sukashibori 透彫

Openwork. A method of decoration in which a design is cut out of a plain surface. While sukashibori refers to openwork decoration made with a wide variety of materials including ceramics, stone, glass, and leather, in Japan the term is most commonly associated with metalwork. The metal sheet, most commonly iron or copper, is prepared by casting or hammering. A piercing burin sukashitagane 透し鏨 or scroll saw itonoko 糸鋸 is then used to engrave the design. 

There are two types of sukashibori: jisukashi 地透し where the ground is pierced completely, and mon'yō sukashi 文様透し where the design is cut away in relief but leaving some of the original material as back ground. Sukashibori, particularly mon'yō sukashi, is used for the decoration of incense burners, iron lanterns, and sword guards. Jisukashi is important in making the halos for Buddhist statues. In the Asuka and early Nara periods, the halo of the Buddha was usually made of copper, and decorated with flame and arabesque patterns in sukashibori. In the Heian period, sukashibori began to be executed in wood as well as metal to make, for example, an arabesque halo karakusa kōhai 唐草光背, and a flying apsara halo *hiten kōhai 飛天光背, showing dancing heavenly figures around the central Buddha image.

Sukashibori is also used in the decoration of *ranma 欄間 and *kaerumata 蟇股 in wooden architecture of the Momoyama and Edo periods.