Posts tagged cypress

A gentle personality: Sawara

Sawara Cypress
The sawara cypress tree (Chamaecyparis pisifera) is very similar in appearance to the hinoki cypress tree. It grows slowly but can reach a height of up to 50m. As one of the Five Trees of Kiso it is highly-valued wood though it ranks below the hinoki which means there are more growing naturally in the forests of Japan. Both hinoki and sawara are sensitive to pollution which means they’re grown away from urban populations.

According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species there is no cause for alarm, the tree is well-represented and is classified as ‘Least Concern’. This is good news for wood-lovers and conservationists. Nevertheless, our suppliers manage the entire forest carefully with regard to the longevity of this eco-system.

Properties of Sawara
Sawara has a warm cherry-like color, a beautiful straight grain and is very aromatic. The beautiful fine color of the wood reflects the pure environment in which the trees grow. Sawara appeals to those who think hinoki is too pale. Sawara shares the same rot-resistant qualities as hinoki and is used in the construction of shrines and temples and of course ofuro bathtubs.

Sawara is becoming a very popular material also among the Japan-lover community because of its color and reasonable price.

About US made tubs

What are the differences between Japanese ofuro and tubs made in the U.S.?
Here are the 3 main differences between US-made tubs and real japanese tubs which make the two products difficult to compare.
1a) almost all US made tubs are coated with urethane. The look is natural but may feel a little cold and hard (like plastic) and have no aroma.
1b) Japanese made tubs are un-coated. You can feel the warmth, aroma and soft touch of wood but if the environment is too humid they may develop mold stains.

2a) US made tubs are assembled as a cabinet (see the corner mitered joint) and often made of finger joint glue-laminated wood.
2b) Japanese tubs are and are built like a boat and are made of solid wide lumber laminated with dowels

3a) US made tubs are made in red cedar, hard woods (like teak) or Port Orford Cedar (most of the makers call it hinoki – but it is not.) Please note that hinoki usable as construction material grows in Japan and Taiwan only.
3b) Japanese tubs are made with japanese softwoods (hinoki, asnaro, sawara, koyamaki). For flooring or wainscoting we use man planted lumber while for making tubs we use exclusively 250-300 year old trees lumber from primary forests.
Well seasoned wood is very stable but in extreme conditions of dryness it may warp or crack.

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