08/11/2023
How Japanese have produced wood for 700 years, without cutting down trees.
Daisugi is an ancient Japanese forestry technique developed in the 14th century originally used by people living in the Kitayama prefecture, because the territory was extremely poor in saplings.
They planted cedars pruned in a special way to produce shoots that eventually would become perfect, straight, knot-free lumbers.
The shoots are gently pruned by hand every two years leaving only the top boughs, allowing them to grow straight. Harvesting takes 20 years and old 'tree stock' can grow up to a hundred shoots at a time.
There was actually another reason why the technique was developed: fashion. In the 14th century, a linear, stylized form of architecture known as sukiya-zukuri (数寄屋造り) became popular, and every prominent samurai or nobleman wanted a house built in this way.
There were simply not enough raw materials available to keep up with demand, so daisugi was developed to produce more wood in a shorter time.
The wood produced with this technique has also impressive qualities: it's 140% more flexible than standard cedar and 200% denser and stronger. And, it's extremely durable.
