Choosing the Right Tree for the Job
Japanese craftspeople have traditionally talked about wood by its character: how it smells, how it splits, how it ages and whether it resists rot. The country has many native tree species, and long experience led to preferences that are still widely repeated. The central idea is to match a species to its role, using a wood that is stable and fragrant for a bath, a strong and handsome one for a beam, and a light, dry one for a chest.
This article describes some of the most commonly mentioned woods. Details differ among regions and workshops, and forest management, supply and cost shape what is used today.
Hinoki: The Prized Cypress
Hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa, often called Japanese cypress) has a pale, straight grain, a fine texture and a clean, lemony scent that lingers. It is often treated as the finest building timber in Japan. It is typically described as durable and resistant to decay and insects, which is why it has long been selected for important temples, shrines and palaces. Many of the oldest surviving wooden temple buildings are generally said to be built largely of it. The main buildings of the great shrine at Ise are traditionally built in hinoki.
Hinoki also appears in smaller things:
- Bath tubs and bath buckets, where its scent and water resistance are appreciated.
- Chopping boards, rice-cooking tubs and sushi tubs.
- Box lids, trays and the floors of Noh stages, where its smooth, light finish is valued.
- Carved images, where fine grain suits the detailed work of Buddhist sculpture.
Its scent is a major part of its appeal, and the pleasure of a hinoki bath is part of what people often connect with onsen culture. Hinoki trees grow slowly, and old, large trees are scarce, so high-grade timber is expensive and often protected by forestry rules. Sustainable harvest and replanting are essential parts of the story.
Sugi: The Everyday Cedar
Sugi, or Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica), is among the most widely planted trees in Japan. It grows quickly and straight, and it splits cleanly. Its wood is lighter and softer than hinoki, with a reddish heartwood and a pronounced grain. It has been used for house frames, ceilings, planks, barrels and shingles, and its soft surface is also suited to fine lattice work. Sake barrels are traditionally made of it, and the scent can influence the drink. Because it is softer, it dents more easily than harder woods, a point that matters for floors and furniture.
Large-scale planting of sugi in the twentieth century has had lasting consequences, including pollen season allergies and forests that need active management. For the craft world, the main point is that it is plentiful and practical, and that it supports both everyday and refined work.
Keyaki: Strong and Beautifully Figured
Keyaki, or Japanese zelkova, is a hardwood with an attractive, sometimes swirling grain. It is strong and heavy, and it is often chosen where appearance and durability both matter. Typical uses include temple pillars and large beams, furniture, drum bodies, trays, bowls and the sturdy chests known as tansu. A piece with a pronounced figure may be left plain and given a clear finish, or coated with lacquer. When it comes to urushi lacquer, the wood’s stable shape is useful since lacquer layers can crack on a moving base.
Kiri: Light Wood for Chests and Instruments
Kiri, or paulownia, is a fast-growing tree with very light, soft wood. It is traditionally prized because it is said to resist moisture and to move little with changes in humidity. For that reason it has been used for chests and boxes meant to protect clothing and valuables, and for storage boxes for scrolls and tea wares. It also supplies the soundboards of instruments, notably the koto, a long zither, and it is a common material for geta, the wooden sandals. In a number of regions a paulownia tree was traditionally planted when a daughter was born, and its wood later made into a chest, though this custom was not universal.
Other Woods Worth Knowing
- Kaya (Japanese nutmeg yew) is a slow-growing tree with fine, pale wood. It is traditionally one of the preferred woods for thick boards used for the game of Go, in part because the surface is said to feel good under the stones, and it is rare and costly.
- Camphor has a strong aroma and is carved into statues and chests, and has a long record in sculpture.
- Chestnut and oak are hard and durable, used for sleepers, posts and tool handles.
- Mulberry and cherry are used for furniture and drawer fronts, with a rich color that deepens with age.
- Persimmon, plum and other fruit woods appear in small objects such as tea scoops and picks.
- Bamboo, though a grass, takes part in many wood-related crafts and has a separate tradition.
Why Wood Quality Shapes Tradition
Craftspeople also look closely at how a plank was cut from the log. Straight-grained pieces are often used where stability is important, while figured pieces are placed where they will be seen. Drying is slow, and boards may be aged for years before use. Carpenters often place timber in a building with the same orientation it had when growing, a custom connected to the idea that wood keeps some memory of how it stood.
This careful attention fits with the love of nature that runs through Japanese culture, and with an appreciation of materials that show their age gracefully. Selecting the right piece of wood is a form of respect for the tree and the work, and it is closely linked to the skills of interlocking carpentry and to the wide variety of other traditional crafts that depend on local timber.