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Daisugi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Daisugi trees
Daisugi trees at Ryōan-ji

Daisugi (台杉) is a Japanese technique related to pollarding, used on Cryptomeria (sugi) trees.[1][2][3] The term roughly translates to "platform cedar".[4]

When applied in a silviculture context, the daisugi method requires trunks to be pruned every 2–4 years in order to maintain the straight, clear grain that they are coveted for.[5][6]

History

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In the Muromachi period a form of very straight and stylized Sukiya-zukuri architecture was highly fashionable in Japan, resulting in a rise in demand for straight, uniform logs.[7][8][9] As a response, the daisugi method was developed by foresters in the Kitayama area of Kyoto,[10][9][7] though other forms of vegetative reproduction such as the propagation of cuttings remained the dominant afforestation technique across the country.[11]

Kitayama foresters increased the value of their daisugi logs by applying a unique sand polishing method that gave the wood a smooth, shiny finish.[8][7] The development of the sanding method is attributed to a local fable about a traveling monk who was cared for by Kitayama villagers, it is said that he repaid their kindness by sharing his forestry knowledge with them.[12][7] Due to their strength and aesthetic value, Kitayama’s daisugi logs, and similar specialty lumber such as Kitayama Maruta logs[13] became popular in tea room construction, such as the tokonoma alcove.[10][9]

Modern practice

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Although originally a forestry management technique, daisugi has also found its way into Japanese gardens as an aesthetic feature.[14]

Examples of daisugi forestry can still be found in areas of northern Kyoto where it was developed, though Kitayama sugi plantations do not contribute significantly to the domestic lumber market as they once did.[8][9] In the Village of Nakagawa in the Kyoto prefecture, efforts are underway to preserve traditional Japanese sugi silviculture practices such as daisugi, and the sand polishing technique used to finish daisugi logs.[9][7][12]

References

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  1. ^ Nōrinshō, S (1926). Forestry of the "Sugi" (Cryptomeria Japonica, Don) and the "Karamatsu" (Larix Leptolepis Gord). Department of Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. p. 27.
  2. ^ Numata, M. (1974). Flora and vegetation of Japan.
  3. ^ Ohba, K. (1993). "Clonal forestry with sugi (Cryptomeria japonica)". Clonal forestry II. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer. pp. 66–90.
  4. ^ "A Japanese Forestry Technique Prunes Upper Branches to Create a Tree Platform for More Sustainable Harvests". October 27, 2020.
  5. ^ Hassan, Farah (July 2, 2023). "The 600-year-old guide to Japanese sustainable forestry: Daisugi method". Lampoon Magazine. Lampoon Publishing House. Archived from the original on March 25, 2024. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  6. ^ Stewart, Jessica (2020-07-31). "Incredible 15th-Century Japanese Technique for Growing Ultra-Straight Cedar Trees". My Modern Met. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  7. ^ a b c d e Jong, W. De; Urushima, A. Flores; Jacquet, B.; Takahashi, T. (2022-09-01). "Cedars of the North Mountains: Historical forest culture and practices in modern day nature policies". International Forestry Review. 24 (3): 380–392. doi:10.1505/146554822835941896.
  8. ^ a b c Taaffe, Gerard (2002-09-26). "Trees that tower over the past and present". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Feeling the trees shivering: endangered environmental knowledge in northern Kyoto". Kyoto Journal. 2022-03-13. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  10. ^ a b "北山杉story - 北山杉のはじまりと歴史 | 京都北山丸太生産協同組合". www.kyotokitayamamaruta.com. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  11. ^ Totman, Conrad (1986). "Plantation Forestry in Early Modern Japan: Economic Aspects of Its Emergence". Agricultural History. 60 (3): 23–51. ISSN 0002-1482. JSTOR 3743653.
  12. ^ a b "北山杉の里 中川 - Story of Kitayama Cedars ( for children ) 北山杉の話". sites.google.com. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  13. ^ "Kitayama Maruta: Japanese cedar logs | Wood & Bamboo Work | Kyoto | JTCO: Japanese Traditional Culture Promotion & Development Organization". www.jtco.or.jp. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  14. ^ "Daisugi: The Japanese Forestry Technique of Creating a Tree Platform for Other Trees". October 20, 2020. Archived from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
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  • Media related to Daisugi at Wikimedia Commons