Shiro Masuda, Sukiya-zukuri Carpenter Sukiya-zukuri, a traditional style of Japanese architecture incorporating time-honored aesthetics, is simple yet deep. The most celebrated individual working in this style today is 66-year-old master carpenter Shiro Masuda. Over the course of a career spanning half a century, he has worked on the Kyoto State Guest House and other classic sukiya-zukuri structures. He always strives to highlight the wood's "face" by drawing out its beauty to the fullest extent, never cutting corners or accepting compromise. He observes each piece from every possible angle to best capture its unique character, and then uses his finely tuned skills to present the wood in the most beautiful way. Employing precise measurements, and taking into account things such as placement and its effect on both light and shade, as well as the viewers' gaze, he makes adjustments down to the millimeter, subtly changing the width of cut or the angle of a piece. Saying he bows deeply in his heart when engaging with wood, Masuda is a master carpenter with a true reverence for trees.