is a Japanese technique similar to
coppicing
Coppicing is a traditional method of woodland management which exploits the capacity of many species of trees to put out new shoots from their stump or roots if cut down. In a coppiced wood, which is called a copse, young tree stems are repeat ...
, 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. 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 cit ...
became especially known for its forestry of .
In the 14th century, a form of very straight and stylized
Sukiya-zukuri 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 ...
s.
References
External links
* {{commonscat-inline
Japanese style of gardening
Japanese words and phrases
Horticultural techniques
Forestry in Japan
Forest management