Japanese furniture, crafted with abundant timber resources and skilled craftsmanship of the past, is captivating for its beautiful designs and wood grain.
This time, we will introduce some typical woods used in antique furniture.

Oak / Nara (Quercus crispula) - Family Fagaceae, Genus Quercus
Nara wood from Japan is known as Japanese Oak and is highly valued worldwide. Its color deepens with age, allowing you to enjoy the changes over time. It also has a distinctive grain called tora-fu, which looks like tiger stripes. At our store, it is often used for chairs and cabinets.

Chestnut / Kuri (Castanea crenata) - Family Fagaceae, Genus Castanea
Chestnut wood is excellent in durability and water resistance, and its light gray color changes to a deep brown. Chestnut wood has a long history, being unearthed from ancient ruins. Because it is strong and resistant to decay, it is often used in important cultural properties. Its prominent grain and beautiful luster make it a tree species we handle frequently in our store.

Zelkova / Keyaki (Zelkova serrata) - Family Ulmaceae, Genus Zelkova
It is a representative Japanese wood, used for various buildings and furniture since ancient times. It can produce special grain patterns such as tama-moku (burl grain), budo-moku (grape grain), and awa-moku (bubble grain), which are used in high-end furniture and crafts. We frequently handle it at our store, and furniture made with Keyaki wood often gives the impression of being well-crafted.

Castor aralia / Sen (Kalopanax septemlobus) - Family Araliaceae, Genus Kalopanax
Due to its similar grain, it has been used as a substitute for Keyaki after being stained. Many pieces of furniture are made by utilizing its soft feel and beautiful grain, and it is a tree species we handle frequently at our store.

Cherry / Sakura (Prunus) - Family Rosaceae, Genus Prunus
Due to its high density and excellent durability, it has been used as a material for high-end furniture. Compared to other woods, it changes color more quickly over time, turning into a deep reddish-brown with age. Perhaps because of its rarity, there seems to be a small number of antique furniture pieces made from Sakura wood.

Lauan / Rawan (Shorea spp.) - Family Dipterocarpaceae
While Lauan wood might bring to mind plywood, it is also a wood frequently used in antique furniture.
Its ease of processing and lack of knots may be one of the reasons. It often appears in simple furniture.

Ash / Tamo (Fraxinus mandshurica) - Family Oleaceae, Genus Fraxinus
It is sticky, hard, and durable, so it is widely used for furniture, buildings, and baseball bats. Its light color blends well with natural-style interiors.

Cedar / Sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) - Family Cupressaceae, Genus Cryptomeria
Sugi wood is one of Japan's representative tree species. For this reason, it is often used in antique furniture. Its pleasant touch and softness give it a warm impression, conveying the warmth of wood.

Paulownia / Kiri (Paulownia tomentosa) - Family Paulowniaceae, Genus Paulownia
Kiri has a long history in Japan of being used as a raw material for furniture and other items. Due to its fire-resistant properties, it is also used for furniture that stores valuables and for safes.

 

Wood is an essential material in our lives.
Knowing more about wood can make choosing furniture even more enjoyable.
We hope this information is helpful.