Kakushiaridome

Kakushiaridome, known in English as concealed tusk joints, is an ingenious wooden connection method found in historical Japanese architecture. With this technique, small diagonal mortises are first chiseled partway into the width of each beam end. Corresponding wedge-shaped tenons, looking similar to elephant tusks, are then cut diagonally into the faces of the posts. When joined, the grain of each "tusk" tenon lies perpendicular to that of the surrounding post and beam, locking the pieces firmly together from within. Called kakushiaridome meaning "hidden in the interior", this cross-grained joining is strengthened through layered reinforcement while maintaining clean, unseen exterior surfaces. The clever use of camouflaged tusk joints permitted traditional frameworks like shrines to be craftily assembled into enduring load-bearing structures through concealed grain-contravening joinery.