Miya-Daiku, the master carpenters who support traditional Japanese architecture. Among them, the Miya-Daiku in the Kansai region is known for its intricate techniques and high artistic quality. However, its origins and technical systems are shrouded in mystery.
The history of Miya-Daiku is ancient, tracing back to the Nara period (710-794 AD) and the Heian period (794-1185 AD). Miya-Daiku emerged in history as specialized carpenters with advanced timber framing techniques to construct prestigious buildings such as palaces and temples.
During that time in Japan, there was a flourishing of large-scale wooden structures like temples and palaces, with Kansai’s Miya-Daiku at the forefront of architectural technology and techniques.
There is a theory tracing the roots of Miya-Daiku back to the ancient Japanese architectural group called the “Hatauji.”
The Hatauji clan were immigrant descendants known for their civil engineering and architectural prowess. However, the connection between the Hatauji clan and Miya-Daiku is not clear. The process of how the Hatauji clan evolved into Miya-Daiku remains a mystery. This article marks the start of a journey into the mysteries surrounding Miya-Daiku and the ancient Japanese architectural group, the Hatauji clan.
The Mystery of Miya-Daiku①: Why did Kansai become the center of Miya-Daiku?
The background behind Kansai becoming the center of Miya-Daiku activities is closely related to the history of shrine and temple construction centered around Kyoto and Nara.
In ancient Japan, wood was the primary building material, and wooden architecture was widely practiced. The Kansai region had a rich supply of high-quality timber from places like Mount Kiso in Kyoto Prefecture, Mount Rokko in Hyogo Prefecture, and Mount Yoshino in Nara Prefecture, which may have contributed to the development of wooden architecture. Therefore, many representative ancient wooden structures such as Horyu-ji Temple and Todai-ji Temple were built in the Kansai region during the Nara period. These buildings are said to showcase the roots of shrine carpentry techniques, utilizing the traditional wooden framing method without nails or adhesives.
Furthermore, the Kansai region had active cultural exchanges with China and the Korean Peninsula since ancient times, which likely resulted in frequent cultural influences. Wooden architecture had also been developing in China and the Korean Peninsula since ancient times, and some aspects of Kansai’s wooden framing techniques may have been introduced through these cultural exchanges.
From these points, it can be inferred that Miya-Daiku activities became prominent in the Kansai region due to these historical and cultural factors.
The Mystery of Miya-Daiku②: What is the Mystery of Wooden Framing?
Miya-Daiku are craftsmen specialized in constructing buildings such as shrines and temples. They not only utilize traditional wooden construction techniques but also pay attention to wood selection, emphasizing specific types of wood and the arrangement of growth rings to create beautiful buildings. Miya-Daiku’s techniques are based on strict norms and traditions, characterized by intricate joinery and fitting techniques. It is said that there are over 200 types of shrine carpentry.
The wooden framing structures of shrine carpenters’ buildings and temples are extremely precise and have complex shapes like intricate puzzles. These wooden structures are assembled without using nails or adhesives and remain tightly bound together even after many years. While artisans have inherited precise calculations and assembly techniques for wooden framing, some aspects of how they achieve such accuracy and strength remain partially understood and not fully elucidated.
Miya-Daiku’s wooden framing can create sturdy buildings using unique structures made of fitting joints. The combination of wood pieces provides durability against external forces like earthquakes and wind, forming a stable structure. It can flexibly accommodate wood shrinkage, expansion, and distortion. The adjustable structure allows the entire building to remain stable while adapting to changes. Particularly against natural disasters like earthquakes, the ability to flexibly sway helps reduce damage, a feature adopted in modern architectural techniques.
Furthermore, Miya-Daiku’s wooden framing utilizes wood as the primary structural material, offering advantages as a sustainable building method. Wood is a renewable resource that contributes to carbon dioxide absorption and carbon storage. Moreover, in wood processing and construction, it anticipates modern needs by reducing energy consumption and environmental impact. The origins and contributors to this complex and advanced technology remain a significant mystery.
The Mystery of Miya-Daiku③: The Mystery of the Hatauji Clan, Considered the Roots
The roots of Miya-Daiku are believed to trace back to the ancient Japanese architectural group known as the “Hatauji Clan.” The Hatauji Clan migrated to Japan from ancient Korea and brought with them various technologies such as construction, civil engineering, and sericulture, contributing significantly to the development of ancient Japan.
The relationship between the Hatauji Clan and Miya-Daiku is shrouded in mystery due to limited documentary evidence. However, based on several commonalities, it is speculated that there was a close connection between the two.
The architectural techniques passed down by the Hatauji Clan share many similarities with Miya-Daiku techniques. The geographical areas where the Hatauji Clan resided aligned with the distribution areas of Miya-Daiku. The HataujiClan produced “tou-ryou,” or master craftsmen in ancient Japan, which is analogous to modern Miya-Daiku, hinting at the Hatauji Clan being ancestors of Miya-Daiku.
From these commonalities, it is believed that the Hatauji Clan is one of the roots of Miya-Daiku and played a crucial role in the transmission of its techniques.
