The technique of marquetry is the art of combining different veneer pieces using fifty or more various kinds of wood to form geometric patterns, the complex patterns are produced by using contrasting colors and shapes of veneer, which are then adhered to a wood base. Yosegi's characteristic is that liner graphic patterns are expressed rather than pictures, which allows any patterns of any design to be made. Beautiful curved forms can also be achieved by this technique.
 
Wood colors for yosegi
White
Gray
Light yellow
Yellow
Red
Green
Brown


Medium brown
Black
aohada / spindle tree / dogwood / ilex integra / tilia japonica
honoki (magnolia hypoleuca) / rosa hirtula
nigaki / mayumi
lacquer tree / wax tree / nigaki(picrasma quassioides benn)
anacardiaceae
honoki / false acacia
Japanese pagoda tree / cherry tree / zelkova tree / chestnut tree / cinnamomum camphora / pear tree / cercidiphyllum japonica / ternstroemia gymnanthera / machilus thunbergii
katsura-jindai / keyaki-jindai / walnut / mansonia (African black walnut)
katsura-jindai / kuri-jindai / persinm
 
Zuku-bari
This uses thin wood veneers glued to a wood base. Traditionally this method has been common in yosegi technique. The same pattern can be used repeatedly or combining different patterns to express detailed design. This is not suited to make a round or curved shape.
 
Muku-zukuri
This is done using a potter's wheel and can be any form. In the case of becoming corners chipped it can be planed down without affecting the yosegi product. It is made one by one by the craftsmen on a wheel. The thickness of wood gives it a warm touch.