Japan Wood Brand

Excellent Japanese Wood Products and Technology

for Your Better Life
Cover photo: Mie Prefecture Kumano Kodo Center (Owase City)
INTRODUCTION

As regards Japan's forest resources, many of the artificial forests of Sugi, Hinoki, or Karamatsu
(Japanese Larch) planted from the 1950s are now ready for logging.
Interest in export of Japanese lumber to foreign countries rises as the use of eco-friendly wood for
contributing to global warming prevention, promotion of forest maintenance and revitalization of the
regions has been reviewed, and also growing industrial policy of our national forestry has been
promoted.
Worldwide, wood supply from other countries plays a very important role to compensate for the
supply-demand gap for those who cannot supply to meet their domestic demand only by the
domestic resources, where wood demand has greatly increased with rapid economic development.
Under such circumstances, in recent years, the amount of lumber production from abundant
artificial forest resources has increased in Japan, which can not only meet the increasing need of
domestic use but also be enough to export to other countries to satisfy their individual needs for
lumber.
In the future, in order to further expand wood export from Japan, it will become crucial for Japan
to introduce wood products with high added value by processing Japan's excellent wood with our
advanced processing technologies.
This brochure, published with the support of the Forestry Agency, introduces wood products with
excellent performance.
It also provides detailed information of the principal tree species in Japan, with the hope that it
will be of use widely for everyone who deals with Japanese wood products abroad.
October, 2017
Japan Wood-Products Export Association

Japan, having a temperate and humid climate with four distinctive seasons, has an abundance of
lush vegetation.
But then, heavy rainfall and typhoons and lightning storms often result in frequent natural
disasters, not to mention countless earthquakes. For this reason, nature though being familiar, had
been a subject of awe for the Japanese. Therefore, the climate where forests and big trees were
worshipped as sacred was shaped, and "tree culture" or wood culture in which people coexist with
and utilize nature has nurtured.

In Japan, lumber has been continuously utilized from the old times to the present for buildings,
houses or daily necessities while there are lots of natural disasters, etc.
For this account, wood products with unique functions, such as durability and fire resistance that
can withstand natural disasters and fires, had developed.
In Japan, forest resources, mainly being the artificial forests, are reaching their mature stage, and
the majority of them are ready for logging. By cutting down mature plantations, and reforestation,
we can maintain healthy forests. To maintain this cycle, it is necessary to make effective use of the
cut lumber.
For this reason, it is important to expand the demand for lumber, and as one measure, we
encourage export of Japanese wood, in particular wood products with high added value.

In Japan, there are plenty of wood products with high performance of advanced processing
technology including lumber with performance such as durability and fire resistance, flooring
material corresponding to ondol, yakisugi referring to Japanese traditional cedar, and colored lumber,
etc.
This brochure introduces Japan's wood products of high performance by advanced processing
technology to spread them wide globally. Furthermore, objective data, applications, effects, and other
information supporting the quality performance are also provided.
It would be our pleasure if this brochure can give you a chance to learn about Japan's lumber
products of high performance created by advanced processing technology and to utilize them wide
globally.

October, 2017
Forestry Agency, MAFF
 contents
Japan Wood Products

High-Temperature Steam Treated Wood・・・

・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・1
Advanced Preservation Treatment with Resins for Wood・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・・・
・・・2
Nitrogen Heat Treated Wood・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・3
Preservative and Termite-Proof Plywood for Structural Use・
・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・4
Thick Structural Plywood ・・
・・・・・
・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・5
Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL)・
・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・6
Fire Resistant Laminated Lumber・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・7
Flooring Applicable to Floor Heating・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・8
Cedar Cut End Lumber with Slits・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・9
Natural Wood Veneer Sheet・
・・・・
・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・10
Burnt Cedar Boards ・
・・・・・
・・・
・・・
・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・・11
Colored Solid Yakisugi (Charred Cedar) ・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・・12
Japanese Style Room and Tea Room ・
・・・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・・13

Representative Wood in Japan

Sugi・
・・・・
・・・
・・・
・・・・・
・・・
・・・
・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・15
Hinoki・
・・・・・
・・・
・・・・・
・・・
・・・
・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・16
Karamatsu・・・・
・・・
・・・・・
・・・
・・・
・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・17
Hiba ・・・・・
・・・・
・・・
・・・・・
・・・
・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・18
Todomatsu ・・・
・・・・・
・・・
・・・
・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・・
・19
Ezomatsu・
・・・
・・・
・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・20

Japanese Post and Beam Construction ・

・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・21

REFERENCES ・
・・・・・
・・・
・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・
・・・・・・
・・・・・
・・22
Japan Wood Products

High Quality
High Performance
High Technology
 New Heat Treatment Technology Improves High Stable Ecology・ Cost
Durability and Dimensional Stability Endurance Dimension Safty Performance

High-Temperature Steam Treated Wood

The heat treatment technology, which

improves durability and dimensional stability
by heating wood, was developed in Finland,
a country of forests and water. Applying the
Finnish technology in Japan, we have
improved it to a new heat treatment
technology called
to
produce higher quality wood. Using only
"heat" and "water" but no preservatives at all
as a precondition, we have successfully
developed the technology that makes the
most of the performance of wood, while
maintaining its natural colors. Born in this
way, is an innovative
and environmentally-conscious material
made out of wood, of which quality is
maximized.
The University of Tokyo Yayoi Auditorium Annex

Production Regardless of
Origins of Wood Lowers the Cost
The technology of Thermo-Wood permits high durability
and dimensional stability, no matter where the origins of
the wood are nor what species they are. By using local
materials, more optimized products to the climate of each
region can be produced at a lower cost.

Ecological Wood That Can Be Recycled

Thermo-Wood is a safe product that does not use any
J.S.T. Mfg. Co., Ltd.
preservatives at all, which is equivalent to solid wood.
Therefore, it can be recycled, reuse or utilization as fuel, Shape Change Due to
after using it. Low Temperature Heating

High Durability
Linear expansion (%)

Since Thermo-Wood has low water absorbency in spite of

its low moisture content, it has high antiseptic
performance and is very strong against fungi that can
decay wood. Therefore, it is ideal for outdoor use.

Outstanding Dimensional Stability

Thermo-Wood, which is created by the high-temperature
d

ak
h
es e

wood drying technology, has outstanding dimensional

oo

As

rc
p r es

O
Pi

Bi
W

s
Cy an
o-

stability. It is suitable for use on visible areas such as

p
m

Ja
er

exterior walls and fences. It is economical, as it requires

Th

merely the minimum maintenance, which means fewer The first measurement of the width of the test pieces was made after the
pre-conditioning. The second measurement was done after the test pieces
running costs than that for untreated wood. were humidified for 72 hours in a tub kept at the environment of 30 ℃ and 95
% RH. Thermo-Wood (pine) has linear expansion of about one fifth to a quarter
as compared with untreated dried-wood.
Hiroshima Prefectural Eastern Industrial Technology Center (E.I.T. No.11)
1
 Exterior Material That Can Withstand Severe High Stable Ecology・ Various
Weather Conditions Endurance Dimension Safty Appli

Advanced Preservation Treatment with Resins for Wood

Wood decks have become familiar in such

areas as housing, public facilities, large
commercial facilities, and so on. Their cost
performance, however, has been an issue, as
repair and exchange cycles are short due to
aging such as decay, termite damage, warps,
and cracks. The major cause for these is that
the treatment for enhancing the durability was
only effective for the surface of the materials.
Through persist research to develop wood
decks with uniform performance of high
durability all the way to the inside, they put a
product named into practical
applications, owing to the joint project of the
Kyoto University Wood Research Institute and
a manufacturer. The advanced preservation
technology with resins can infiltrate a special Stairway of an elementary school which is applied. Its moderate softness
reduces the impact and prevents accidents when children jump or fall down.
resin that observes the strict regulations into
not only the surface but also the inside of
wood with a specialized autoclave. Extreme
durability and safety are actualized with the
new technology, unlike conventional wood
decks.

Secured Treatment against Decay and Termites

, treated with the advanced preservation technology with resins, can Wood decks in a complex building
suppress proliferation of decay fungi. The technology changes materials to what
termites do not prefer so that insect damage hardly occurs. As the materials are
laminated after veneers are treated with the resin all over to the inside, it has
uniform quality no matter where you cut it, and preservative treatment on the
section surfaces is unnecessary.

Strong against Sunshine and Rain,

Various Applications as Outdoor Landscape Materials Benches of and partly Koshii Super
The special resin treatment adds the water absorption suppression Thermo at the Kincho Stadium in Osaka

effect. With extremely-smalldimensional changes and fewer warping and

cracking, it is highly durable that can cope with severe outdoor weather.
Untreated wood
can be used for various exterior purposes including outdoor
wood decks, boardwalks, flooring, waterfront, poolside, benches, 11 years after 11 years after
playground equipment, pergolas, guide boards, and garden furniture. being left being left
in the soil in the soil

Experiments in the Soil

found no noticeable degradation or damage caused by
decay fungi, termites, and others after being left in the soil for 11
years, unlike its untreated counterparts. The experiments have
proven that , infiltrated with the special resin all the way to
the wood core, can maintain high durability even when buried in the Experiment Period: For 11 years from 1994 to 2005
Photos: KOSHII & CO., LTD.
soil for a long period of time.

2
 High Stable Ecology・ Various
Improved Durability and Dimensional Stability Endurance Dimension Safty Appli

Nitrogen Heat Treated Wood

The nitrogen heat treatment (S-Tech

treatment) technology is attracting interest
among those technologies which heat and
dry wood to improve its performance. It
decomposes perishable components of
wood with nitrogen heating above 200
degrees Celsius. This stabilizes the shape of
the materials and reduces their weight. The
durability has dramatically improved
compared with the conventional wood. It
boasts a durability record exceeding 20 years
even in applications for promenades.

High Antiseptic and Insecticidal

Performance Achieved
without Chemicals Ebisu Gardenplace Tokyo
The S-Tech treatment executes sterilization and insecticide
along with the drying process. The effect is sustained for a long
time to keep nutrients and moisture at a low level (3% to 7% of
equilibrium moisture content) that fungi and termites cannot
approach. There is no danger of harmful substances to
evaporate, as it is non-chemical preservation with no use of
highly toxic chemicals at all.

Excellent in Water Resistance,

Dimensional Stability, and Quick Drying
The S-Tech treatment reduces the moisture content and weight of
the materials, as well as it changes the cellular structure of the
wood to porous. This increases the insulation effect and lowers Untreated Nitrogen Nitrogen Nitrogen Nitrogen
Kiln-dried Heat Treated Heat Treated Heat Treated Heat Treated
the radiant heat, making it a suitable material for exterior Wood at 180 ℃ at 200 ℃ at 220 ℃ at 240 ℃
applications such as wood decks, louvers, fences, outer walls, and
so on. In addition, since its permeability of oil paints is about 1.5 to
2 times that of ordinary dried wood, the effects of wood
protective paints can be sustained for a long time to retard fading.
Furthermore, the modification of hemicellulose keeps moisture,
dew condensation, and the like away, resulting in few shrinkage
and warps due to moisture. It performs high dimensional stability
as well as heat retention effects for heated floors.
Steak Test
No Resins nor Stains (Termite Resistance Tests)

The S-Tech treatment removes resins. Therefore, resins do not Insect Damage
Index
come out on the surface after construction, or brown water
does not leach out to soil the surrounding after rain soak.
Observations and Results of Termite Resistance Tests
(Outdoor steak test)
Date: November 2004
About 2 years passed since the start of the test (November 2002)
Location: Fukiagehama Beach, Kagoshima Prefecture
(where many formosanussubterranean termites are inhabited)
Insect Damage Index Untreated
= (Average insect damage level) x (Incidence rate of insect damage)
Treatment Temperature
Executing Agency: Nara Forest Research Institute

3
 High Ecology・
Veneers Improves Durability by Pressurized Injection Technology Endurance Safty

Preservative and Termite-Proof Plywood for Structural Use

As environmental issues are more concerned today,

the "stock-oriented" housing that people can live for
a long period of time is preferred, rather than the
housing production as before that repeats knocking
down and starting again to give a large burden on
the environments. Japan has started to spread
high-quality long-life housing, so-called "Superior
Super-Long-Life Housing." The new housing policy
extends the "average life expectancy" of houses for
enriched living circumstances.
It is preservative and termite-proof plywood for
structural use that is playing an important role. The
advanced preservative and anti-termite treatment on
plywood for essential structural parts including floors,
walls, and roofs prevents the building from decaying
and extends the life of the houses. Deterioration can
be sufficiently averted by applying plywood with high
durability as the sheathing materials of exterior The preservative and anti-termite treatment allows applications for essential
walls,ground floor, and wet areas which are especially structural parts.

difficult to maintain. It will serve as the basis for

protecting houses with high asset value.

Preservative and Anti-Termite Treatment

by Pressurized Impregnation Technology for Veneers
The pressurized injection processing performs preservative treatment on veneers before they are bonded into plywood. In
a special tank with high pressure, the preservatives are applied in the wood to penetrate deeply into the inside, not only the
surface. Its preservative and anti-termite performance is higher than the conventional treatment, which the preservatives
are mixed in the adhesive, achieving the highest effect among the wood preservation processing technologies.

Conventional Treatment Pressurized injection Treatment for Veneers

Preservation Treatment Only on the Adhesive Preservative Treatment in the Entire Veneers
(Preservatives are mixed in the adhesive.) (Preservatives penetrate into the inside of veneers.)

Mixed in the adhesive, the preservatives Injected with pressure, the preservatives
penetrate only in the adhesive parts of penetrate not only on the surface but also all
veneers. over into the inside.

Durable for approximately 5 to 10 years. Durable for approximately 30 to 50 years.

Applicable for wet areas and exterior walls.

4
 Creating Safe and Comfortable Spaces EarthQ Fire Ecology・
Resist Resistant Silence Safty
with a Strong, Fire-Resistant Material

Thick Structural Plywood

Nedanon as highly-efficient
Nedanon is structural plywood with thicknesses of 24mm and
28mm, which are far thicker than those of conventional items.
Main species for this item are Japanese wood such as cedar,
larch and cypress. At present, Nedanon is used as the
sheathing material of the floor of most Japanese timber
houses. By using this item, the structural performance of the
floor and thus the building itself has tremendously improved.
Production of Nedanon was less than 1% of the national
production of plywood in 2000, but in 2016, it accounted for
about 38% (approximately 1,160,000 cubic meters).

Seismic Resistance
The seismic-resistance of Nedanon-floor is more than four
times higher than conventional floor which is sheathed with
12mm thick plywood. Not only for the floor, Nedanon is also
available for roofs and walls, which makes the houses
extremely high seismic resistant. When you build a house, you
nail Nedanon with 75mm long nails at between 100mm and
150mm spacings. If you use more nails, for instance, at an
spacing of 50mm in two rows, you could design extremely
high quake-resistant structural subassemblies (floors, walls, By using Nedanon, you can omit both horizontal braces and floor
joists, which will simplify the construction process and increase the
roofs). In Japan, middle and large scale timber buildings are degree of designing freedom.
being built with those structural subassemblies with high
Maximum Lord in Concentrated
capacities. load Tests of floor

Sound Insulation and Fire Resistance Up

about
70%
Compared with conventional floor, the sound insulation performance of
Nedanon-floor is higher and has less warps and no trouble of floor squeaks.
As Nedanon is thick, it is highly fire-resistant, which allows the residents a
time-rich evacuation when a fire occurs. This product has obtained the
certification for quasi-fire-resistance, so, there are some advantages in
designing the floor for apartment houses.

Plywood Nedanon
Guaranteed by the Government 12mm thick 24mm thick

Nedanon is a commodity which meets Japan s national standard JAS. And the
bearing walls sheathed with Nedanon have acquired the certification for their Deflection in the Maximum Lord
(just before the crush)
shear capacities by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. In
addition to them, floors sheathed with 28mm thick Nedanon have been
certified as 45-minute quasi-fire-resistant structure by the ministry. Up
about
104%
Recycle
Nedanon, after used in houses and when the houses are demolished, becomes
the material for particle boards and others. At the end of the products life, they
are used for heat source and power generation as biomass energy.

Reference: Performance Test against Local Loading of Floor in Plywood Nedanon

Nedanon Manual by Japan Plywood Manufacturers' Association 12mm thick 24mm thick

5
 Excellent dimensional stability and wide range Various Advanced Stable
Size Free
of applications Appli Design Dimension

Laminated Veneer Lumber （Laminated

(LVL) Veneer Lumber）

LVL is laminated Veneer Lumber. To

manufacture LVL, we first make 2-4mm thick
veneer from logs by a machine called veneer
lathe and dry them, which then are layered
and glued in parallel to their fiber direction.
Plywood is used mainly for sheathing
materials, whereas LVL can be used as long
components (framing materials) such as posts
and beams. In addition, the productivity of
this item is high, because almost all parts of its
manufacturing processes can be automated.

Manufacture in Your Size

By jointing veneer sheets lengthwise, we can
easily manufacture long lumber even from
small-diameter logs, warped logs, and short
logs such as thinned wood. By adjusting the
number of laminated veneer sheets, we can
Station Building
make items in any thicknesses which are
suitable for your purposes. We can also
remanufacture (cut) the products in requested
width and length.

A Wide Variety of Uses

LVL are used in many ways from structural lumber to interior material. It can be used for timber houses (structural and
nonstructural uses), industrial buildings (warehouses, gymnasiums, bridges, livestock barns), fittings (doors, window
frames, blinds), cars (decks of trucks, and busses), transportation (pallets, packaging, containers), railroads (ties),
makeshift facilities (scaffold planks), airplanes (interior), electric parts (household appliance, insulating materials), kitchen
goods (cut boards, dishes and bowls, handles of kitchen tools), interior decoration (clocks, ornaments), stationery (writing
utensils, chisels), sporting equipment (rackets, golf goods), and musical instruments (pianos, organs, guitars) etc.

Gymnasium of an elementary school Interior of a restaurant

Cafeteria of a university Exhibition booth Interior of a hospital

6
 Hard to Ecology・
Size Free
Realizing large space with exposed wood structure Burn Safty

Fire Resistant Laminated Lumber

In Japan, fire resistant laminated lumber items, which are gypsum covered or hybrids of wood and steel, have been
developed. FR Wood® is pure wood fire resistant structural lumber made of cedar only. The structural laminated wood,
which is located at the center of FR Wood®, is surrounded with wooden layers injected with fire-retardant chemicals. This
product enabled us to construct fire resistant timber buildings having the texture of real woody surfaces. FR Wood® can
create a space with a warm tone of wood.

The gypsum covered type The hybrid type FR Wood® (Fire Resistant Wood)
Structurally designed cross section
Structural timber Steel frame
Non-treated glulam

Fire resistant treated layers

Fire-stop layers
Non-treated
Lumber decorative wood
Fire-resistant
gypsum covering (extra margin for burning) Fire-stop layers
are incised

Incising
Pinholes

Mid-to-High-Rise
Wooden Buildings
Have Become Possible
Up until now, we have secured the fire
resistance by covering wood with
non-combustible materials such as
gypsum boards when we build wooden
fire-resistant buildings. However, this
posed a dilemma, wood is invisible
though it is wooden structure .
To solve this problem, universities,
institutes and companies jointly
developed a new technology product
FR Wood® . With this technology, the fire
won t progress inside the load
supporting parts (posts and beams),
because they are surrounded by With its high fire-resistant performance, FR Wood® has enabled to build mid-to-high rise timber
fire-stop layers which are injected with buildings even in cities. (Using FR Wood® inside the glass walls and others)
fire-retardant chemicals.

Flexible Design Made Possible

According to the conditions, you can design the cross sections freely from small to
large. If the required size is larger than the smallest cross section size*, any cross
sectional design is available, which will meet your needs more than before.
*The smallest size is 260mm x 290mm (load supporting part: 120mm x 120mm). As for the largest size,
regulations are made according to the certificate.

Smooth Connection
To establish a fire-resistant building, the connections between fire-resistant floor,
walls and ceilings are the key. As FR Wood® is a pure wooden component, joint
parts and connecting parts can easily be assembled, which allows the As FR Wood® is pure wood, connection
construction the same as the one with conventional wood working. is smooth.

7
 Twig Piece Embedding Technology Brings Unique Cost Ecology・ High
about a Beauty in Appearance Architect Performance Safty Endurance

Flooring Applicable to Floor Heating

We have succeeded in materializing a flooring material, made of high quality solid cypress, applicable to hot-water floor
heating (Korean ondol system). We have worked on improving this product and achieved a linear shrinkage of 0.3 -
0.5mm (in average). This material can be used long time without degradation.

We can offer a stable supply of large amount of flooring

materials which are applicable to floor heating, because
we have materialized a huge production capacity by
making good use of knotty cypress which had not been
used as the material for interior finishing before. With
our original technology, cypress twig pieces are
embedded in the knots holes without space. So, this
item can be used comfortably in the best condition
keeping the beautiful figure of the fancy wood.
Flooring Material
When the temperature of the water is set at 60 degrees Hinoki Butai
centigrade, the temperature of the floor surface will be
30-34 degrees, which are comfortable for you. The
moisture control function of solid wood is especially
effective in damp rooms such as kitchens, undressing
rooms, washrooms and bathrooms as well as in living
rooms, child s rooms and corridors.

Our flooring material, Hinoki Butai is popular in Korea by the name of HINOKI ONDOL FLOORING and used in many
public facilities and houses.

8
 Health＆ Advanced Ecology・
Making a Comfortable Indoor Environment by Purifying the Air Relax Design Safty

Cedar Cut End Lumber with Slits

Cedar cut end lumber with slits is a product cut

with slits (grooves) at intervals based on scientific
data. By putting in the slits, the surface area of cut
end is increased, and the design characteristics
are improved. The product is processed by
cutting horizontally across the tubular structure
of the wood, and because the surface of the cut
end is exposed, the purification and the humidity
control functions that are originally found in
cedar are brought out to their maximum.
After the construction is completed, the fragrance
of cedar is wafting in the air, and a refreshing
feeling as if walking in a forest can be felt.
*The interval of the slits and the utilized surface area are
manufactured based on data from experiments of the
Research Institute of Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries,
Osaka Prefecture.

Taking in Impurities and Waiting room at a station

Discharging Volatile Components

Compared to other tree species, cedar wood is known for its absorption of
harmful gases such as nitrogen dioxide and formaldehyde in the air. This function
was further improved with cedar cut end lumber with slits . By exposing more of
the cut end surface, the ability to absorb the harmful gases and to discharge
volatile components is heightened. In the indoor space where the harmful
substances are absorbed, the brain and body are vitalized, so the product plays a
large role in the health of the mind and body. In addition, the volatile components
discharged by the cedar wood have an effect of raising the immunity of a person, Nursing room Kids room
so the functionality concerning health also becomes extremely high.
Purification Capacity
Making a Comfortable Indoor Space of Cedar Cut End Lumber
with Slits on Nitrogen Dioxide
by Humidity Control Function
Nitrogen Dioxide (ppb)

About78%
It has been learned that compared to general lumber, the cedar cut end lumber with
Concentration of

decrease
slits has a high humidity control function that keeps the humidity constant inside a of Concentration
of nitrogen
room. Due to this function, the proliferation of microorganisms such as fungi, mites, dioxide
and viruses is prevented, and a comfortable indoor environment can be created.
Relationship between Relative Relative humidity when cedar cut end lumber
Humidity and Microorganisms proliferation with slits is utilized in room (ceiling and walls)
Relative humidity (%)
No utilization Utilization
of cut end panel of cut end panel
Comfortable level
for human body
Purification Capacity
Virus proliferation of Cedar Cut End Lumber
with Slits on Formaldehyde
Fungi proliferation
About 50%
Mite proliferation decrease
of Formaldehyde

of Concentration
Concentration

Source: prepared from a study concerning Interrelation of Relative Humidity and of formaldehyde
Microorganisms of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning
Engineers (ASHRAE) and Humidity Control Effect of Slit Cedar Lumber Constructed in
Preserved Space in

Soothing the Mind and Body

According to the results of a study concerning the effects on a person of a living No utilization Utilization
space, which utilized cedar wood, the space was found to be physiologically of cut end panel of cut end panel
relaxing in comparison with an inorganic white painted room. This effect was
Source: Summary of the Presentation of the
found to be large especially in a room that utilized cedar cut end lumber with Research Institute of Environment, Agriculture
slits compared to general cedar boards (vertical grained lumber). and Fisheries, Osaka Prefecture in Fiscal 2009
(Environmental Field)
9
 Advanced Easy to
Fire-rated
A HIGH CREATIVIE, FUNCTIONAL and FLEXIBILE MATERIAL Design Install

Natural Wood Veneer Sheet

Nowadays, natural wood finishing materials have been widespread through architectural designs and renovations for
walls and ceilings. Some people believe that wood, as a natural material, is effective in mental relaxation as well as
bringing out designs into outstanding and gorgeous spaces. Moreover, due to the improvement of wood processing
technology, wood can be more than just wood. Wood is now a material that can be made creative, produced functional
and formed flexible, fulfilling vital elements of architectural design for our better life.

Seoul Art Center1-Brazilian Koa SAN JOSE AIRPORT

Suitable for curved surface Inflammable

SanFoot® is a flexible sheet Natural veneer sheets pressed
with a thickness of 0.35mm with inflammable material
approx. that can be installed that has passed fire test Class
to curved walls and ceilings A in different countries.

Russia Reception

SanFoot® is a real wood veneer

wallcovering with the natural
beautifulness and certified
Various wood species inflammable quality, Therefore, it is
Veneers of wide range wood suitable for all residential and
species imported from all over commercial applications including
the world for your best selection. Flexibility
performing arts, retails and hotel
Allowing greater flexibility to interiors. It has been proudly
all applications, SanFoot® can
even be wrapped around
selected by many architects and
columns without cracking. designers.

10
 Traditional Wall Material High Fire Advanced
Traditional
with Functionality and Beauty Endurance Resistant Design

Burnt Cedar Boards

Burnt cedar boards of which surfaces are burned and

carbonized are Japanese traditional siding materials. Formerly,
those walls were seen in houses of various statuses from
samurai and aristocracy to commoners. And at present, they
are still alive. They have become popular even outside Japan,
because of their weather-resistance and durability, the unique
blackish color, and the architectural design.

To improve the durability, we usually coat wood or inject it

with chemicals, but burnt cedar boards are just burnt on the
surface. As the surface is carbonized and protected, they are
preservative even without coating, and their insect-resistance
is high. They require no maintenance for a long time.

With the air layers, the weight of burnt cedar boards is light,
which reduces the dead loads on the building frame, and
improves the thermal insulation performance and the
fire-resistance performance of the building. This item is a
material for exterior walls with functionality and beauty.

According to the manufacturing techniques, there are various

types of burnt cedar boards.

Charcoal Type Wood-grain Type Polished Type

The texture of charcoal is beautiful. You can Finished so that the blackish late wood stands Polished with a brush or cloths, the board is
use it as exterior walls without maintenance out. finished glossy.
for a long time.

Burnt cedar boards are finished by brushing on the surface with special tools. Scrubbed on its soft parts, which grew in
spring and summer, and left the hard parts, which grew in autumn and winter, the grain three-dimensionally stands out,
with the carbonized black parts risen in a streaky pattern and the white parts sunken.

11
 Advanced Design and Various Applications Unique Various Advanced High Fire
with Latest Painting Technology Architect Appli Design Endurance Resistant

Colored Solid Yakisugi (Charred Cedar)

By processing cedar wood with a traditional

technique and applying vivid colors while making
the most of the natural grain, the product called
Colored Solid Yakisugi UROCO is made. A
producing region of cedar is the Tenryu Forest along
the Tenryu River system that maintains an abundant
level of water. Because the pattern of the wood
grain in winter looks very much like the squama of
Tenryu (Heaven Dragon), the name UROCO was
chosen. UROCO is made by charring and
carbonizing the surface of a cedar board to make
yakisugi , which improves the fire resistance and
durability, and the latest paint technology is applied.
Also by polishing the surface, the parts other than
the rigid winter wood grains are shaved off, so the
roughness of the annual rings is beautifully revealed.

Can be made one board General Cedar

cedar board
at a time sparing no time and effort board for
UROCO
The boards to be processed are taken from the four boards sawed from the most outer part of
Tenryu cedar trees that are 60 to 120 years old. Because many logs with an old age and a large
diameter can be attained due to the nature of the land in Tenryu, high quality, boards can be
used for UROCO. In addition, the quality of the color and wood grain depends not on
machines but on the assessment of the craftsmen one board at a time. All the work including
the processing and painting stages of the work is conducted manually.

Various Applications and Unlimited Possibilities Depending

on Ingenuity
UROCO is a product finished with high quality and advanced design, and with cedar wood, it
has designability and flexibility. Also because it has a large color variation, the possible
applications are endless ranging from small wooden items to the interior of rooms.

12
 Unique Health＆ Advanced
Peace, Serenity and Healing Traditional
Architect Relax Design

Japanese Style Room and Tea Room

Amid a rapidly changing social environment, people today seek a peace of mind. In order to satisfy such needs, "Washitsu
Gakyo (Japanese-style rooms or tea rooms)" is created under the concepts of "peace, serenity and healing". This product
makes special space even in the residences such as condominiums. High-quality timber of Kitayama cedar from Kyoto and
Yoshino cedar is used for the material. This is a highly flexible product based on Japanese style rooms which can be
customized into various types of rooms to suit the customers' needs.

Possible to freely create various types of Japanese rooms Creating Japanese healing space in a condominium room

Using Japanese high-quality timber (branded timber) Designed to offer peace, serenity and healing

Japanese-style rooms are said to have originated approximately 1,200-1,300 years ago in the Nara period under the
Buddhist culture. Typical Japanese style rooms are consist of a large space separated by "fusuma (sliding doors)".
"Fusuma" can be easily removed, so, for example, an open space can be created by connecting rooms when you hold
a "party", and by putting back "fusuma" in place, a room can be converted in small tea rooms when you have guests.
Tsuchikabe (mud walls) is another feature of Japanese-style rooms. It absorbs moisture when humidity is high and
releases moisture when it is dry, which make a comfortable living space. Thus, Japanese style rooms are sometimes
said to be the most comfortable rooms in the world due to their fine features from both functional and formational
perspectives. Today, mechanization has advanced and housing is at cutting edge, so the number of houses with all
wood flooring increased. Japanese style rooms are valuable enough to be existed in such times.

13
Representative Wood in Japan

Healthy・Safety・Comfort
Japanese Woods 01

Cryptomeria japonica Sugi ■ Softwood, conifer

■ Family: Cupressaceae

Sugi, along with Hinoki, is a representative tree species in Japan. As a coniferous tree unique to Japan, Sugi is widely
popular and its applications are versatile. The origin of the name of Sugi is "immediately." A circular trunk stretched
straight from the earth towards the sky: so it was given its name.

Sugi is a Japan s endemic species. Cutting surface of Sugi

FEATURES:
The annual ring is clear and the difference in colors between heartwood and sapwood is also clear. Color of the
heartwood ranges from peach to dark reddish brown and the preservative quality of the wood is moderate. The dry
specific gravity ranges from 0.30 to 0.45, (0.38 on average) and it can be said that it is somewhat lightweight as Japanese
coniferous trees. This becomes a big advantage when processing the wood. Sugi has a unique fragrance and you can feel
it from buildings, interior decoration made from cedar wood, furniture, etc.

USAGE:
Sugi is widely used in Japan as building materials (pillars, beams, boards etc.), ceiling boards, polished logs, furniture,
fittings, fixtures, packaging, barrels, high quality disposable chopsticks, shipbuilding, and more. In recent years,
application for plywood and glued laminated timber has expanded. Aged natural Sugi used to make cabinetry and
ceiling board, etc. of decoration purpose have high added value. Also, "polished log", which is a barked log polished with
special sand, is used for alcove post, girder, interior, crafts,etc.

Treasures of Shosoin and Chinese chest of Sugi:

Shosoin is called "World's Repository", and treasures which were gathered
from all over the continent through the Silk Road in the Nara era remain the
of that time even after 1300 years passed. It is said that medicines and
perfumes still retain their efficacy, without losing the vivid colors and
shapes of the treasures. Its excellent preservation function is attributed to
the "Chinese chest made of Sugi", in which the precious contents were
preserved.
素木唐櫃雛型 正倉院模造
Photo：Research Information Archives,
Charactristic Table Tokyo National Museum

Mean coefficient of shrinkage for 1% Strength (Mpa)

Specific gravity change of moisture content (%) Modulus of elasticity
in air-dry Longitudinal Shear strength in bending (GPa)
Radial direction Tangential direction Bending strength compressive strength parallel to grain
0.38 0.1 0.25 64 15 34 5.9 7.4

15
Japanese
Japanese Woods
Woods 02
02

Chamaecyparis obtusa Hinoki ■ Softwood, conifer

■ Family: Cupressaceae

Hinoki, as much as Sugi, is a representative tree species in Japan.

Hinoki is durable and has a characteristic fragrance. It has second largest plantation areas next to Sugi, and is widely used
as high-grade lumber. "Nihon Shoki" which is the Japan's first authoritative history says "build a boat with Sugi or
camphor tree, build a palace with Hinoki and make a coffin with podocarpus". Hinoki has long been known to be the
perfect and best material for palace construction. As for the name of Hinoki, taking the " sun" which represents the
highest precious thing, there is the theory "Sun's tree".

The name of Hinoki as Sun s tree Cutting surface of Hinoki

FEATURES:
The color of the heartwood is pink and the sapwood is almost white. Along with its characteristic fragrance, it has a sense
of cleanliness and is highly durable. Durability of the heartwood is particularly high, and it withstands water moisture for
a long time. The dry specific gravity ranges from 0.30 to 0.45, (0.38 in average). The annual ring is not very clear, as the
change of the cell shape in one year is small. Therefore, Hinoki is a homogeneous and dense species, and its surface
would be beautiful and glossy if finishing is made well.
The name,of Hinoki is also said to be derived from "fire tree" connoting that it was used for fire-making.
It is said that Hinoki is hard to cause deviation as a material because it can dry so well deep inside that it can make fire.

USAGE:
Because of its excellent properties, Hinoki is used for many purposes as a high
grade material. When you call a house of Hinoki , it is used as a synonym for a
high class house. Hinoki is imperative for building temples, shrines and palaces.
Also known are fittings, sculptures (such as Buddhist statues) wooden shapes,
curves, troughs, separators for storage batteries, and so on. "Hinoki bath" is a
way of utilizing the durability of Hinoki

Hinoki Bathtub

Charactristic Table
Mean coefficient of shrinkage for 1% Strength (Mpa)
Specific gravity change of moisture content (%) Modulus of elasticity
in air-dry Longitudinal Shear strength in bending (GPa)
Radial direction Tangential direction Bending strength compressive strength parallel to grain
0.44 0.12 0.23 74 39 7.4 8.8

16
 woods 03
Japanese Woods 03

Larix kaempferi Karamatsu ■ Deciduous conifers

■ Family: Pinaceae

It has the origin of the name that it resembles a pine of Tang painting (Chinese painting). Because it is the only deciduous
tree among Japanese coniferous trees, it sometimes is written as "deciduous pine".
Tree forms are beautiful, leaves turns golden in autumn, and the trees color the autumn scenery beautifully. Leaves drop
in the late autumn. Despite the beautiful shape and the soft image of the tree, the larch lumber is rather heavy.

Karamatsu that turns yellow in autumn Cutting surface of Karamatsu

FEATURES:
The color of heartwood is bronze. Although it is relatively pale when the tree is young, it gets darker as the tree matures.
Sapwood is yellowish white. The substantial difference in shapes of cells formed from spring to summer results in clearly
understandable annual rings, thus the texture is rough.
Specific gravity in air-dry ranges from 0.40 to 0.60, (0.50 in average), being one of heavy-duty softwood lumbers. Natural
Karamatsu which grow older and slower is called "Ten-Kara", and it is highly evaluated in contrast to young trees planted
and it is traded at a high price as a precious wood. Heartwood has moderate preservatory quality.

USAGE:
Karamatsu is a durable species that is used as a utility pole or pile. It used to be that it is difficult to use it as a sawmill,
but due to recent progress in utilizing and wood processing technologies, etc., products that make use of the strength of
the lumber have become available and are actively used.
Karamatsu is used for building, public work, dunnage, pallet, furniture, and packing. Karamatsu plywood have been
increasing recently. In addition, Karamatsu is resistant to decay and has moderate elasticity, so it is also used for
guardrails and the like.

Charactristic Table
Mean coefficient of shrinkage for 1% Strength (Mpa)
Specific gravity change of moisture content (%) Modulus of elasticity
in air-dry Longitudinal Shear strength in bending (GPa)
Radial direction Tangential direction Bending strength compressive strength parallel to grain
0.50 0.18 0.28 78 44 7.8 9.8

17
Japanese
Japanese woods
Woods04
04

Thujopsis dolabrata Hiba ■ Softwood

■ Family: Cupressaceae

Another name for Hiba is "Asunaro". Its origin derived from "It will become Hinoki tomorrow," implying an image of its
inferiority to Hinoki. However, due to the unique fragrance of Hiba (hinokitiol), it has durability so that it will not spoil to
the core even if it dies. For that reason, Hiba is by no means of inferior species to Hinoki.

Aomori Hiba, one of the three most beautiful forests in Japan Cutting surface of Hiba

FEATURES:
Characteristics of this kind of wood can be easily distinguished from others because of its unique fragrance. It is also
highly durable and resistant to water and moisture, so it is often used for such as sill. As in Chusonji Temple in Hiraizumi,
where there were no good Hinoki in the surroundings, it is known that Hiba had been often used for buildings such as
temples. Specific gravity in air-dry ranges from 0.37 to 0.55 (0.45 in average).
Because of its toughness and durability, there is a demand as sills in wooden houses, even outside the growing area. Not
a small number of houses use posts of Hiba. As the color of heartwood is pale yellow and the sapwood is yellowish white,
the difference in color is little. There are not much differences in shapes of the cells within the annual ring, and the
texture of the surface is fine.

USAGE:
Hiba is mainly used for building. In particular, sills and joist of Hiba
are popular. Others are tools, bathtub and lacquerware base (Wajima
graining in the Noto district), etc. for its preservative quality and
strength.

Hiba Bathtub

Charactristic Table
Mean coefficient of shrinkage for 1% Strength (Mpa)
Specific gravity change of moisture content (%) Modulus of elasticity
in air-dry Longitudinal Shear strength in bending (GPa)
Radial direction Tangential direction Bending strength compressive strength parallel to grain
0.45 0.19 0.27 74 39 7.4 8.8

18
Japanese Woods 05

Abies Sachalinensis Todomatsu ■ Softwood

■ Family: Pinaceae

Although Todomatsu has "Pine" in its name, it is not a Pinus genus but a fellow of Fir and is the same family of Firima (A.
frima) or Shirabe (A. veitchii) seen in Honshu. The distribution of Todomatsu is limited to Hokkaidoincluding the Minami
Chishima and Karafuto Islands. Todomatsu is collectively called Ezo Todo, together with Ezomatsu which are the
representative tree species of Hokkaido.

Forestry of Todomatsu Cutting surface of Todomatsu

FEATURES:
There is not much difference in color between the heartwood and the sapwood, being almost white altogether. Its
cutting surface is light and gentle. The wood is relatively light and soft in whitish color. Because of that, the thermal
conductivity will be low, so you can feel a little warmth when you touch it. The transition from early wood to late wood is
so quick that the annual rings are clear. Specific gravity in air-dry ranges from 0.35 to 0.52 (0.44 in average) as it is slightly
lightweight. The material is easy to split, cut and dry.

USAGE:
In Japan, it has been widely used as a building material in Hokkaido for a long time, siding boards, ceiling boards,
floorings and sheathing boards as well as structural member such as columns and beams. It is preferred and used in
Hokkaido just like Sugi in Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. It is also used for pulping materials, packaging materials,
disposable chopsticks, cutting boards and so on. It is also used as public work materials because it is relatively resistant to
decay. It is sometimes planted around a house as a windbreak, which creates a unique landscape in Hokkaido.

Charactristic Table
Mean coefficient of shrinkage for 1% Strength (Mpa)
Specific gravity change of moisture content (%) Modulus of elasticity
in air-dry Longitudinal Shear strength in bending (GPa)
Radial direction Tangential direction Bending strength compressive strength parallel to grain
0.40 0.14 0.35 64 32 6.4 7.8

19
Japanese
Japanese Woods
Woods 06
06

Picea Jezoensis Ezomatsu ■ Softwood

■ Family: Pinaceae

In Japan, this species distributed in Hokkaido is called "Ezomatsu" including acacia pine which is closely related. It is
distributed in commerce as "Ezo Todo" together with Todomatsu. Durability of this wood is high and this is a useful
species in a cold district. It is designated as "tree of Hokkaido."

Forest of Aka Ezomatsu Cutting surface of Ezomatsu

FEATURES:
There may be not much difference in color between the heartwood and the sapwood, but the heartwood is in pink
and it has fine texture. With the time after cutting, the color becomes darker. The wood grain goes straight and is
beautiful, and it is often used for building materials. There is also a characteristic of having almost no smell. Although it
has an axially intercellular canal (resin canal), "resinous exudate" does not much seep out on the material surface.

USAGE:
The species is used as building materials, fittings, pulp, wood wool, paper‐thin sheets of wood and even for musical
instruments. Houses in Hokkaido are built using Ezomatsu and Todomatsu, which is very common in Hokkaido. In
addition, because the acoustic characteristics fits well with instruments, the lumber is used for violin, piano and other
instruments. It also becomes pulp material used for the cone of the speaker. In addition to afforestation, it is planted as
windbreak forest, park tree, or garden tree.

Charactristic Table
Mean coefficient of shrinkage for 1% Strength (Mpa)
Specific gravity change of moisture content (%) Modulus of elasticity
in air-dry Longitudinal Shear strength in bending (GPa)
Radial direction Tangential direction Bending strength compressive strength parallel to grain
0.43 0.15 0.29 69 34 6.9 8.8

20
Japanese Post and Beam Construction
Japanese post and beam construction is the most popular structural system among the timber buildings in Japan and
originated from the traditional timber building technique. The main frames are sills, posts, beams and girders. Let-in-corner
braces are the member to resist to horizontal loads such as wind and seismic loads. Recently, plywood is beginning to be
used instead of braces. In general, Japanese post and beam construction has more flexibility of structural and architectural
design than the other structural systems. Room layout, big openings and wood surfaces to show in the room are the
examples. In the past, a skilled-craft work was essential to cut the structural members including the caved connection
parts, which required several months before the construction. But now, lumber is precut in factories by using so-called
Precutting systems with CAD (Computer Aided Design) and CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing), which has shortened
the total production period of buildings. The connections are reinforced by using metal plates, bolts and screws.
With various measures like them, we are trying to shorten the construction period, increase the durability, and improve the
seismic resistance.

Source：Forest Material Newspaper Co., Ltd.（Rinzai Shinbun）

21
 REFERENCES：

■Water vapor high temperature heat-treated lumber ■Flooring materials for floor heating
（ThermoWood） （Yukadan Hinoki-butai）
■Advanced preserved resin treated wood Ikemi Inc.
（Wood deck） Head Office, Factory: 1-3-48 Sakanoichi-Chuo, Oita, Oita,
■Plywood for antiseptic and anti-termite structure 870-0307, Japan
TEL：097-592-2122 FAX：097-593-2713
KOSHII&CO.,LTD http://www.ikemi.co.jp
Head Office: 1-2-158 Hirabayashi-kita, Suminoe-ku, Osaka,
Japan
TEL：06-6685-2061 FAX：06-6685-8778 ■Sugislit (Cedarwood)
http://www.koshii.co.jp Osaka Federation of Wood-industry
Shanghai Office: Room 11A31,Shanghaimart, No.2299, 3-6-9 Shinmachi, Nishi-ku, Osaka, 550-0013, Japan
Yanan Road West,Shanghai 200336,China TEL：06-6538-7524
TEL：+86-21-6236-2661 FAX：+86-21-6236-2661 http://www.mokuzai.or.jp
http://www.jpkoshiiwoods.com

■Sheets made from real natural veneer （Sanfoot）

■Nitriding-heat treated wood （S-TECH WOOD） Sanfoot Overseas Division,
Echo-life Operation Division, Emachu Mokuzai Co., Ltd. HOKUSAN, LTD
3-3-3 Harumi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan 1-7-6,Shinkiba,Koto-ku,Tokyo,136-0082 JAPAN
TEL：03-3533-8211 FAX：03-3533-8219 TEL：+81-33521-2111 FAX:+81-33521-6644
http://www.st-wood.jp http://www.hoxan.co.jp

■Thick Structual Plywood （Nedanon） ■Colored solid Yaki-sugi （UROCO）

Japan Plywood Manufacturers' Association KIZARA Div.
2-21-2 2 Misaki-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-0061, Japan Forestfeeling Co., Ltd.
TEL：+81-3-5226-6677 FAX：+81-3-5226-6678 1 Anma-cho, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, 435-0012, Japan
http://www.jpma.jp TEL：053-570-6539 FAX：03-6740-1789
http://uroco.org/

■Laminated veneer （ＬＶＬ）

National LVL Association ■Japanese Style Room(chamber), Tea Room
8th Fl., Shin-Kiba Tower, Koto-ku, Tokyo, Japan Wood Li
Building Construction Management Division, Head Office: 1−93 Kusakabe Matsuno-cho, Inazawa, Aichi,
KAJIMA CORPORATION Japan
6-5-11 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan TEL・FAX:0587-74-4708 Mobile:090-8550-9257
TEL：+81-3-5544-0229 China Office: No. 5 Hanzheng Street, Jinzhou District, Dalian
https://www.kajima.co.jp City, Liaoning Province
TEL:0086-411-3933-9188 Mobile:133-1426-7687

■Wood Information provided by

Japan Wood-Prpducts Information & Research Center
１-７-12 Koraku, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
TEL：+81(3)3816-5595 FAX: +81(3)3816-5062

22
Japan Wood-Products Export Association
一般社団法人 日本木材輸出振興協会

Rinyu Bldg, Kouraku, Bunkyou-ku, Tokyo

112-0004 Japan

Supported by Forestry Agency, October 2017