Yakusugi Cedar Crafts

A thousand years of wood grain, in the palm of your hand

Yakusugi refers to cedar trees native to Yakushima, a World Natural Heritage island, that are generally over 1,000 years old. Younger cedars under 1,000 years old are distinguished as "kosugi" (small cedar).

Growing slowly in the harsh, rainy environment of Yakushima, Yakusugi develops a dense, fine grain and is rich in resin. This resin creates a unique fragrance and luster, while also making the wood highly resistant to decay and insects.

Trees that can no longer be felled

Yakusugi has been harvested on Yakushima since the Edo period, and was even used as roofing material for tax payments. Logging peaked in the 1960s, gradually declined thereafter, and was eventually banned in 2001.

The Yakusugi used in today's craftsmanship comes from "domaiboku"—stumps, fallen trees, and timber left behind from past logging operations. This is a precious material with a finite supply, traded in limited quantities.

Shaped by the hands of artisans

Once transported from the mountains, the timber is dried for anywhere from several months to several years, depending on its size, before artisans shape it using lathes or carving techniques. Various items are produced, ranging from furniture and ornaments to small goods like chopsticks and coasters, and the craft is designated as a Traditional Craft of Kagoshima Prefecture.

A luster that grows with use

The luster of Yakusugi’s resin deepens the more you use it. No two wood grains are the same; each is a pattern etched by over a millennium of time.

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