Japanese burned wood

Yakisugi - Traditional Japanese Burned Wood

Burned Wood for Modern Architecture

A Design Highlight for Your Façade

Japanese burned wood – Yakisugi (also known as Shou Sugi Ban) – is ideal for homeowners, architects, and builders seeking high-quality cladding with a unique aesthetic. The charring process not only enhances the visual appeal of the wood but also adds functional benefits like increased durability, water resistance, and natural protection against insects.

We offer Japanese burned wood made from authentic Japanese cedar, crafted with the utmost precision and care.

An Eye-Catching Statement: Japanese Burned Wood

Distinctive Surfaces for Exceptional Design

Yakisugi gives the wood a distinctive look that stands out, whether used as a striking feature in contemporary urban designs or integrated into country-style properties. The burned wood’s texture and deep, charred colour bring a natural yet modern finish to any façade or wall cladding.

Our Japanese burned wood comes from Nakamoto Forestry, a family-owned company in Japan. The Nakamoto family’s own forests cover around 2,000 hectares in Hiroshima Prefecture, certified to PEFC/SGEC standards (JIA-022 / CEFC 1901). The traditional, chemical-free production process means our burned wood requires no chemical wood preservatives.

Yakisugi gained wider recognition in the West when the renowned contemporary architect Terunobu Fujimori began working extensively with this material. Today, Japanese burned wood is a well-kept secret for those with an eye for the extraordinary.

Thanks to the traditional heat treatment, Yakisugi is resistant to rot and achieves excellent weather resistance without any additional protective coating. It withstands the most demanding conditions — humidity, moisture, extreme heat, and frost.

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.

Japanese Burned Wood from Authentic Japanese Cedar

From Forest to Façade

While other timber species can also be charred, we use only the original Japanese cedar (Sugi), which offers numerous advantages over conventional European cladding timbers: lighter, virtually resin-free, highly dimensionally stable, and naturally durable.

Nakamoto Forestry Europe holds PEFC Chain of Custody certification (TÜV Nord 44 702 200728). According to our Environmental Product Declaration (EcoLeaf, Type III, ISO 14025, no. JR-BC-2001E), the production of our Yakisugi generates 2.1 kg CO₂ equivalent per m². Separately, the timber stores approximately 15 kg CO₂ equivalent per square metre for as long as it remains in place.

Order Your Yakisugi Burned Wood Cladding Today!

Realize your Design

We offer traditional Japanese burned wood in all its wonderful detail. Those with a taste for individuality will appreciate the unique surface texture, while anyone who values authenticity will love the original Japanese cedar that we craft into the three traditional Yakisugi variants: Suyaki, Gendai, and Pika-Pika.

Yakisugi is a renewable material from PEFC-certified forestry — durable, low-maintenance, and free from chemical wood preservatives.

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.