Shou Sugi Ban

Shou Sugi Ban - Timber from Japan

Original Shou Sugi Ban

The traditional Japanese cladding wood

We offer original Japanese Shou Sugi Ban cladding timber for your property. This traditional yet highly modern wood product is called Yakisugi in Japan and refers to wood that has undergone a special heat treatment process. At Nakamoto Forestry, you can choose from three surface finishes of Shou Sugi Ban (Yakisugi):

Suyaki impresses with its carbonised surface, highlighting the unique texture of charred wood.
Gendai is brushed once, revealing the wood grain while retaining the natural black colour. It is a popular choice for its elegant combination of visible grain and black tones.
Pika-Pika is brushed twice, enhancing the full beauty of the wood grain.

Various colour accents can be achieved through oils and pigments. We are happy to offer you detailed advice in choosing the perfect Shou Sugi Ban (Yakisugi).

What makes Shou Sugi Ban timber so special?

The Japanese Original

Our original Yakisugi (Shou Sugi Ban) is crafted in Japan by the Nakamoto Forestry family business, now in its third generation, using Japanese cedar.

This species of cedar is lighter compared to traditional European cladding timbers, virtually resin-free, and highly dimensionally stable. The Shou Sugi Ban or Yakisugi heat treatment adds further advantages. Yakisugi (Shou Sugi Ban) is:

Water-repellent
Durable and dimensionally stable
Naturally resistant to insects and mould.

Thanks to the traditional heat treatment, Yakisugi is resistant to rot and thus achieves exceptional weather resistance without any additional protective coating. It effortlessly defies the most adverse conditions, be it humidity, moisture, extreme heat, or frost.

Yakisugi is characterised by its remarkable durability. Sugi (Japanese cedar) is by nature superior in durability compared to conventional European cladding timber. The heat treatment adds further decades of years to this natural durability: there are numerous buildings in Japan with Yakisugi façades which are over 80 years old and have lost nothing of their beauty and functionality.

The Nakamoto Forestry family business has been producing Yakisugi in Japan for over 60 years. Our forests are PEFC/SGEC-certified (JIA-022 / CEFC 1901); Nakamoto Forestry Europe holds PEFC Chain of Custody certification (TÜV Nord 44 702 200728).

The cedar timber used for our Yakisugi come from our own forest stands and are selected with the utmost care. The burning process, which has been refined over decades, is continuously developed to offer you outstanding quality for your building project.

Our Yakisugi is the Japanese original, made from Japanese cedar and burned exclusively in Japan. The Nakamoto family has been active in wood production for over one hundred years and has been refining the boards from its own production using the traditional method for more than 60 years.

Traditional Japanese Cladding from Certified Forestry

Shou Sugi Ban: High Quality, Long Lifespan, Renewable Material

A Yakisugi façade is a low-maintenance, long-lasting cladding solution made from a renewable material. The production process uses no chemical wood preservatives — durability comes from the charring alone. Our forests are certified to PEFC/SGEC standards (JIA-022 / CEFC 1901), and our CO₂ figures are documented in our Environmental Product Declaration (EcoLeaf, Type III, ISO 14025, no. JR-BC-2001E). More on our production and certifications.

No Chemical Wood Preservatives. Preserved by Fire Alone.

Shou Sugi Ban: High Quality, No Chemicals, Renewable Material, PEFC-Certified

For Sophisticated Design

The unique appearance of Shou Sugi Ban (Yakisugi) is often seen in Europe only as a surface imitation. We offer you the original, enabling you to achieve your design vision with a positive environmental impact. By choosing Shou Sugi Ban (Yakisugi), you are selecting a high-quality product that you can enjoy for many years, thanks to its long lifespan and low maintenance requirements. We’ve compiled a selection of design ideas and reference projects to inspire you with the many ways Yakisugi can be used.

Our Yakisugi (Shou Sugi Ban) products

Overview of our Yakisugi varieties

SUYAKI

The original yakisugi

Suyaki is the original Yakisugi surface – and the most striking. The charring process leaves a deep midnight-black layer with a distinctive cracked texture that some compare to alligator skin. A bold statement for projects that demand attention.

GENDAI

brushed once

Gendai is brushed once after charring, removing most of the soot layer while preserving the subtle traces of the firing process. The result is a silky, refined finish that works with almost any architectural concept.

PIKA-PIKA

brushed twice

Pika-Pika – a Japanese word for something that catches the light – is brushed twice along the grain, revealing the cedar’s natural colours in full. Warm tones contrast with the remnants of the soot layer that cling to the knots and grooves.