Different Types | For Various Uses
Famous Tree Types in Japan and Beyond
Koyamaki
(Japanese Umbrella Pine)
Medium Density wood, has a subtle scent of honey, lemon and wax. Endemic to the Japanese home islands.
Naturally waterproof and typically used in traditional Japanese Onsens and Sento (Bathhouse) for seats, ladles, and rinsing buckets or other implements that come into contact with water.
Yoshino Sugi
(Japanese Cedar)
Soft, Low-density wood. Very fragrant, weather and insect resistant.
Used in staves, tubs casks and furniture for indoor use and when treated appropriately can be conditioned to improve aforementioned resistances.
Yoshino Hinoki
(Japanese Cypress)
Low to High quality timber endemic to Japan with a myriad of applications from the mundane (Masu, flooring and general construction) to the extraordinary (such as being used for structural repairs to UNESCO heritage sites like the Ise Shrine and Shitennoji Temple).
Highly rot resistant and also has some resistance to boring insects such as beetles and termites due to its distinct smell owing to the presence of Hinokitiol.
Has massive appeal as a Premium level wood.
Hou
(Big leaf Magnolia)
High quality lumber preferred by craftsmen of different trades, most notably knife and sword handle artisans.
Tremendously easy to work with power tools, holds a shape well and responds exceptionally well to steam bending.
Commonly found in tree lines close to riverbanks owing to its exceptional water and rot resistant properties.
The color of the sapwood itself can range from a verdant dark green to a silverish green.
Tochi
(Japanese Horse Chestnut)
Endemic to Japan but commonly found in forests high in the Japanese mountains of Kyushu, Honshu and Shikoku.
Very hard white and cream-colored wood with a quite unusual appearance when sanded down to a glossy finish, along the edges of the tree where it bends to form a branch or root, a silver wave-like imperfection with the illusion of light seeping through can appear.
Expensive, hard to work with but extremely durable and commonly used as bespoke office tables due to its unique shapes and a myriad of imperfections.
Keyaki
(Japanese Zelkova)
Extremely hard, clear and distinct grain pattern. Endemic to Japan but the highest of quality.
Keyaki are found close to mountain tops that are exposed to the harshest of the elements and thus are warped and come in unique shapes.
Considered to be the crème de la crème of lumber in terms of hardness, natural beauty and durability and water resistance it commands a high price due to it being able to handle a tremendous amount of weight so it is commonly used in luxury Japanese homes as a load bearing pillar
Keyaki is commonly used for tabletops and counters for its elegant and mesmerizing wood grain. Keyaki is considered a premium wood just like Hinoki.
Kusu
(Camphor Tree)
Very soft and extremely fragrant wood endemic to all over Asia but in particular was used as a primary ingredient in smokeless gunpowder manufacturing in Japan in the 1800s.
Currently has use in traditional Japanese signs for Inns, shops and other places of business due to its natural resistance to insect attacks, excellent weather resistance when combined with weatherproofing treatment and easiness of carving.