Nara’s Timber Culture Goes Global: “Nara wood Chashitsu”, A Tea House Made of Wood from Nara Prefecture Created by Internationally Active Japanese Creators for Expo 2025 Osaka

The ALL NARA FESTIVAL, a vibrant showcase of Nara's traditional culture and craftsmanship, took place from May 27th to 29th at the Expo Arena 'Matsuri' (festival).  The main stage featured captivating performances of ancient traditions, including the Kasuga Wakamiya On-matsuri, a festival from the World Heritage site "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara," along with traditional folk performances like Bon Odori and Shishimai lion dances. The venue was divided into nine zones, bustling with people exploring booths that sold and offered experiences with Nara's diverse and appealing food and crafts. Among the various attractions, one pavilion stood out against the green lawn: a stunning chashitsu (tea house) made of Yoshino cedar grown in one of Japan’s most renowned forestry areas, Nara's Yoshino region. This masterpiece was the collaborative effort of six Japanese creators working both in Japan and internationally. We had the opportunity to speak with a few of the team members: Taro Okabe, a Paris-based architect who designed the chashitsu; Yuichi Kodai, an architect based in Switzerland; and Kenta Hirai from the Nara-based design and craft studio “studio jig,” who manufactured the wooden elements of the pavilion structure. We'll delve into the highlights of the chashitsu—brought to life at the Expo through cross-border collaboration—and the unique appeal of Yoshino wood used in the project. “Neiraku-an”: A Mobile Tea House Showcasing the Best of Yoshino Cedar Across the Expo site, national and corporate pavilions showcase cultures, histories, and cutting-edge technologies, offering visitors a vivid sense of the world’s diversity. At the center stands the “The Grand Ring,” certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s largest wooden structure—an awe-inspiring presence that draws visitors into a festive, otherworldly atmosphere. Within this grand setting, the ALL NARA FESTIVAL at the Expo Arena 'Matsuri' hosted nearly 50 vendors, offering everything from handicrafts and agricultural products to local sake (Japanese rice wine brewed in the region) and wooden products—all nurtured by Nara's rich natural environment. As you navigated the lively space, a building with beautiful wood grain caught your eye. This was the mobile tea house “Neiraku-an”, specially built for this event. Throughout the festival, the “Neiraku-an” hosted workshops where visitors could enjoy an authentic art of brewing experience of Yamato-cha (green tea grown in Nara), guided by Yamato-cha producers and Japanese tea instructors. When most people think of a tea house, they imagine a formal, indoor tatami-mat space where tea is served according to strict etiquette. While, this tea house offers a different experience. Here, surrounded by the warmth and fragrant aroma of Yoshino cedar, you can savor the taste of Yamato-cha while enjoying the gentle light and refreshing breeze of the outdoors.   Sharing the Appeal of Yoshino Wood Abroad: The Vision of Two Architects Spreading the Charm of Yoshino Wood Overseas The defining feature of the Nara wood Chasitsu “Neiraku-an” is the way thin planks of Yoshino cedar are twisted at identical curvatures and placed at equal intervals to shape the space. The straight grain of the cedar, characteristic of Yoshino wood, is so strikingly beautiful that it invites you to reach out and touch it. How was this innovative design, which gives the impression of "a tea house unlike any you've ever seen," born? We spoke with two Japanese architects based abroad, Taro Okabe and Yuichi Kodai, to find out. ――What kind of dialogue and process did the two of you go through to bring the concept of this chashitsu to life? Okabe：A chashitsu can take many forms. At its most minimal, even drawing a line on the ground to mark off a boundary from the outside world can create the sense of an enclosed space—and that, too, can function as a “chashitsu.” The challenge here was how to design one within the bustling environment of the Expo site, where countless people pass by. We also needed to think about how the structure could be reassembled and reused after the event, using relatively simple components, while still maintaining the essential qualities of a chashitsu. That’s when Kodai suggested using thin slices of Yoshino cedar veneer from Nara Prefecture, to highlight the wood’s natural beauty. Quarter sawn Yoshino cedar is known for a straight and fine grain, and veneer sheet in this sawing pattern is the best way to showcase that inherent quality and beauty. From there, we studied how veneer could be used to create a chashitsu, while intentionally moving away from preconceived notions of what a chashitsu “should” be. Inside the busy Expo grounds, it was impossible to completely block out all external noise. So instead, we thought about controlling sightlines as a way to express the protective, inward-looking nature expected of a chashitsu. By twisting and spacing the veneer planks, we created a dynamic: people standing outside can see through the gaps, but once seated inside, the planks line up parallel to your field of vision, shielding you from outside view and giving a sense of being enclosed and protected. ―― It seems like a very interesting and unique endeavor for two architects to collaborate on a single project. What was that experience like? Kodai：We share a common mission to spread the use of Yoshino wood, and since around 2020 we’ve been working as part of the “YOSHINO WOOD” team to raise international awareness and establish its brand. Collaborating with Nara Prefecture, we’ve been asking ourselves how we can contribute to the promotion of Nara timber from abroad. I believe this project was a natural result of that ongoing effort. ――Could you tell us how the “YOSHINO WOOD” team came together? Okabe：The “YOSHINO WOOD” team consists of four members: Kojiro Yamanaka of ICHI Corporation, who handles exports in Japan, serves as team leader; myself; Kodai; and Yutaka Goto, a university researcher based in Sweden. The Yoshino region of Nara is home to one of the world’s oldest forms of sustainable forestry. With over 500 years of accumulated knowledge, it continues to produce exceptionally high-quality timber. While plantation forests are often considered inferior to natural forests, Yoshino cultivated woods have consistently yielded that rivals, and sometimes surpasses, the quality of natural growth. Today, however, fewer Japanese people live in traditional wooden houses, and demand for tatami rooms or chashitsus has declined. As a result, even Yoshino’s prized cedar and cypress—once regarded as treasures of Japan’s forestry—have become harder to sell. With their societal value fading and the domestic market shrinking, it was Mr. Yamanaka who first suggested, “Why not try selling it overseas?” My initial reaction was, "That's insane!". Wood is everywhere—why would anyone ship it all the way from Japan, on the far edge of Asia, to Europe? To make matters more challenging, in Europe, where we are based, people prefer dark, heavy hardwoods, which are considered premium. Softwoods like Japanese cedar and cypress—lighter, softer, and brighter in color—are the complete opposite. I remember thinking, “How on earth could we sell this?” But soon that hesitation turned into excitement: “This could be a real challenge.” While our main profession is architecture, through the “YOSHINO WOOD” team we are constantly thinking about how to share the value of Yoshino forestry—one of Japan’s true treasures—with people overseas. [caption id="attachment_6333" align="alignnone" width="1179"] Members of the YOSHINO WOOD (from left: Yutaka Goto, Kojiro Yamanaka, Taro Okabe, and Yuichi Kodai).[/caption] Kodai：Our ultimate goal is to see more trees planted so that a steady supply of high-quality Yoshino wood can be maintained for generations. For that to happen, Yoshino wood needs to be used in substantial quantities. While furniture and crafts are wonderful, the actual volume of wood they consume is limited. Currently, we’re working on a project in Norway that uses Yoshino timber for both structures and finishes of a private home. By using large quantities of lumber for projects like this, it leads directly to new cycles of planting. Without that scale of use, the very meaning of our efforts would be lost. To pass Yoshino forestry down to the next generation and beyond, we need to see significant “volume” being used. At the same time, it’s also crucial for Yoshino wood to be used in furniture. This allows people to see the unique character of each piece of wood, and appreciate the high quality. It's essential that we convey both of these values effectively. The Appeal of Yoshino Wood: Blending Story, Engineering, and Physical Showcase ――I’m impressed to hear that you are promoting Yoshino wood overseas with reforestation in mind. Okabe：Reforestation is essential. By cultivating and using trees, we create a cycle that leads to new tree planting and reduces our environmental impact. We've even calculated to ensure the carbon footprint of shipping a single log to a distant location. For example, shipping a single log from Japan to France—by truck, ship, and then truck again—emits around 100 kilograms of CO₂. But that same log stores between 500 and 600 kilograms of carbon. In other words, even with 100 kilograms emitted, the log still stores about six times more carbon. And once the tree is harvested, new trees are planted, which then continue absorbing CO₂. A standing tree absorbs roughly 100 kilograms of CO₂ per year. By maintaining this cycle, even transporting logs overseas results in a clear environmental positive. That’s why it’s important to share not only the historical and cultural significance of Yoshino wood, but also the engineering perspective that explains why it matters. When people hear both sides, they are genuinely fascinated. They're often amazed, saying, ‘This is incredible—why didn’t we know about it before?’ This reaction speaks to the immense potential of Yoshino wood. It’s surprising that such a resource hasn’t yet gained wide recognition overseas, but at the same time, there’s real joy in knowing that we are now the ones pioneering that path. ――What aspects of Yoshino wood do people overseas find most appealing? Kodai：Just yesterday, we had the unveiling of a Yoshino-hinoki kitchen counter that I designed and a Swiss carpenter built. We shipped over a piece of timber from Japan—about four meters long and ten centimeters thick. After working with it, the carpenter told me, ‘I’ve never encountered wood this easy to handle.’ At his workshop, which employs 30 to 40 craftsmen, every single one of them said the same thing: they had never experienced wood with such smooth texture, fragrance, and overall quality. What impressed them most was that it doesn’t crack when cut, it’s soft yet sturdy, and it’s incredibly easy to work with. In Europe, it’s common to shave down about a centimeter on the top and bottom of such a board, but with Yoshino wood, because of its remarkable dimensional stability, only about four millimeters needed to be trimmed. That means far less waste. And unlike hardwoods like oak, which leave your hands covered in resin during processing, Yoshino hinoki keeps your hands clean. That also makes the work much more efficient.Yoshino cypress has also been used for the ceiling of an art gallery in London, arranged in a lattice-like pattern. With most other types of timber, warping and uneven grain would make this kind of application impossible. But Yoshino wood shows straight, beautiful grain, and it stays stable over time without distortion. For people familiar with the nature of wood, the precision makes them wonder, ‘How is this possible? That said, only someone with a trained eye can distinguish these qualities for appropriate applications. Unless you can demonstrate clearly, ‘This wood works especially well for this purpose,’ or ‘it does not work for this purpose’, people will turn to industrial materials like aluminum or steel, which are less prone to change over time. I believe Yoshino wood is truly one-of-a-kind as a stable wood material, and that makes it even more important to preserve the culture and forestry techniques and pass on such a valuable resource for future generations. Okabe：When I think about Yoshino wood as a brand, I feel it’s similar to Wagyu beef. You can find beef anywhere in the world, yet people are willing to pay a premium to import ‘Wagyu’ from Japan. How you open up that kind of market—and the strategy behind it—is fascinating to me. Our first approach wasn't simply showing samples of Yoshino wood at trade fairs. Instead, we wanted people to see the kind of beauty that only Yoshino wood can express. So we carved a seven-meter-long counter-like object from a single Yoshino cypress log and presented it at the then up-and-coming Japanese restaurant OGATA Paris. We invited designers, architects, and media professionals to an event there. The wood had Yoshino’s hallmark: perfectly straight grain, with not a single knot across its seven-meter length. The absence of knots is proof of careful branch pruning. The quality of the wood presented the meticulous cares by foresters since the planting a few hundred years ago—something unique to the way trees are cultivated in Yoshino. The exhibition caught people’s attention, and from there word began to spread. I realized how much the value of wood can change depending on how you show it, and that effective storytelling and presentation are just as important as the material itself. [caption id="attachment_6335" align="alignnone" width="2560"] ©Nicolas Grosmond[/caption] [caption id="attachment_6336" align="alignnone" width="2560"] ©Nicolas Grosmond[/caption] [caption id="attachment_6337" align="alignnone" width="2560"] ©Nicolas Grosmond[/caption] ――What are your goals and visions for your future work? Okabe：Until now, most of our clients overseas have been people with a love for Japan, specifically seeking something ‘Japanese.’ But moving forward, I want us to be able to share the appeal of Yoshino wood with people who have never even been to Japan. That's the challenge ahead for us. Kodai：I’m originally from Kyoto Prefecture, which borders Nara. In Kyoto’s traditional crafts—such as Buddhist household altars and ritual implements—wood from Nara has long been used. That kind of use for traditional high quality craftworks is only possible because the quality is guaranteed. For me, sustaining Yoshino forestry is also about safeguarding Japan’s cultural traditions. I am motivated to make sure that future generations can continue using Yoshino wood. Special Materials and Wood-Bending Techniques from Yoshino The chashitsu, designed overseas with a deep respect for Yoshino wood, was ultimately shaped by the hands of Nara-based woodworker Kenta Hirai, who works in Kawakami Village. Hirai has created beautiful furniture pieces that highlight the unique qualities of Yoshino timber, and he was honored at the 4th Japan Wa Culture Grand Prix. We asked him how he approached building this distinctive chashitsu. ――Mr. Hirai, you primarily focus on furniture. What was your mindset going into the construction of this tea house? Hirai: My priority was not to compromise the designers’ vision. I made sure to check in with them on every detail throughout the process. Since I mainly make furniture, I would never have come up with such an idea for a chashitsu myself. Each piece of board is simple on its own, just bent wood. But when arranged in sequence, they look completely different. A single part might seem ordinary, yet combined, they open up new possibilities. It was a valuable learning experience. [caption id="attachment_6340" align="alignnone" width="2560"] It’s not one solid board. Each element is made from seven sheets of veneer, each 1.5 millimeters thick.[/caption] The flat part at the top and the bottom were formed with a mold, but the curved middle sections were bent by hand. That means no two pieces are ever identical. Those subtle differences give each element its own character, and when assembled together, they form a landscape— it appeared to me almost like the forests of Yoshino. ――The twisted veneers really highlight the beauty of Yoshino cedar’s grain. How did this style of work develop for you? Hirai: I studied woodworking in Ireland, where I learned Free Form Lamination, a technique for bending wood into three-dimensional curves. Honestly, when I returned to Japan, I thought I’d rarely use it. In Ireland, the materials for wood bending were mainly hardwoods, and hardwood with a quality for veneer sheet slicing is rare and expensive. But when I came to Yoshino, I discovered that Yoshino cedar from its cultivated forests was perfect for veneer sheet production—and it’s available in stable supply. To see piles of material so ideally suited for the free form wood bending technique was shocking. It made me realize, “Here, I can really do this.” ――So this unique expression was truly only possible because of Yoshino cedar? Hirai: Exactly. These trees have been cared for over more than a century, and that long stewardship preserves their exceptional quality. That’s what makes Yoshino wood so special. ――What do you hope to pursue going forward?  Hirai: Collaborations like this project are something I want to keep challenging myself with. There’s a saying: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. Working with others lets me create worlds I could never reach on my own. At the same time, I also want to test how far I can go alone—through my own expression. I’d like to see what’s possible on the world stage by for example taking part in international competitions. Connecting the Charm of Nara's Wood to the World and the Future On the global stage of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, a new form of chashitsu was born—one that could only be realized with Yoshino cedar. The craftsmanship behind this project is a tribute to the people who have protected and nurtured these forests, using a cultivation method passed down through generations in the Yoshino region. Through the work of creators inspired by Nara’s timber, interest in Nara wood is now spreading even to overseas markets. “Sharing the beauty of wood and passing it on to the future”—perhaps the more people experience its charm, the more strength we will gain to nurture the forests of tomorrow. Text: Michiko SatoPhotography: Haruka Kuwana

2025.09.30