COPPICE WOOD ほうがりん Throughout the long centuries before electricity and gas became available, people relied almost entirely on firewood and charcoal to cook their food and heat their homes. Local woodlands were carefully managed to produce a sustainable supply of wood fuel. The key to sustainable use of forest resources was a traditional management technique known …
KASHI RING-CUPPED OAKS かし CLASSIFICATION: Beech Family, Genus Quercus, Section Cyclobalanopsis GENERAL： The kashi comprise a group of evergreen oaks (Section Cyclobalanopsis ) native to the tropical, sub-tropical and warm-temperate zone forests of East Asia. About 80 species are recognized worldwide, but of these only 8 have made it all the way to Japan, which …
SUGI-CRYPTOMERIA すぎ Cryptomeria japonica CLASSIFICATION: Cypress Family GENERAL： Tall, fast-growing conifer endemic to Japan. Prefers thick soils along valley bottoms, but is the most widely planted timber tree on hills and mountainsides all over Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu Islands. Sugi wood is softer and not as highly valued as hinoki cypress, but grows faster and is …
MUKUNOKI-APHANANTHE むくのき Aphananthe aspera CLASSIFICATION: Formerly included in Elm Family, but now placed in Hemp Family GENERAL： Tall deciduous broad-leaved tree, common in lowland and hillside forests. Also found in countryside woodlands. Leaves covered with short bristly hair, traditionally used for fine sanding work on wood and bone crafts, SOFUKEI WOOD: Rare、but two excellent mature specimens along …
KOBUSHI MAGNOLIA こぶし Magnolia kobus CLASSIFICATION: Magnolia Family GENERAL： Mid-sized deciduous broad-leaved tree. Most common native magnolia in lowland forests and countryside woodlands. Also widely planted in parks and along streets. SOFUKEI WOOD: Occasional TRUNK/BARK: Trunk straight. Bark smooth and whitish-grey. LEAVES: Alternate, obovate (narrow waist – broad shoulders), about 10cm long. Edges entire (smooth, …
KASHI RING-CUPPED OAKS かし CLASSIFICATION: Beech Family, Genus Quercus, Section Cyclobalanopsis GENERAL： The kashi comprise a group of evergreen oaks (Section Cyclobalanopsis ) native to the tropical, sub-tropical and warm-temperate zone forests of East Asia. About 80 species are recognized worldwide, but of these only 8 have made it all the way to Japan, which …
INUSHIDE-HORNBEAM いぬしで Carpinus tschonoskii CLASSIFICATION: Birch Family – Genus Carpinus GENERAL： Medium-size deciduous broad-leaved tree. Five species of hornbeam native to Japan; three of which, the inu (dog)-shide, kuma (bear)-shide …
KONARA OAK こなら Quercus serrata CLASSIFICATION: Oak Family Genus Quercus GENERAL： Most common deciduous oak in forests and countryside woodlands from sea level up into hills and lower mountainsides. Replaced by the more wind and cold-tolerant mizu-nara (Q. crispula) in higher altitude …
MOMI-FIR もみ Abies firma GENERAL: Momi, an endemic Japanese species and the most familiar of five native fir trees, is distributed on the islands of Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. Momi thrives from sea level up into the hills and lower mountainsides, but at higher altitudes is replaced by more cold-tolerant species such as A. mariesii …
HINOKI CYPRESS ひのき Chamaecyparis obtusa CLASSIFICATION: Cypress Family GENERAL： Hinoki cypress is Japan’s most highly prized timber tree. According to Japanese classic mythology, the first hinoki were created at Izumo, when the kami Susanoo, the younger brother of Amaterasu the Sun Goddess, plucked out his chest hairs and scattered them across the mountainside. The trees, Susanoo …