Yakisugi and Aburi

‘Yakisugi’, often incorrectly referred to outside of Japan as ‘Shou Sugi Ban’, is a traditional Japanese method of wood preservation using fire. The term literally means ‘burnt cedar’. In Japanese, ‘yaki’ means ‘to burn or char’ and ‘sugi’ is Japanese cedar.

Dating back to at least the 18th century, the technique originally developed in coastal regions of southern Japan, particularly on the island of Shikoku as a practical solution to protect wooden buildings from the elements. Yakisugi was most commonly used on timber siding on traditional Japanese houses, barns and even temples. Local builders discovered that charring the surface of the cedar boards made them more durable by preventing decay caused by insects, mould, rot and the elements. Ironically, it also helps with fire resistance!