is a Japanese technique similar to

coppicing Coppicing is a traditional method of woodland management Forest management is a branch of forestry concerned with overall administrative, legal, economic, and social aspects, as well as scientific and technical aspects, such as silviculture, pro ...

, used on ''

Cryptomeria ''Cryptomeria'' (literally "hidden parts") is a monotypic genus of conifer in the cypress family Cupressaceae, formerly belonging to the family Taxodiaceae. It includes only one species, ''Cryptomeria japonica'' ( syn. ''Cupressus japonica'' L ...

'' () trees. The term roughly translates to "platform cedar". Shoots from the base of the tree are pruned so that the trunk stays straight. It is believed that the production of logs by began in the

Muromachi period The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate (''Muromachi bakufu'' or ''Ashikaga bakufu''), which was officially established in 1338 by t ...

. At that time, the tea ceremony became popular in part because logs were used in tea room construction, for example for the alcove. The Kitayama area of

Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...

became especially known for its forestry of . In the 14th century, a form of very straight and stylized

Sukiya-zukuri is one type of Japanese residential architectural style. ''Suki'' means refined, well cultivated taste and delight in elegant pursuits and refers to enjoyment of the exquisitely performed tea ceremony. The word originally denoted a building in ...

architecture was highly fashionable in Japan. However, there simply were not enough raw materials around to build these homes for every noble or samurai who wanted one. Hence, the technique of applying bonsai pruning techniques to full-scale trees was developed. The technique results in a harvest of straight logs without having to cut down the entire tree. Although originally a forestry management technique, has also found its way into

Japanese garden are traditional gardens whose designs are accompanied by Japanese aesthetics and philosophical ideas, avoid artificial ornamentation, and highlight the natural landscape. Plants and worn, aged materials are generally used by Japanese garden desig ...

References

External links

* {{commonscat-inline Japanese style of gardening Japanese words and phrases Horticultural techniques Forestry in Japan Forest management