About Kumiko Wood
At Yoshihara Woodworks, we primarily source our timber directly from logs. Our representative, Keiji Yoshihara, personally visits timber markets, carefully inspecting the grain, color, and condition of each log to select only the finest quality raw materials.
This meticulous selection process ensures the high quality of our products. The carefully chosen logs are then dried under controlled conditions. Only after sufficient time has passed and they reach optimal condition are they handcrafted by our skilled artisans into various products.
Wood Encyclopedia
Coniferous trees
Coniferous trees grow straight and are lightweight and soft, making them easy to work with. They exhibit minimal warping even when split into thin pieces, which makes them ideal for kumiko latticework.
Japanese Cypress (Hinoki)
Domestically-sourced hinoki is the most suitable wood for kumiko production. It features supple grain and durability, developing a beautiful lustre with use. We select straight-grained logs from trees over 100 years old with tight growth rings to make our shoji screens and solid furniture. It is one of our most recommended materials.
Kumiko: ◎ Shoji: ◎ Doors/Latticework: ◎ Furniture: 〇
Yoshino Cypress (Yoshino Hinoki)
Yoshino cypress consist of premium cypress trees sourced from the Yoshino region near Nara Prefecture. Renowned as one of Japan’s finest timbers, the trees are densely planted and glowly grow over many years, resulting in a dense, uniform grain. Highly durable, its value increases with age. It is ideal for kumiko, as well as for shoji screens and fusuma partitions in elegant Japanese rooms.
Kumiko: ◎ Shoji: ◎ Doors/Latticework: ◎ Furniture: 〇
Red Japanese Cedar
We use Red Japanese cedar for cedar fittings. It has a beautiful reddish-brown color with clearly defined summer and winter growth rings. Older trees with prominent knots are considered premium timber, displaying exceptionally attractive grain. Although its summer grain is softer than that of cypress, cedar is preferred for tea room features.
Kumiko: ◎ Shoji: ◎ Doors/Latticework: ◎ Furniture: 〇
Asunaro Cypress
Asunaro is renowned for its strong hinokitiol fragrance and exceptional durability—even after the tree dies, the core resists rot. Its beautiful pale yellow color and supple grain make it a premium timber comparable to hinoki. It also deters fungi and insects, making it ideal for fittings around wet areas or exterior-facing applications.
Kumiko: ◎ Shoji: ◎ Doors/Latticework: ◎ Furniture: 〇
Broadleaf trees
Heavy, hard broadleaf trees that resist scratches are used for substantial lattice doors and table furniture. Their vibrant greens or reddish-browns serve as striking accents in kumiko latticework.
Chestnut (Kuri)
This hard Japanese timber has exceptional durability and water resistance. It has been used for wooden posts since the Jomon period (approx. 14,000 – 300 BCE). It has a greyish-brown color, coarse texture, and prominent grain due to large vessels. Highly workable, it’s used across products, though straight-grained knot-free stock for fittings is extremely rare.
Kumiko: 〇 Shoji: ◎ Doors/Latticework: ◎ Furniture: ◎
Chestnut (Iron-water Finish)
“Iron-water” refers to water extracted from rusty iron nails, rich in iron content. The tannin in chestnut reacts chemically with the iron, turning the wood black. This technique produces a tight black finish while preserving the natural grain.
Kumiko: 〇 Shoji: ◎ Doors/Latticework: ◎ Furniture: ◎
Magnolia (Honoki)
The sapwood is pale grey, while the heartwood’s reddish core displays a beautiful green hue. color intensity and figure vary by tree; we select pieces with abundant heartwood for deep green tones. Straight logs are rare, so long lengths are unavailable. It’s used as a color accent in artistic kumiko patterns like mountains or clouds.
Kumiko: ◎ Shoji: △ Doors/Latticework: △ Furniture: 〇
Chanchin (Toona sinensis)
This vibrant reddish-brown domestic wood features distinct growth rings that deepen to a richer crimson with age. Hard yet easy to work, it’s used across furniture, fittings, and kumiko. Premium knot-free stock is rare and supply varies. Its unique patina suits antique-style interiors, unlike plain wood.
Kumiko: 〇 Shoji: 〇 Doors/Latticework: ◎ Furniture: ◎
Zelkova (Keyaki)
Keyaki features a calm reddish-brown tone with distinctive grain and a glossy surface. Heavy and hard, it offers excellent moisture and decay resistance but requires extensive drying time before use. Among Japanese hardwoods, it’s regarded as the most noble, long used in architecture, joinery, furniture, and fittings.
Kumiko: △ Shoji: △ Doors/Latticework: 〇 Furniture: ◎
Mountain Cherry (Yamazakura)
A familiar type of “sakura” to Japanese people, it releases a cherry-like fragrance when planed. Its tenacity and smooth surface make it ideal for carving; it was used for ukiyo-e woodblocks in the Edo period (17th-19th century). It ranges from brown to reddish-brown with dark green figuring. Color variations across different parts of the wood are a distinctive feature of yamazakura.
Kumiko: △ Shoji: △ Doors/Latticework: 〇 Furniture: ◎
Ancient Elm (Jindai Nire)
“Jindai” refers to wood that has been buried underground for centuries or millennia, turning dark brown or blackish over time. Most pieces are unearthed accidentally during tunnel construction or river works. Extremely rare and expensive, it’s crafted into artisanal pieces (such as Jindai sugi or Jindai keyaki).
Kumiko: 〇 Shoji: △ Doors/Latticework: △ Furniture: 〇
Walnut
Walnut is a North American hardwood prized for its deep dark brown color and striking figured grain with varied shading. Heavy and hard yet stable with minimal warping, it has long been favoured in Europe for furniture. One of the world’s three great premium timbers, it lends a sense of grandeur and elegance to doors and lattice screens.
Kumiko: 〇 Shoji: 〇 Doors/Latticework: ◎ Furniture: ◎