the
joints facing up are the horizontal kumiko, and those with the joints facing down are the vertical
kumiko.
As strange as it may seem with a pattern of this apparent complexity, there are in fact only two
different groups of cuts. These I’ve shown with asterisks and dashes in the following diagram.
[Fig-94] Kumiko cutting groups
As you can see, one group has ten kumiko, and the other has eleven. So all we need to do is cut each
group twice, and that covers all 42 horizontal and vertical kumiko.
The following photograph shows the story stick I used with color-coded marks for the cuts. I used red
(R) for the jigumi joints, and these are common cuts for both groups. I used blue (B) to indicate the
cuts shown with the asterisk in the diagram above, and green (G) for the cuts shown with a dash. This
removes any possibility of making the wrong cut in the wrong kumiko.
[Fig-95] Story stick with color-coded marks
Transfer the appropriate marks from the story stick to one of the kumiko in each of the four groups for
cutting; do not cut the story stick.
Although some of the joints you cut will be discarded as you trim the miters for the internal squares,
this is by far the most efficient way of cutting this pattern.
The kumiko mikomi is 15 mm, so cut the half-lap joints to a depth of about 7.8 mm (if your mikomi is
12 mm, cut to a depth of about 6.5 mm).
The following photograph shows the cut kumiko separated into their respective groups. The top two
groups are the “asterisk” kumiko (one group is the vertical kumiko and the other group is the
horizontal kumiko), and the bottom two groups are the “dash” kumiko. You can also clearly see the
common cuts for the jigumi joints. I also cut a couple of spares in case disaster strikes and I snap a
kumiko.
[Fig-96] Kumiko in their respective groups

Assemble the main vertical and horizontal kumiko first to form the jigumi squares into which the
pattern kumiko are inserted.
Be very careful when assembling the kumiko because the pieces between pairs of cuts are just over
5 mm and therefore very weak, so they can easily break off if the kumiko are handled roughly.
Once the jigumi is assembled, we then have to work out a strategy for assembling the pattern kumiko.
The large number of miters in this pattern make the assembling process quite difficult. The mitering
process is, however, exactly the same as that described in the kawari-gumi shoji.
There is no established sequence, but I have found that the easiest way is to assemble the horizontal
kumiko first (joints facing upward), then insert the vertical kumiko. The following photographs show
how I assembled the pattern.
First, assemble the horizontal kumiko into the top half of the pattern, inserting each one as you cut it.
[Fig-98] Insert the horizontal kumiko
Once the horizontal kumiko have been inserted into the top half of the frame, begin mitering and
assembling the vertical kumiko.
[Fig-99] Begin mitering and assembling the vertical kumiko
When the top half has been completed (except for the vertical kumiko that extend into the bottom half
of the frame), begin inserting the horizontal kumiko in the bottom half.
[Fig-100] Continue on to the bottom half
After assembling the horizontal kumiko, insert the vertical kumiko.
[Fig-101] Horizontal, then vertical kumiko
In this kind of pattern the kumiko are all interconnected, and the tension applied to the miter joints to
obtain a tight join is transmitted to all the adjacent kumiko, so toward the end the joints may not come
together as easily as they did at the start. Therefore, as you reach the end, take extra care when
inserting the kumiko and do not force them in.
This stunning pattern is quite a challenge to make, and it requires full concentration to ensure the
joints fit and the miters are facing the correct way. Accuracy, though, is the key, so work carefully
without trying to rush through, and you’ll enjoy the wonderful sense of achievement as the final
kumiko slides in.
Izutsu-tsunagi
[Fig-103] Izutsu-tsunagi
The izutsu-tsunagi is one of the many patterns in the izutsu family. As you can see by the photograph,
it is simply a series of interconnecting izutsu (well curb) squares. While there is nothing especially
difficult about this pattern, the large number of joints very closely spaced does demand a very high
degree of accuracy in the marking and cutting, so it can be quite time-consuming. This pattern would
look stunning in a ranma, either by itself or in conjunction with another pattern, or as a bottom base
pattern for a shoji.
The jigs we need for this pattern are the kumiko cutting jig, 90° shooting board, and the 45° jig.
[Fig-104] Izutsu-tsunagi dimension details

[Fig-104] Izutsu-tsunagi dimension details
The jigumi kumiko are the same as the other patterns in this book with a pitch of 75 mm, while the
outer framing kumiko are also the same with a pitch of 14 mm from the jigumi kumiko.
If you look closely at the dimensional drawing above, you can see that each jigumi square contains
the spacing for five vertical and horizontal kumiko at even intervals, although the center kumiko are
left out of the pattern. This results in a pleasing balance.
Calculating the pitch of the pattern kumiko is therefore very simple: 75 mm (internal space + one
kumiko mitsuke) ÷ 6 (number of even intervals) = 12.5 mm.
The ends of the pattern kumiko extend 5 mm past the joint.
Timber requirements
We only need kumiko for this pattern, so about 20 kumiko 1000 mm long with a mitsuke of 4 mm and
a mikomi of 12 mm should be sufficient. Kumiko cut to the appropriate length are used as the story
sticks.
Marking
Because of the large number of kumiko in the pattern, I would advise very strongly to number all
kumiko to avoid becoming confused or losing track when cutting and assembling. My suggested
numbering system is shown in the following figure.
[Fig-105] Suggested numbering system — izutsu-tsunagi
Mark one horizontal and two vertical story sticks with a sharp marking knife according to the
dimensional drawing at Figure 104. All kumiko form squares, so measure and mark the horizontal
story stick first, then take the markings for the two vertical story sticks from that as appropriate.
Because we are only making one kumiko pattern piece, we will cut the kumiko directly from these
story sticks.
Cutting the kumiko

The cutting sequence for this pattern is quite involved, so double-check the kumiko numbering before
making any cuts.
Start with the horizontal kumiko. Secure the horizontal story stick and kumiko 1, 2, 7, 12 and 13 in the
kumiko cutting jig, and cut joints A and W.
Next place kumiko 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12 and 13 in the jig and cut joints B, G, L, Q and V; then
kumiko 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, and cut joints C, F, H, K, M, P, R and U.
Finally, place kumiko 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 and 11 in the jig and cut joints D, E, I, J, N, O, S and T. That
completes the horizontal kumiko.
There are a large number of vertical kumiko, so most of these cut will have to be done in two lots.
This is why we made up two identical vertical story sticks.
First, place kumiko A, B, G, L, Q, V and W in the jig and cut joints 1 and 13.
All cuts from now will be done in two lots. Place kumiko A, B, C, F, G, H, K and L in the jig and cut
joints 2, 7 and 12; then M, P, Q, R, U, V and W, and again cut joints 2, 7 and 12.
Place kumiko B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K and L in the jig and cut joints 3, 6, 8 and 11; then M, N, O,
P, Q, R, S, T, U and V, and again cut joints 3, 6, 8 and 11.
Finally, place kumiko C, D, E, F, H, I, J and K in the jig and cut joints 4, 5, 9 and 10; followed by M,
N, O, P, R, S, T and U, and again cut joints 4, 5, 9 and 10.
That completes the cutting, now on to assembling the pattern.

Assemble the jigumi kumiko first, making sure you have the correct left/right and top/bottom
orientation.
Once the jigumi has been assembled, start on the pattern kumiko. There are any number of ways of
assembling this pattern; the following is just one method I found relatively simple, so I’ll continue
with that.
First, cut the left end of kumiko 3 to size so that it fits firmly against the outer framing kumiko on the
left side, and extends 5 mm past the joint on the right side. Don’t forget to chamfer the right-hand end.
Add a dab of glue to the joints, and insert.
Repeat this with vertical kumiko C and insert.
Cut the next piece of kumiko 3 to size, making sure you have the correct left/right orientation, and
insert, then cut and insert the end pieces of kumiko F and H as shown in the following photograph.
[Fig-107] Begin at the bottom left
Continue this until all pieces of kumiko 3 and all bottom pieces of the vertical kumiko have been cut
and inserted.
[Fig-108] Continue along the bottom row
Flip the piece over and cut and insert kumiko 4, making sure you have the correct left/right
orientation.
[Fig-109] Cut and insert kumiko 4
Now cut and insert the next group of vertical kumiko.
[Fig-110] Insert the next group of kumiko

[Fig-110] Insert the next group of kumiko
Continue cutting and inserting the horizontal kumiko.
[Fig-111] Continue inserting the horizontal kumiko
Followed by the vertical kumiko.
[Fig-112] Next the vertical kumiko
Repeat this process…

[Fig-113] Continue cutting and inserting horizontal then vertical kumiko
[Fig-114] Keep going…
Until all pattern kumiko have been assembled.
You have now completed the izutsu-tsunagi pattern.
Perhaps the most difficult aspect of this pattern is the large number of closely spaced kumiko. Each
interlocking kumiko will add tension to all adjacent kumiko, as was the case with the kaku-tsunagi
pattern, and this can increase the pressure needed to insert each one. This is especially so if there are
any inaccuracies in the cutting or marking.
So in exactly the same way as every other kumiko pattern: the more accurate the marking and cutting,
the easier the assembly.
[Fig-116] Izutsu-kiriko-tsunagi
This is yet another of the izutsu family of patterns. The first thing you will probably notice is that
there are no jigumi squares, and this is the main feature of the kiriko patterns. The term kiriko in this
case simply means “cut kumiko”, and you can see that all pattern kumiko are cut; there are no full-
length kumiko (except the outer framing kumiko). While this introduces a new dimension to the
kumiko patterns, it is no more difficult to cut and assemble than any of the other izutsu patterns.
[Fig-117] Izutsu-kiriko-tsunagi dimension details

The piece has no jigumi squares, so whereas with the other patterns we could base our calculations
on the 75 mm pitch and 71 mm internal space of these squares, here we cannot. We need to calculate
this exactly as we calculate any normal shoji design: the internal space of the overall piece, and in
this project, this can be either horizontal or vertical.
Here, I’ll calculate using the horizontal dimensions.
The horizontal internal space is 296 mm, if we add the mitsuke of one kumiko (4 mm), this becomes
300 mm.
From the dimensional diagram (Figure 117) you can see that every third pattern kumiko is omitted, so
while the kumiko is not there, we still have to account for its position so that the intervals are even. In
this piece the horizontal space is divided by 17 kumiko (twelve actual kumiko and five empty kumiko
spaces), so there are 18 even intervals.
Therefore, dividing the internal space of 300 mm by 18 intervals gives us 16.667 mm, which becomes
our internal pattern pitch.
Calculations for the vertical space will give us the same pitch: (146 + 4) ÷ 9 = 16.667 mm.
The ends of the pattern kumiko extend 5 mm past the joint.
Timber requirements
About 15 kumiko 1000 mm long with a mitsuke of 4 mm and a mikomi of 12 mm should be sufficient
for this project. Kumiko cut to the appropriate length are used as the story sticks.
Marking
Number the kumiko in this project as shown in the following figure.
[Fig-118] Suggested numbering system — izutsu-kiriko-tsunagi

While it is possible (and perhaps less wastage) to cut the required number of pattern kumiko to their
final short lengths, then cut the half-lap joints, I have found that my cutting is far more consistent
resulting in fewer problems with assembly if I cut the half-lap joints in the full-length pattern kumiko
first, then cut the kumiko to their required lengths. This is how I will approach the pattern here.
Mark the horizontal and vertical story sticks according to the dimensional diagram at Figure 117.
Note that the pitch between kumiko to the sides of the omitted kumiko spaces is, at 33.333 mm, double
the pitch of the other kumiko. Another point to note is that whereas the piece is symmetrical
horizontally, vertically it is not, so be conscious of this when cutting and assembling.
Cutting the kumiko

To minimize the number of cuts required, cutting is done in the following sequence.
Starting with the horizontal kumiko, secure the horizontal story stick and kumiko 1, 2, 9 and 10 firmly
against the end stop of the kumiko cutting jig, and cut joints A and P.
Place kumiko 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9 and 10 in the jig and cut joints B and O; then kumiko 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9
and cut joints C, F, G, J, K and N.
Finally, place kumiko 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 in the jig and cut joints D, E, H, I, L and M.
That completes the horizontal cuts, now the vertical cuts, which are somewhat more involved.
Secure the vertical story stick and kumiko A, B, O and P in the jig and cut joints 1 and 10.
Next place kumiko A, B, D, E, H, I, L, M, O and P in the jig and cut joint 2; then A, B, C, F, G, J, K,
N, O and P and cut joint 9.
The following cuts can be made in two groups if the number of kumiko is too large to be manageable,
but if so, you will need to prepare two vertical story sticks.
Place kumiko B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N and O in the jig and cut joints 3, 6 and 7; then C, D,
E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M and N and cut joints 4, 5 and 8.
That completes the cuts, and your kumiko should look like this.
[Fig-119] Your kumiko should look like this

First, assemble the framing kumiko.
[Fig-120] Assemble the framing kumiko
Once the framing kumiko have been assembled, there are any number of ways in which the pattern
kumiko can be assembled; the following is the way I tackled it, and I think it is a reasonably efficient
assembly sequence.
In this pattern, I arranged the assembly in columns as it allowed me to insert the horizontal kumiko
with the joints facing upward in first, then insert the vertical kumiko into the joints from the top,
which to me is the easier approach.
Cut the left ends of kumiko 3, 6 and 8 to length and insert as shown in the following photograph.
[Fig-121] Cut and insert the left ends of kumiko 3, 6 and 8
Next, cut and insert vertical kumiko C and D into their respective joints.
[Fig-122] Cut and insert kumiko C and D
Cut and insert the horizontal kumiko (4, 5 and 8).

[Fig-123] Cut and insert kumiko 4, 5 and 8
Then the vertical kumiko (E and F).
[Fig-124] Cut and insert kumiko E and F
Continue this sequence of horizontal kumiko…

[Fig-125] Continue with the horizontal kumiko
Followed by vertical kumiko…
[Fig-126] Followed by the vertical kumiko
Until you reach the end…

[Fig-127] Nearly there
And the project is completed.
As with most of the izutsu family of patterns we have made so far, this is an uncomplicated design
that should pose no real difficulty, provided sufficient care is taken with the cutting of the joints.
[Fig-129] Chōchin izutsu-tsugi
Chōchin are Japanese paper lanterns, and in this pattern, the izutsu squares form a series of paper
lanterns.
In the chōchin izutsu-tsugi pattern the internal squares of the izutsu-tsugi pattern we made in the first
shoji are rotated 45°, and held in place with locking pieces; here, though, the locking pieces intersect
the main jigumi kumiko with half-lap joints. This pattern is therefore considerably more complex and
difficult than the izutsu-tsugi both because there are additional cuts to be made in the jigumi, and also
because the four locking pieces for each izutsu square must be cut precisely so that the izutsu square
is held exactly in the center of the jigumi square. Any inaccuracy here and the locking pieces and the
izutsu squares will not line up correctly, and the overall pattern will look very mediocre. The
accuracy of the joints in the jigumi kumiko is also absolutely critical.
The overall dimension of the piece we will make for this project is shown in the following figure. As
with most other patterns, it is always wise to number all the kumiko so there is less of a chance of
making a mistake. My suggested numbering system is also shown in the diagram.
[Fig-130] Chōchin izutsu-tsugi dimension details and numbering system
The jigumi kumiko including the outer framing kumiko are the same as the other patterns in this book,
and have a pitch of 75 mm. The locking pieces are placed in the center of the jigumi squares, so their
pitch is 37.5 mm.
For the internal izutsu squares, I simply set the pitch at one-third of the jigumi pitch, or 25 mm. To me
this gives the pattern a balanced feel with the locking pieces. If the izutsu squares are too large, there
is a risk that the locking pieces will look stunted, but as with all designs, this is largely personal
preference.
The following figure gives the detailed dimensions of the internal pattern. The figure shows the length
of the locking piece from the jigumi kumiko to the corner of the izutsu square as 15 mm, but this
should only be used an accurate guide; each of the locking pieces are trimmed to fit.
[Fig-131] Internal pattern dimension details
Timber requirements
We only need kumiko for this pattern, so about ten kumiko 1000 mm long with a mitsuke of 4 mm and
a mikomi of 12 mm should be sufficient, but it would probably be wise to add a few extra. Kumiko
cut to the appropriate lengths are used as story sticks.
Marking
Mark up the jigumi story sticks with the horizontal and vertical kumiko marks as shown in Figure
130.
[Fig-132] Jigumi story sticks
Mark up a separate story stick with sufficient izutsu square markings for the number of squares
required, as shown in Figure 131. I cut in groups of twelve kumiko, so for this project I marked up
three patterns on the story stick. The kumiko extend 6 mm past the joint, so make sure you leave
enough room between pattern markings on the story stick for these extensions.
Cutting the kumiko

First cut the jigumi kumiko. Starting with the horizontal kumiko, place horizontal kumiko 1, 2, 4, 6
and 7 along with the horizontal story stick in the kumiko cutting jig and cut joints A, B, D, F, H, J and
K.
Next remove kumiko 1 and 7, and cut kumiko 2, 4 and 6 at joints C, E, G and I. That completes the
horizontal kumiko.
Place vertical kumiko A, B, D, F, H, J and K along with the vertical story stick in the kumiko cutting
jig and cut joints 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7.
Remove kumiko A and K, and cut kumiko B, D, F, H and J at joints 3 and 5. That completes all the
cuts for the jigumi kumiko.
Finally, trim the ends of the kumiko so there is a 10 mm extension past the end joints, and don’t forget
to chamfer the ends.
[Fig-133] Jigumi kumiko
Place a manageable number of kumiko in the kumiko cutting jig along with the story stick for the
izutsu squares. This should be in multiples of four (four kumiko in each square); I find twelve is a
reasonably easy number to handle, but this can be more or less if you prefer. Now cut the half-lap
joints. The twelve kumiko cut into three izutsu groups will give nine izutsu squares, so there will be
one spare.
Trim each of the izutsu kumiko so the ends extend 6 mm past the joints, and chamfer the ends. Make
sure you do not mix up the different izutsu groups to ensure consistency in the dimensions of each of
the izutsu squares.
The locking pieces have only the single joint, so simply cut one half-lap joint in at least 22 kumiko,
making sure there is at least 15 mm either side of the joint. These ends will be trimmed to fit as
necessary when assembling.
[Fig-134] Izutsu kumiko and locking pieces

As with all the patterns, assemble the jigumi kumiko first, making sure you have the correct left/right
and top/bottom orientation.
[Fig-135] Assemble the jigumi kumiko first
Next, assemble the izutsu squares.
[Fig-136] Assemble the izutsu squares
To assemble the patterns inside the jigumi, I started on the bottom left square, which is as good a
place as any to start. Although the length of the locking pieces shown in the dimensional drawing at
Figure 131 is only a guide, it is nonetheless quite accurate so trim the first locking piece on the 45°
jig to a length of 15 mm past the joint as shown in the following photograph. This is the horizontal
locking piece.
[Fig-137] Trim to 15 mm past the joint
Trim the other end so it fits securely against the outer framing kumiko and insert it into place.
Place the izutsu square against the left locking piece, making sure that the square is properly oriented.
This is the same principle as described in the masu-tsunagi pattern, and later in the mie masu-
tsunagi (see Figure 153).
Trim the left-hand side of the right locking piece on the 45° jig so it holds the izutsu square firmly in
place. Measure the length from the joint to the end, and this will give you an idea of how accurate
your measuring and cutting has been. If it is close to 15 mm, then your cutting has been accurate, and
you can safely continue with the 15 mm marking. If it there is a significant difference—either longer
or shorter—you will need to make an adjustment with subsequent locking pieces.
Trim the right-hand side of the locking piece to about 15 mm (or if you need to make any adjustment
because of inaccuracy, to that length).
Secure the izutsu square between the two locking pieces as shown in the following photograph.
[Fig-138] Secure the first izutsu square
Normally I would continue along the horizontal row and complete that before starting to insert any
vertical locking pieces, but for the purpose of this instructional project, I wanted to confirm my
accuracy so I decided to complete one jigumi square, and measure the lengths of all four locking
pieces from the joint to check. I therefore cut and inserted both vertical locking pieces in exactly the
same way as the first two locking pieces. Fortunately, the lengths of all four locking pieces were
close enough to 15 mm that no adjustment was necessary, so my accuracy was adequate.
[Fig-139] Accuracy was adequate
Continue finishing the bottom row with izutsu squares, again making sure of the correct orientation.
[Fig-140] Continue the bottom row
Move on to the top row and insert the first izutsu square. You can add the top vertical locking piece
now, as I did, or later if you prefer.
[Fig-141] Start the top row
Complete the top row with the izutsu squares and horizontal locking pieces.
[Fig-142] Complete the top row

Insert the top and bottom vertical locking pieces.
[Fig-143] Insert the top and bottom vertical locking pieces
Finally, insert the center locking pieces. These are left to the last so that both ends can be trimmed to
achieve a firm fit with each of the izutsu squares.
[Fig-144] Insert the center locking pieces — project completed
That completes the pattern. Well done! One final check is to sight along the horizontal and vertical
locking pieces. If marking and cutting has been accurate, all pieces should form a straight line, or very
close to it taking into account natural minor inaccuracies that are bound to creep in when all
processes are done by hand.
Mie masu-tsunagi
[Fig-145] Mie masu-tsunagi
This attractive pattern is in the same family as the masu-tsunagi featured in the second shoji in this
book. Because of the additional two diagonal pieces, though, the mie masu-tsunagi is a more
complex and time-consuming pattern than its relatively straightforward sibling. Here, mie means
“triple”.
Like many of the other patterns, this can be used as a feature band or bands or as a top and bottom
border for other patterns in a shoji. This pattern also looks stunning in a ranma.
The jigs we need for this pattern are the kumiko cutting jig and the 45° jig.
The pitch of the jigumi is 75 mm, the same as the other patterns in this book, but because the internal
patterns fit independently within their respective squares, in this project I have not added the extra
framing kumiko.
[Fig-146] Mie masu-tsunagi dimension details
The detailed dimensions of the internal patterns are as follows.
[Fig-147] Internal pattern dimension details
As with all kumiko patterns, it is important to break them down into their component parts for
calculating the various dimensions. From the following figure, you can see that the pattern is made up
of only two different kinds of pieces: the center diagonals (2), and the outer crosspieces (4).
[Fig-148] Pattern components
There are no set dimensional rules with this pattern, but balance must always be the primary
consideration. The pitch of the pattern kumiko determines the size of the masu squares, and for this
project, I wanted an even balance throughout the pattern. To me, the best balance is when the half
squares on the four sides are generally the same size as the four squares in the center, and this is how
I set the dimensions. They are not exactly the same, but close enough so they do not look lop-sided.
For this, I divided the internal square length of 71 mm into three even intervals, or 23.7 mm (23.67
mm to be exact). These two points became the center lines of the crosspieces (see Figure 147). It was
then simply a matter of joining the lines to work out the pattern kumiko pitch (computer CAD
programs are ideal for this).
This gave me a pitch of 16.7 mm, and lengths of 100.4 mm for the center diagonals, and 71 mm for the
crosspieces, although this overall crosspiece length is not important when cutting and fitting. These
dimensions are as follows.
[Fig-149] Component dimensions
Timber requirements
We only need kumiko for this pattern, so about ten kumiko 1000 mm long with a mitsuke of 4 mm and
a mikomi of 12 mm should be sufficient, but it would probably be wise to add a few extra. Kumiko
cut to the appropriate lengths are used as story sticks.
Marking
There is only need to mark up one story stick with the horizontal jigumi markings, shown at Figure
146. The jigumi is simply a series of squares so the central three joint marks can then be used to mark
the vertical kumiko.
A separate part of the story stick can be used for marking the internal pattern kumiko (see Figure 147
and Figure 149).

First mark and cut the jigumi kumiko. This is very simple: five vertical kumiko of 174 mm and three
horizontal kumiko of 324 mm, as shown in the following photograph.
[Fig-150] Jigumi kumiko
Now assemble the jigumi. Make sure you keep the left/right and top/bottom of the kumiko properly
aligned. Also remember that the vertical kumiko sit on top of the horizontal kumiko; and don’t forget
to chamfer the ends.
Try to be as accurate as you can with marking and cutting the jigumi, because the more precise you
are here, the easier it will be to cut and fit the pattern kumiko.
[Fig-151] Assemble the jigumi
With the jigumi assembled, we now start on the pattern kumiko.
The simplest way of cutting the kumiko is in individual pattern groups. Provided you mark the ends of
the kumiko and keep those ends aligned, this will generally compensate for any minor inaccuracies
there may be in the marking or cutting.
Group six kumiko (two center diagonals and four crosspieces) in the cutting jig, and cut three half-lap
joints at a 16.7 mm pitch. Make sure the first cut is at least 32 mm from the end. Place a mark across
all kumiko between the first and middle joints; when assembling the pattern kumiko, this mark should
be toward the bottom for all pieces.
[Fig-152] Cut the masu squares
While the kumiko are still in the cutting jig, mark the other end of the two diagonals about 32-33 mm
from the right edge of the third joint (or 36-37 mm from the left edge of that joint). For the four
crosspieces, mark the left end about 18 mm from the left edge of the first joint, and the right end about
18 mm from the right edge of the third joint (or about 22 mm from the left edge of that joint).
Remove the kumiko from the cutting jig, and cut the diagonals and crosspieces at those respective
marks.
The first pieces to trim to fit are the diagonals. Using the 45° jig trim both ends of each of the
diagonals to a 90° point to fit in the corners of the jigumi square. At this stage, do not try to trim to fit;
stop once the vertex of the 90° is in the center.
Before fitting the diagonals, look closely at Figure 146. As was the case with the simpler masu-
tsunagi, you will notice that the four sides of the squares are consistent—all four sides are either on
top, or on the bottom. The following figure shows this in more detail with the four side of the squares
on top.
[Fig-153] Sides are consistent
The next step is to measure the ends from the outer joints, and trim the longer end until the distance
from the outer joint is the same as the other end. Once both ends are roughly equidistant from their
respective outer joints, it is then simply a matter of trimming both ends equally until the diagonal fits
securely in the jigumi square.
[Fig-154] Ends are equidistant
This is an important step: the two ends should be as close to equidistant as possible. The 31.5 mm
shown in Figure 149 is only a guide, albeit an accurate guide. The actual dimension will depend on
the accuracy with which the jigumi pieces were cut and assembled, so as you trim both ends
gradually creep up on the fitting rather than immediately trim to 31.5 mm and assume it will fit.
When fitting each of the diagonals, start with the bottom (joint facing up). In the top left jigumi square
the bottom diagonal is placed from the inner corner to the top outer corner.
Once this is fitted, trim the top diagonal to fit in exactly the same way. You can place a small dab of
glue in the joint and the corners.
Once the diagonals are in, start on the crosspieces. Again, using the 45° jig, trim both ends so they are
equidistant from their respective outer joints. These are straight 45° cuts. Gradually trim both ends
equally until the piece fits snugly into its joint and the sides of the jigumi square.
[Fig-155] Insert diagonals then crosspieces
Repeat this for the second of the top crosspieces. When trimming, take note of which way the 45°
angles face.
[Fig-156] Insert the second top crosspiece
Now flip the piece over, and fit the two remaining crosspieces.
[Fig-157] Flip the piece over and insert the remaining crosspieces
These final two pieces can be difficult to fit, especially if the cuts have not been accurate. They have
to slide smoothly into the three half-lap housing joints, and rest snugly against the sides of the jigumi
square without being so tight that they distort the jigumi and make the pieces in the adjacent square
difficult to fit.
For a smooth and snug fit, trim the ends exactly as you did for the other two crosspieces, making sure
they are equidistant and the angle faces the correct way. Rest the crosspiece ends against the sides of
the jigumi, and check the joint alignment. If there are gaps in the joint alignment as can be seen in the
following photograph, then the piece is still too long.
Carefully trim both ends slightly, making sure to maintain their equidistance, and rest the ends against
the jigumi sides. If there is no longer a gap, the piece should slide in smoothly. If there is still a gap,
repeat until the gap has gone.
[Fig-158] Trim the ends until there is no gap
Repeat this for the other crosspiece, and you have completed the first square of the jigumi.
[Fig-159] First square completed
Continue this process for all the other squares, and you have completed the project.
The mie masu-tsunagi is an attractive pattern in which different features begin to float to the surface
the longer we gaze at it. The larger squares lead our eyes into the sets of four smaller squares in the
middle, then on to the diagonal paths between the groups of squares.
Although more complex than the masu-tsunagi, with the appropriate care, this is certainly not an
overly difficult pattern to make.
CONCLUSION
This brings Volume 2 to a close. Although more complex than the shoji and patterns I covered in
Volume 1, the designs here are still fairly elementary and quite simple to make. They will, however,
help you to build upon the kumiko pattern skills you have developed thus far, and give you a solid
foundation for the patterns we tackle in Volume 3. These patterns will still be based on the square
jigumi, but they will also include some angled cuts, and perhaps a few surprises that will test your
sawing skills, and possibly your patience.
Because of the constraints of the e-book format, some of the diagrams and dimensions in this book
may be too small to read clearly, so all dimensional drawings are available on my website here for
you to print or download. I haven’t included all of them, so if you would like me to add any that you
find are not sufficiently clear, please let me know through the Contact us page.
Good luck, and I hope you will join me as I explore some new and fascinating patterns in Volume 3.
Figure 01 — The two shoji we make in this book
Figure 02 — Six kumiko patterns
Figure 03 — Kawari-gumi mizugoshi-shōji with yotsuba izutsu-tsugi base
Figure 04 — Kawari-gumi joinery details
Figure 05 — The two panels are a mirror image
Figure 06 — Shoji dimension details
Figure 07 — Kawari-gumi shoji cutting list
Figure 08 — Suggested numbering system — left shoji
Figure 09 — Stile mortises — bottom
Figure 10 — Stile mortises — top
Figure 11 — Stile mortises — kumiko
Figure 12 — Rail mortises — kumiko
Figure 13 — Rail tenons
Figure 14 — Tsukeko mortises
Figure 15 — Rail tenon dimensions
Figure 16 — Rebate dimension details
Figure 17 — Vertical kumiko joinery
Figure 18 — Horizontal kumiko joinery
Figure 19 — Assemble the full-length kumiko first
Figure 20 — Rough miter orientation marks to prevent errors
Figure 21 — Mark the miter locations
Figure 22 — Trim the miter joint

Figure 23 — Assemble the inner pairs
Figure 24 — Repeat for the outer pairs and assemble
Figure 25 — Trim the longer kumiko first
Figure 26 — Trim so the kumiko are slightly over-length
Figure 27 — Assemble the longer kumiko
Figure 28 — Trim and assemble the shorter kumiko
Figure 29 — Correct amount of tension on the miter
Figure 30 — Trim the ends carefully, making sure the joints are properly aligned
Figure 31 — Completed kumiko pattern
Figure 32 — Yotsuba izutsu-tsugi dimension details
Figure 33 — Make sure of the correct horizontal/vertical kumiko orientation
Figure 34 — Trim the first locking piece to size
Figure 35 — Insert the diagonal locking pieces to hold the square
Figure 36 — The final locking piece is the key
Figure 37 — First square completed
Figure 38 — Continue inserting the squares
Figure 39 — First panel completed
Figure 40 — Project completed
Figure 41 — Masu-tsunagi tateshige-shōji
Figure 42 — Kumiko joinery details
Figure 43 — Both panels are identical
Figure 44 — Shoji dimension details
Figure 45 — Masu-tsunagi tateshige-shōji cutting list
Figure 46 — Suggested numbering system — left shoji

Figure 47 — Story stick — color-coded horizontal marks
Figure 48 — Stile mortises — bottom
Figure 49 — Stile mortises — top
Figure 50 — Stile mortises — kumiko
Figure 51 — Marks for the top of the stile
Figure 52 — Rail mortises — kumiko
Figure 53 — Rail tenons
Figure 54 — Tsukeko mortises
Figure 55 — Cut the mortises for the rail tenons
Figure 56 — Cut the rail mortises, jaguchi and tenons
Figure 57 — Rail tenon dimensions
Figure 58 — Cut the haunches and chamfer the ends
Figure 59 — Rebate dimension detail
Figure 60 — Cut the rebates in the rails
Figure 61 — Vertical kumiko joinery
Figure 62 — Horizontal kumiko joinery
Figure 63 — Cut the full-length kumiko first
Figure 64 — Do not cut off the ends of the tenons yet
Figure 65 — Kumiko cuts completed
Figure 66 — Assemble the main kumiko first
Figure 67 — Attach the tsukeko
Figure 68 — Insert the shorter kumiko
Figure 69 — Masu-tsunagi dimension details
Figure 70 — Cut the half-lap joints

Figure 71 — Measure the ends from the joint
Figure 72 — Make sure of the correct orientation of the angled ends
Figure 73 — One piece too long
Figure 74 — Two pieces too long
Figure 75 — Take extra care on the ends
Figure 76 — First panel completed
Figure 78 — Kaku-tsunagi
Figure 79 — Kaku-tsunagi dimension details
Figure 80 — Suggested numbering system — kaku-tsunagi
Figure 81 — Story sticks
Figure 82 — Secure the first group of kumiko
Figure 83 — Your kumiko should look like this
Figure 84 — Assemble the main jigumi kumiko first
Figure 85 — Miter and trim the left end of kumiko 7
Figure 86 — Miter and trim the remaining joints in kumiko 7
Figure 87 — Miter and trim kumiko 6
Figure 88 — Fit the longer kumiko first
Figure 89 — Next, fit the shorter kumiko
Figure 90 — Continue fitting the kumiko
Figure 91 — Continue until the pattern is completed
Figure 92 — Futae kaku-tsunagi
Figure 93 — Futae kaku-tsunagi dimension details
Figure 94 — Kumiko cutting groups

Figure 95 — Story stick with color-coded marks
Figure 96 — Kumiko in their respective groups
Figure 98 — Insert the horizontal kumiko
Figure 99 — Begin mitering and assembling the vertical kumiko
Figure 100 — Continue on to the bottom half
Figure 101 — Horizontal, then vertical kumiko
Figure 103 — Izutsu-tsunagi
Figure 104 — Izutsu-tsunagi dimension details
Figure 105 — Suggested numbering system — izutsu-tsunagi
Figure 107 — Begin at the bottom left
Figure 108 — Continue along the bottom row
Figure 109 — Cut and insert kumiko 4
Figure 110 — Insert the next group of kumiko
Figure 111 — Continue inserting the horizontal kumiko
Figure 112 — Next the vertical kumiko
Figure 113 — Continue cutting and inserting horizontal then vertical kumiko
Figure 114 — Keep going…
Figure 116 — Izutsu-kiriko-tsunagi
Figure 117 — Izutsu-kiriko-tsunagi dimension details
Figure 118 — Suggested numbering system — izutsu-kiriko-tsunagi

Figure 119 — Your kumiko should look like this
Figure 120 — Assemble the framing kumiko
Figure 121 — Cut and insert the left ends of kumiko 3, 6 and 8
Figure 122 — Cut and insert kumiko C and D
Figure 123 — Cut and insert kumiko 4, 5 and 8
Figure 124 — Cut and insert kumiko E and F
Figure 125 — Continue with the horizontal kumiko
Figure 126 — Followed by the vertical kumiko
Figure 127 — Nearly there
Figure 129 — Chōchin izutsu-tsugi
Figure 130 — Chōchin izutsu-tsugi dimension details and numbering system
Figure 131 — Internal pattern dimension details
Figure 132 — Jigumi story sticks
Figure 133 — Jigumi kumiko
Figure 134 — Izutsu kumiko and locking pieces
Figure 135 — Assemble the jigumi kumiko first
Figure 136 — Assemble the izutsu squares
Figure 137 — Trim to 15 mm past the joint
Figure 138 — Secure the first izutsu square
Figure 139 — Accuracy was adequate
Figure 140 — Continue the bottom row
Figure 141 — Start the top row
Figure 142 — Complete the top row

Figure 143 — Insert the top and bottom vertical locking pieces
Figure 144 — Insert the center locking pieces — project completed
Figure 145 — Mie masu-tsunagi
Figure 146 — Mie masu-tsunagi dimension details
Figure 147 — Internal pattern dimension details
Figure 148 — Pattern components
Figure 149 — Component dimensions
Figure 150 — Jigumi kumiko
Figure 151 — Assemble the jigumi
Figure 152 — Cut the masu squares
Figure 153 — Sides are consistent
Figure 154 — Ends are equidistant
Figure 155 — Insert diagonals then crosspieces
Figure 156 — Insert the second top crosspiece
Figure 157 — Flip the piece over and insert the remaining crosspieces
Figure 158 — Trim the ends until there is no gap
Figure 159 — First square completed

Des King is a woodworker and translator (Japanese-English) who lives on the Gold Coast,
Queensland, Australia with his wife Mariko.
A former Australian Army officer, Des studied Japanese first at the RAAF School of Languages at
Point Cook in 1974, then at US Department of State Foreign Service Institute in Yokohama in 1978.
He left the Army in 1986.
After 20 years full-time translation work, Mariko and he decided they needed a change, so in 2008 he
began a 12-month postgraduate course in construction and architecture at the International College of
Craft and Art (Shokugei Gakuin) in Toyama, Japan. The woodworking side of the College focuses on
traditional methods of carpentry, furniture-making, and tategu (making and fitting doors and
windows, especially shoji). Des concentrated on shoji and the various patterns made with kumiko, the
small pieces of wood that make up the shoji.
After completing the course in 2009, he and Mariko returned to Australia and set up a workshop on
the Gold Coast, where he continues to explore shoji and kumiko design while taking in the odd
translation.
Feel free to contact Des through his website at kskdesign.com.au. While you're there, why not drop in
and have a read of his blog.
Other books by Des King:
Shoji and Kumiko Design, Book 1 The Basics
Getting The Most From Your Kanna
The Complete Guide to Shoji and Kumiko Patterns: Volume 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE
MAKING A KAWARI-GUMI SHOJI
Cutting the frames
Attaching the paper
MAKING A MASU-TSUNAGI TATESHIGE-SHŌJI
Cutting the frames
Masu-tsunagi
Attaching the paper
KUMIKO PATTERNS
Kaku-tsunagi
Kaku-tsunagi
Futae kaku-tsunagi
Izutsu-tsunagi
Mie masu-tsunagi
CONCLUSION

The Complete Guide To Shoji and Kumiko Patterns-2

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The Complete Guide To Shoji and Kumiko Patterns-2

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The Complete Guide to

Shoji and Kumiko Patterns

Copyright © 2013, Desmond King

Photographs and Diagrams by D & M King

Published by D & M King

MAKING A KAWARI-GUMI SHOJI

Preparing the timber

Cutting the frames

Cutting and assembling the kumiko

Planing the rails and stiles

Assembling the shoji

Attaching the paper

Fitting and adjusting the shoji

MAKING A MASU-TSUNAGI TATESHIGE-SHŌJI

Preparing the timber

Cutting the frames

Cutting and assembling the kumiko

Planing the rails and stiles

Assembling the shoji

Attaching the paper

Fitting and adjusting the shoji

APPENDIX A — LIST OF FIGURES

APPENDIX B — ABOUT THE AUTHOR

[Fig-01] The two shoji we make in this book

[Fig-02] Six kumiko patterns

[Fig-03] Kawari-gumi mizugoshi-shōji with yotsuba izutsu-tsugi base

Overall shoji size

I cover calculations for the yotsuba izutsu-tsugi pattern later.

Preparing the timber

[Fig-10] Stile mortises — top

[Fig-12] Rail mortises — kumiko

[Fig-13] Rail tenons

[Fig-14] Tsukeko mortises

Cutting the frames

Raising the grain

Cutting and assembling the kumiko

[Fig-17] Vertical kumiko joinery

Do not cut any of the miters at this stage.

[Fig-18] Horizontal kumiko joinery

[Fig-22] Trim the miter joint

[Fig-24] Repeat for the outer pairs and assemble

[Fig-26] Trim so the kumiko are slightly over-length

Once they have been trimmed, glue them into place.

[Fig-28] Trim and assemble the shorter kumiko

[Fig-29] Correct amount of tension on the miter

[Fig-31] Completed kumiko pattern

[Fig-32] Yotsuba izutsu-tsugi dimension details

[Fig-33] Make sure of the correct horizontal/vertical kumiko orientation

[Fig-35] Insert the diagonal locking pieces to hold the square

A small dab of glue can be added to the corners if you prefer.

This completes one square.

[Fig-37] First square completed

Continue this process for all squares.

[Fig-39] First panel completed

Planing the rails and stiles

Assembling the shoji

Attaching the paper

Fitting and adjusting the shoji

[Fig-41] Masu-tsunagi tateshige-shōji

[Fig-43] Both panels are identical

[Fig-44] Shoji dimension details

Overall shoji size

Preparing the timber