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About Japanese hardwood
We actively uses domestic hardwood, specifically from Japan.
We have summarized the characteristics of each of the timbers we currently handle and the reasons for why we insist on using domestic wood.
Table of contents
Features of timber
Painted maple Acer pictum subsp. dissectum
The wood has a smooth surface and is dense.
The cream color and fine grain of the wood are beautiful and exude elegance.
A close relative of hard maple found in North America.
In Japanese: itaya-kaede Specific Gravity: 0.58-0.77
Japanese walnut Juglans ailanthifolia
The walnut has a strong image of a hard shell, but the timber is not too hard and has sufficient strength and stickiness.
The wood grain is gentle and goes well with both Japanese and Western atmospheres.
It is a unique color with a faint mixture of purple.
A closely related species of black walnut produced in the eastern United States.
In Japanese: oni-gurumi Specific gravity: 0.53
Black streaks may occur due to scratches received during growth.
Amur cork tree Phellodendron amurense
The dried bark has been used as a crude drug since ancient times.
The wood has a beautiful grain and a calm color with a slight green tinge.
It goes well with the delicate Japanese space.
Among hardwoods, it is a little lighter but has moderate hardness.
In Japanese: kihada Specific gravity: 0.48
Princess tree, Foxglove-tree Paulownia tomentosa
It is the lightest hardwood among Japanese timber.
Hardwoods are generally heavy, with the exception of Princess tree.
The color is ivory.
Not only is it light, but it also shrinks less due to drying, so it has long been used as a material for highly airtight Paulownia chests.
At our workshop, we mainly use it as an inner timber of the drawer.
In Japanese: kiri Specific gravity: 0.19 to 0.40
Japanese chestnut Castanea crenata
If you use it for furniture with a sharp impression while having a strong wood grain, it will be finished in a calm atmosphere.
The color is bright immediately after production, but the color changes deeper with the passage of time.
Since it contains a large amount of tannin, it can be dyed black with iron mordant or darkened with lime water.
It is a tree that feels various possibilities.
In Japanese: kuri Specific gravity: 0.60
There may be small gnarls.
It is what a small branch was encased in stem.
Japanese zelkova, Japanese elm Zelkova seratta
It is a representative Japanese broad-leaved tree.
It is highly durable and has been used for Japanese furniture and temple and shrine architecture.
Its distinct grain and the orange color of the heartwood make it unique.
The result is furniture that is heavy and has a strong presence.
In Japanese: keyaki Specific Gravity: 0.47-0.84
Japanese raisin tree Hovenia dulcis
The peduncle is fleshy, and the taste and aroma are similar to those of pears.
It has a beautiful grain and gives a glossy finish.
The heartwood is orange, giving the furniture a warm impression.
In Japanese: kempo-nashi Specific gravity: 0.64
Japanese bird cherry Padus ssiori
It is a tree with a strong redness among the cherry wood. Among the domestic hardwoods, the color is particularly dark and has a luxurious feel.
The wood grain is light, the material is dense, and it has moderate hardness.
It is very soft to the touch when finished with oil.
A closely related species of black cherry from the eastern United States.
In Japanese: shuri-zakura Specific gravity: 0.67
You may see black spots or streaks called gum pockets that have accumulated resin.
Japanese cucumber tree Magnolia obovata
This wood has long been used for the sheaths of Japanese swords, and is a perfect match for blades.
It does not damage knives and has moderate strength.
It is homogeneous and water-resistant, and has been used as a premium cutting board material.
Another feature is that it is less prone to distortion.
Because of the good cutting performance of the blade, I use it for cutting boards.
The wood also has a fine grain and is used for carving.
In Japanese: hoh-no-ki Specific Gravity: 0.40-0.61
Japanese oak Quercus crispula
The wood has a clear grain, and in the straight grain there is a pattern called torafu, which looks like a tiger pattern.
It produces high-quality wood and is a representative Japanese hardwood. It is used for a variety of things, including furniture.
They are also famous for being used as barrels for aging whiskey.
It is becoming difficult to obtain large diameter timber, so imports of North American oak, such as white oak and red oak, are increasing.
In Japanese: mizu-nara Specific gravity: 0.45-0.90
Manchurian ash Fraxinus mandshurica
The grain of wood is similar to chestnut, and if we don't look closely, we may make a mistake.
Although it has a clear grain, it has a natural color and a relatively straightforward impression.
It has sufficient hardness and stickiness, and is used in places where strength is particularly required.
Closely related species of white ash, which is produced in the United States Middle East section.
In Japanese: tamo Specific gravity: 0.43 to 0.74
Occasionally, a characteristic figure may appear. These things are used favorably in the Japanese traditional furniture making.
Japanese cherry Cerasus jamasakura
It is light tan and feels good on the skin, and the color changes deeply as you use it.
If you look closely, yellow-green and pink are mixed and show various expressions.
The material is dense, and hard to chip. The woodblock of Ukiyo-e is made of Japanese cherry tree.
It is also useful as a material for cutlery.
In Japanese: yama-zakura Specific gravity: 0.62
Spots called "Pith Flecks" will often appear. It is a tissue created to heal the part eaten by insects during growth. (Photo arrow)
For more information about aging of each timber → Let's go
Why we use domestic hardwood
Domestic (Japanese) hardwoods, with the exception of some large-diameter trees, have been considered of little value. It is difficult to obtain a large amount of homogeneous products smoothly, and it is shunned by mass-produced manufacturers. Manufacturers often use foreign hardwoods that provide a stable supply. Domestic hardwoods are rarely used as furniture materials, and most of them are used as pulp raw materials. Considering efficiency, foreign hardwoods are still selected as furniture materials. Despite having a beautiful grain that is comparable to domestic and foreign products. On the other hand, in the mountainous areas of Japan, there is a long history of practical use of many types of hardwoods. With the proper addition of human hands to the forest, a rich forest with biodiversity has been maintained. There are various types of trees in the forest, and there is a natural diversity of nature. We believe that the proper use of this diverse tree is sustainable timber use. Using domestic hardwoods, which are difficult to supply stably, is possible because it is a small-scale production workshop such as our workshop. Even if we don't have a large amount of homogeneous timber, we can visually check the grain and use the right timber in the right place. We are making it while feeling the significance and charm of using a variety of domestic hardwoods. By using domestic timber, the following merits are also created. ■ It leads to prevention of global warming. Have you ever heard the word wood miles? It is a word that applies the concept of food miles to wood. If the production and consumption areas are close to each other, less energy can be used for transportation and carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced. Using wood imported from overseas consumes a large amount of transportation energy. By locally producing and consuming both food and wood, the burden on the global environment can be reduced. ■ You can avoid using illegally logged timber. In the world, trees are being cut down in a disorderly manner and timber is being exported. The possibility that imported wood contains such wood is not zero. By using domestic timber that is cut in an amount that does not exceed the growth rate of trees, it will lead to the conservation of forests around the world. We would like to make furniture that will let many people know the charm of domestic hardwoods.