Furniture & Countertops

Yakusugi trees are over 1,000 years old. They have a strong vitality and beauty.

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​About Yakusugi​

There is an island called Yakushima in the south of Japan.

Yakusugi trees grow slowly and large, nourished by the passage of time.

On Yakushima, among the cedars that grow in the mountains at an altitude of over 500m, those that are over 1000 years old are called "Yakusugi" and younger Yakusugi are called "Kosugi".

The average lifespan of a cedar is said to be just over 500 years, and in the example of the cedar trees in Nikko in Japan, many of them exceed 150cm in about 360 years. However, in the case of Yakusugi trees, when they are 500 years old, their diameter is only about 40cm. This is because the unique climate of Yakushima causes the plants to grow slowly. Therefore, their material is dense, has a lot of resin, and is resistant to rot, so they are thought to live for over 1000 years.

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Yakusugi, known as the jewel of trees

Normal cedars grow straight and have clear grain, but their bark is whitish and lacks luster. However, Yakusugi cedar has a glossy surface, a vivid and deep color, and a strong fragrance. The parts that remain as buried wood have complex grain, and their beauty is just like that of a jewel.

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World Heritage Site "Yakushima"

When Yakushima was designated a World Heritage Site in 1993, felling of Yakusugi trees was completely banned, and only buried timber was auctioned off in the timber market.
In 2001, felling of Yakusugi trees native to Yakushima was stopped, and only stumps after felling and fallen trees after typhoons were allowed to be purchased by businesses with bidding rights for Yakusugi trees two or three times a year. After that, in March 2019, auctions themselves were completely banned, and Yakusugi became an impossible and precious wood to obtain.

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