Tsuitate ｜Edo Hyōgu

Tsuitate is the movable partition panel used as a privacy screen within a room.
Today, while less common in homes, tsuitate screens still remain familiar sights in temples, large residences, and the entrance halls of inns. They are also frequently used in a large room of Japanese-style restaurant to separate adjacent seating areas.

Structure of the Tsuitate Screen

Tsuitate consists of a board-like main body and legs for self-support. The main body of an Edo-hyōgu tsuitate is made by layering multiple sheets of Japanese paper over a frame structure made of thin square timbers similar to the fusuma sliding door and the byōbu folding screen.
The surface covering may feature any preferred paper or woven textile besides traditional artwork options such as calligraphy, paintings, or decorated karakami paper. The main body need not necessarily be rectangular; combined with variations in the material and presence/absence of the frame (fuchi), an infinite range of designs is possible. The eye-catching design made possible by hyōgu techniques draws attention of the people, distracting them from seeing what lies beyond it.
Furthermore, the hyōgu tsuitate has a unique feature compared to heavier wooden products: It is relatively lightweight and easy to move.

A unique item that maintains the open, airy feel of Japanese architecture while effortlessly and freely dividing the inside from the outside, or a private space in shared one. Its potential for use in expansive spaces like LDK areas and double-height rooms deserves a fresh look.

《Names of tsuitate parts》 — 《Names of *tsuitate* parts》

Use functional and beautiful tsuitate at home

Though rarely seen in modern homes, tsuitate screens can be used as casual partitions in living rooms or bedrooms, or as beautiful accents in your space.
Flat yet freestanding, these screens are lightweight and easy to move with minimal footprint. By choosing the color or pattern of the paper or textile covering the top surface, you can create designs that perfectly fit modern spaces.

Image of a tsuitate setting in a room — Image of a *tsuitate* setting in a room

Traditional Techniques or Methods

For byōbu, gaku, fusuma, and tsuitate, the following techniques or methods shall be used:
1. The base pasting shall be performed using the methods of "honeshibari (bone binding)," "betabari (full-coverage pasting)," "minobari (shifted layer pasting)," "mino’osae (shifted layer covering," "mawarisuki," and "fukurobari (bag-style pasting)."
2. The byōbu hinges shall be attached using the "wing attachment" method
3. The finishing pasting shall be performed using the "uwabari (top covering)" method.

(Source: The notification of designation as Traditional Crafts by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry)

When introducing new Edo-hyōgu products or replacing existing ones, we sincerely hope you will choose works of fine materials crafted using traditional techniques. We would be honored if you would entrust the work to the hyōgu artisans (members) of the Associations of Tokyo Hyougu Kyouji Interior, who carry on the tradition of the Edo hyōgu.

For inquiry or ordering Edo-hyōgu works, please contact:
(Website of the Associations of
Tokyo Hyougu Kyouji Interior)