Aomori Hiba: A Rare Resource | Tomorrow's Hinoki, which wanted to become a cypress but couldn't, is "a wood that is even more useful than cypress"

Hiba is a tree that represents Aomori Prefecture. Although it is not as well known as Akita cedar, it is highly valued as a building material under the brand name Aomori Hiba

In the past, it has been used in the Golden Hall of Chusonji Temple Hirosaki Castle which was rebuilt in 1810 , and is known for remaining almost exactly as it was when it was first built.

In recent years, Aomori cypress has been used to build places such as Dazai Osamu's birthplace, Shayokan (a nationally designated important cultural property in Goshogawara City), and the scenic Tsuru-no-mai Bridge

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What is Tsuru-no-Mai Bridge, the longest triple-arch wooden bridge in Japan, located in Tsuruta Town, Aomori Prefecture?

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Tsuru-no-Mai Bridge in Tsuruta Town, Aomori Prefecture, is Japan's longest triple-arch wooden bridge, stretching over 300 meters. With Tsugaru Fuji and Mount Iwaki as its backdrop, the bridge's graceful curves across the lake (also known as the Mawariike Pond) make it a popular tourist attraction. This article provides an objective look at the bridge's structure, materials, and connection to local culture. Structure and Features of Mai-no-Tsuru Bridge: Tsuru-no-Mai Bridge - Daytime View. Tsuru-no-Mai Bridge is a wooden pedestrian bridge with a triple-arched arch structure. It is approximately 300 meters long and 3 meters wide, and opened in July 1994.

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Kintai Bridge has been rebuilt many times due to washouts and deterioration , but when it was completely rebuilt over a period of four years starting in 2001, Aomori hiba was chosen as the most durable and decay-resistant material.

Aomori Prefecture is home to approximately 80% of the nation's hiba trees

a tree native to Japan , like cedar and cypress, and is classified as part of the Cupressaceae family, the genus Thujopsis .

It grows in a wide area, from the southern tip of Hokkaido to the Osumi Peninsula in Kyushu (Kagoshima Prefecture), with approximately 80% of the hiba trees in Japan growing naturally in Aomori Prefecture.Two species of hiba trees are distributed around the southern Noto Peninsula (Ishikawa Prefecture) and Lake Yunoko in Nikko (Tochigi Prefecture) , with Asunaro Hinoki-asunaro in the north

The species that grows widely in Aomori Prefecture is the Japanese cypress, commonly known as "hiba" (cypress leaf) or "Aomori hiba." Most of the Aomori hiba is concentrated on the Tsugaru and Shimokita peninsulas, and its virgin forests are known as one of Japan's three most beautiful forests, along with Akita cedar and Kiso cypress .

In Sei Shonagon's book "The Pillow Book," it is described as a tree that cannot become a cypress (tomorrow's cypress = asunaro)

is related to "The Pillow Book," written by Sei Shonagon (c. 966-c. 1025), a famous poet from the Heian period

The leaves of the Asunaro tree are similar in shape to those of the Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa), and they also have a fragrant fragrance similar to that of Japanese cypress, so they were thought to be a type of Japanese cypress. However, in "The Pillow Book,"

The tomorrow tree is so close in this world, yet so inaccessible. Those who come just to see it and then return are left to walk around with it. The branches are so rough to touch, so what is the thought behind calling it the tomorrow tree? Is it such a strange thing to hear? I wonder who I've entrusted it to, and it's interesting to think about it

Enlarged and revised version of The Pillow Book: Spring Dawn, Vol. 1, published in 1893 / @Wikimedia Commons

It is said that during the Heian period, it was recognized as a different tree from cypress due to differences in its bark

Even if the scent is similar to that of a cypress, it is not a cypress now. Trees that hold the hope that they may become cypress tomorrow are called "Asunaro," written as "tomorrow's cypress/morning cypress."

The asunaro tree mentioned in The Pillow Book became known to many people in 1953, some 950 years later, through the autobiographical novel Asunaro Monogatari (The Tale of Asunaro) by Yasushi Inoue (1907-1991) (serialized in Bungeishunju's monthly All Yomimono magazine from January to June 1953; representative works include The Ice Wall and Dunhuang; recipient of the Order of Culture). Asunaro Monogatari is the story of a hopeful young man who struggles in society and in his personal life, and the tree was likened to the asunaro tree, which hopes to become a cypress tomorrow but will never become one

It seems that cypress was considered a higher-ranking tree than asunaro

The official Japanese name for Hiba is written in katakana as "Asunaro."

The official scientific name of "Asunaro" was given by a German in the late Edo period. When the German doctor Philipp Franz von Siebold (1796-1866), who visited Japan during the Edo period, returned to Germany, he brought back an Asunaro tree and named it "Thujopsis dolabrata" because it was a tree not found in Europe

This Latin spelling is the official scientific name, but in Japan it is customary to give Japanese names in katakana, so the official Japanese name is the katakana spelling of "Asunaro" [Asunaro]

Later, in the Meiji period, Honda Seiroku (1866-1952), Japan's first doctor of forestry and the designer of Hibiya Park (Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo) and Meiji Jingu Gaien (Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo), discovered that the asunaro of Aomori Prefecture, which was called hiba, was slightly different from the asunaro of the Kinki and Kyushu regions

In 1901 (Meiji 34), the famous botanist Makino Tomitaro (1862-1957) named it "Hinoki Asunaro," and it has been called that name ever since

Hinoki Asunaro, known as Ate (档) in the Noto region, is used for Wajima lacquerware and chopsticks

In Aomori Prefecture, the Japanese cypress known as "ate" in the Noto region . One theory is that hiba was brought to Japan by the Oshu Fujiwara clan, who ruled the Tohoku region during the Heian period, and was cultivated extensively in the Noto region. Eventually, due to its excellent wood quality, it came to be used for Wajima lacquerware bases and chopsticks.

Aomori Hiba is an evergreen coniferous tree similar to cedar or cypress, reaching a height of 30m and a diameter of 80cm. In the Tsugaru and Nanbu domains, it was called "hinoki" (cypress), but by the mid-Edo period, the name "hiba" (cypress leaf) had come to be used in the forestry world

In the forestry industry, hiba is recognized as a different tree from cypress, and it is generally believed that it came to be called "hiba" or "Aomori hiba" to avoid confusion

Aomori Hiba was a major source of income for the Tsugaru and Nanbu domains, so the forests were strictly managed

During the Edo period, the western half of the area in Aomori Prefecture where Aomori hiba is grown was the territory of the Tsugaru domain, and the eastern half was the territory of the Nanbu domain

It is said that there were many more natural cypress forests in the Edo period than there are today, and it is thought that the Ando and Nanbu clans, who ruled Aomori before the feudal era, also used Aomori cypress as a source of revenue, but unfortunately no documentation remains to this effect

The Tsugaru and Nanbu domains, which were established during the Edo period, utilized Aomori hiba, as well as other cedars and pines, as sources of income for their domains

The Nanbu clan, whose territory was the Shimokita Peninsula, initially allowed residents to freely use the peninsula's trees, but it wasn't until 1711 that they finally banned the felling of coniferous trees such as Aomori hiba, and the clan began to strictly control them. As a result, the felling of virgin forests on the Shimokita Peninsula progressed, and planted areas and forests of Aomori hiba mixed with other trees became prominent

On the other hand, the Tsugaru domain encouraged forestry and controlled it so strictly that it was said that "one green tree, one head" (cutting one cypress tree would result in the loss of a head)

All Aomori hiba trees belonged to the feudal domain, and it is said that there was a time when cutting them down for personal use was not permitted as they were used as a source of income. They also put effort into replanting trees in areas where trees had been cut down and protecting the forests. The natural Aomori hiba forests on the Tsugaru Peninsula are called "old-growth uniform forests" and are mostly made up of Aomori hiba trees, most of which are very old

In contrast to the Akita cedar trees in the Kubota Domain (Akita Domain), which were cut down more than they could manage and all natural forests were cut down except deep in the mountains, many natural forests of Aomori cypress trees remained

The Aomori Hiba trees currently in use are harvested from natural forests that are over 200 years old

The lifespan of Aomori Hiba is said to be approximately 300 years. Currently, the trees harvested for lumber are mature trees between 200 and 250 years old, and these are selectively cut down (selectively harvested). They were born during the feudal era and have grown over many years, spanning the Meiji, Taisho, Showa, Heisei, and Reiwa eras. When large trees are cut down, a sun-filled space is created, allowing new buds to grow rapidly. This natural regeneration cycle sustains the forest for a long time

Japan's forest area is 25.02 million hectares, of which cypress accounts for about 10%, or 2.57 million hectares (as of March 31, 2022, Forestry Agency), while hiba accounts for only about 60,000 hectares. Of that, approximately 50,000 hectares (2024 Aomori Prefecture Forest Resources Statistics Book) are Aomori Prefecture's "Aomori hiba (Chamaecyparis obtusa)." As a result, it is not widely distributed as a building material and is a minor presence, but in fact, it has characteristics that make it more suitable for use as a building material than cypress or cedar

Aomori Hiba has the fragrance of cypress, has antibacterial and insect repellent properties, and is harder than cypress or cedar

Aomori Hiba is a species of tree similar to Japanese cypress, so it has a pleasant woody scent that has a relaxing effect. It is also said to be highly effective at repelling termites and other pests, and to have a strong natural antibacterial effect. Aomori Hiba is known to be an excellent building material in Japan, and is said to be cheaper than Japanese cypress. You might want to consider using Aomori Hiba wood when building your home

*We will introduce the Aomori Hiba forest, its giant trees, and historical buildings in Aomori Prefecture on a future occasion

NORIJUN

My love of travel led me to work for a travel magazine some time ago, and now I work as a travel writer for an online publication. I have visited all 47 prefectures in Japan, focusing on the Tohoku region, and I enjoy soaking in hot springs and experiencing traditional Japanese culture, including old townscapes, lifestyles, and performing arts and crafts