The Japanese Forestry technique of “Daisugi”

This is a tree that has been harvested using the Japanese technique of “Daisugi”

As you can see, the process involves cutting/pruning the tops without destroying the base and the root.

This process won’t (obviously) work for every kind of tree, but this technique has been practiced in Japan with Kitayama Cedar dating back to the 14th century. The tree is prized for its wood that grows exceptionally straight with very few knots. It takes years to carefully hand-prune the trees and after 20 years(!), the now massive shoots can be harvested for lumber or replanting without killing the original tree.

And while 20 years might seem like a long time, it’s actually an accelerated rate when compared to many traditional soil-planted trees. Plus, the process produces exceptional wood that is 140% as flexible as regular cedar, and 200% as dense/strong.

It is estimated that these trees, properly cared for, could last and produce wood across a span of 200-300 years! These ‘mother-trees’ can be found in certain parts of Japan.

Check out how amazingly beautiful this sustainable forestry technique can be…

Check this documentary to learn more about Daisugi.