Yoshino cedar chopsticks Kichi no Hashi

Whole cedar is used and Kumaya Shoten is committed to the conservation and development of the forest resources in this region. Yoshino cedar belongs to the category of precious woods. Its cultivation, in the forest region of Yoshino, south-central Nara Prefecture, begins with the Muromachi period (1336-1573) which saw the transplantation of cedars from Miwa to Yamato and on Mount Kasuga. Yoshino cedar, a premium cedar, is among the three most beautiful forest trees in Japan along with Akita cedar and Kiso cypress. Its durability, strength and magnificent luster have been acclaimed since the earliest times. Another unique advantage of Yoshino cedar is that it is poor in knots. Since Yoshino cedar is grown in plantation forests, its trunk thickness is almost the same from root to top with a few knots due to annual pruning. It is handsome with fine, uniform annual rings and defined straight kernels. Fine wood craftsmanship, including cedar chopsticks, is Kumaya Shoten's specialty.