Hinoki 檜 — Japanese Cypress

A Wood That Outlasts Generations

Japan has trusted Hinoki with its most sacred structures for over fourteen centuries. The Ise Grand Shrine, mostly built from Hinoki, is ritually rebuilt every 20 years in a ceremony called Shikinen Sengu. Hōryū-ji temple, the oldest surviving wooden structure in the world, was also built from Hinoki in 607 AD and still stands. These structures are a testament to the resilience of Hinoki in the face of time and nature’s forces.

What they reveal in practice is a timber that resists moisture without treatment, inhibits bacterial growth naturally, and holds precise dimensions under changing humidity and temperature. Unlike most timbers, Hinoki grows more beautiful with age. Its pale cream-to-gold heartwood deepens slowly over decades, and cut surfaces develop a lustre that freshly milled timber lacks. Reclaimed Hinoki from demolished structures typically command higher prices that new Hinoki in Japan.

Hinoki's aroma is not incidental to any of this. Hinokitiol, the naturally occurring compound responsible for the aroma, is mildly anti-bacterial and persists in the wood for years after milling. Hinoki is favored for Japanese bathhouses, ofuro tubs, sushi counters, and high-end sauna interiors for in Japan for precisely this reason. The material contributes to the environment it inhabits, not just visually but biologically. For any application where wellness is part of the brief, Hinoki delivers. There's no comparison.

Getting to Know Hinoki

Our Rough Sawn Hinoki Grades

We mostly supply Hinoki as rough sawn kiln-dried lumber in full container loads. Dimensions and volume vary by selection. Custom dimensions and quarter sawn cuts available on request.

A Grade

B Grade

Clear or near clear on all four sides or one face. Knots present are small, tight, and live. The working grade for most high-end interior applications. Flooring, panelling, furniture.

C Grade

Characterful and visually expressive. Plenty of natural tight knots that are stable and integral to the wood. Feature applications, turned objects, rustic interiors.

100% clear, no knots on all four sides or on one face. Selected for uniformity of grain direction. Premium flooring, panelling, sushi counters, bathroom applications, high-end interior joinery.

Other Hinoki Products

In addition to rough sawn Hinoki boards, we're able to supply the following Hinoki products that are either semi-finished or finished. All sourced directly from our mill network and GOHO certified.

Hinoki Turning Blanks

Clear grade, kiln-dried, dressed four sides, no pith. Two sizes. 40 pieces per box. Shipping via EMS courier or FCL.

Hinoki Underfloor Heating

Solid Hinoki flooring engineered and tested for underfloor heating. Four-sided end-matched T&G profile. 15 mm and 12 mm. Three grades. Natural aroma preserved.

Live edge Hinoki slabs from the famous Yoshino region. Centuries-old slabs and rare pieces with verifiable provenance.

Live Edge Hinoki Slabs

Hinoki Veneer

Architectural-grade Hinoki veneer, clear or near-clear grade. Flat sawn or quarter sawn. Various dimensions available.

Ready to Specify Hinoki?

Tell us your application and we'll advise the appropriate grade and dimensions. We'll respond within two business days with availability, indicative pricing, and lead time.

Phone / WhatsApp

+81 80 5744 6446

Email

grahams@north21.co.nz