Examples of utilizing local timber

Bringing Kiso wood into everyday life

Timber grown in the Kiso forests has been used in people's lives since ancient times.
Kiso timber is used in a variety of places, including buildings, furniture, and public facilities.
Here, we introduce examples of local wood utilization.

Use in residential construction

Kiso timber is widely used in residential construction. Kiso cypress, in particular, is known as a suitable wood for Japanese homes due to its durability and pleasant fragrance. When used for pillars, beams, and flooring, it creates a home that exudes the warmth of wood.
Furthermore, using Kiso timber locally contributes to forest management while making use of local forest resources. This "local production for local consumption" initiative, where wood grown locally is used locally, is attracting attention as a sustainable forest utilization method.

house

facility

Forestry Initiatives

In recent years, the use of local timber has been increasing in schools and public facilities. Buildings made with wood create warm and inviting spaces, providing a comfortable environment for those who use them. Furthermore, wood is a material that sequesters carbon dioxide, and is attracting attention as an environmentally friendly building material.
In the Kiso region, the construction of public facilities using local timber is progressing, and the cyclical use of forest resources is expanding.

Spoon, fork, knife

bucket

Bentwood lunch box

chair

table

shelf

Woodworking products and furniture

Kiso timber is used in woodworking products such as furniture and household goods. Hinoki cypress cutting boards, chopsticks, and furniture are popular products that take advantage of the wood's fragrance and beautiful grain.
The combination of skilled woodworkers' techniques and the quality of Kiso timber results in products that are built to last. This woodworking culture has been passed down as a traditional technique of the region.

Tourist facilities

Forestry Initiatives

Local timber is also used in tourist facilities and parks. Using wood for wooden benches, signs, and rest areas creates a landscape that harmonizes with nature.
Furthermore, using local timber in tourist areas helps to convey the forest culture of Kiso. The use of local timber is being promoted as a way to create spaces where people can feel the blessings of the forest up close.

The process of using Kiso timber

The story of trees connecting the forest to our lives

The timber grown in the forests of Kiso is transformed over a long period of time into products used in people's lives. Many processes and human hands are involved in transforming a single tree into a house, furniture, or everyday item.

First, forest management is carried out within the forest. Forests cannot grow healthily without proper management. Work such as thinning and reforestation is performed to create an environment in which trees can grow healthily. Through these works, the forest environment is preserved and timber that can be used in the future is grown.

Once trees have grown sufficiently, they are felled at forestry sites. The felled trees are deboned, cut into uniform lengths, and transported out of the mountains. Nowadays, high-performance forestry machinery is used to carry out the work efficiently and safely.

Logs transported from the mountains are taken to sawmills. At the sawmills, the logs are processed into planks, pillars, and other materials, preparing them for use in construction and furniture. After that, they undergo drying and other processes to improve their quality as timber.

Processed timber is transformed into various products by carpenters, builders, furniture makers, and woodworkers. From pillars and flooring in houses to furniture and household goods, wood is used in a variety of ways in our daily lives.

In this way, trees grown in the forest take on a new role as products that are used for a long time in people's lives. Furthermore, by utilizing wood, a cycle of forest resources is created, which also contributes to nurturing the next generation of forests.

The trees that grow in the Kiso forest continue to live on in people's lives. This is an important cycle that allows us to feel the connection between the forest and people.