Shou Sugi Ban Collection

Yakisugi is a product, not a burning process. The term refers to a specific type of charred wood exterior siding that has been used as a vernacular building material in Western Japan for hundreds of years. In other parts of the world, yakisugi is sometimes called “shou sugi ban” siding.

Traditional yakisugi siding starts with logs of Japanese cedar (known as “sugi” in Japan) that are holistically milled into thin planks. The wood then receives intensive flame-treatment to improve resistance to rot, UV, moisture, fire, insects, and dimensional movement versus untreated wood siding. Yakisugi’s maintenance-optional durability provides exceptional long-term cost performance over its extended natural life cycle. 

Yakisugi also offers a timeless beauty that is readily adaptable to projects. It has a quintessential wabi-sabi design aesthetic that can be finished in different ways to achieve a broad range of appearances. Learn more about authentic yakisugi.

The short answer is that there is no difference—they refer to the exact same product. But here’s how we got two competing terms for the same kind of charred Japanese cedar siding. In Japan, the term yakisugi is used exclusively to describe this material, though it is sometimes written as yakisugi-ita. 

The alternate name shou sugi ban originates from a Westerner’s misreading of yakisugi-ita, where they apparently mixed Japanese and Chinese pronunciations of the ideograms. The word “yaki” in Japanese (meaning burnt or charred) is pronounced “shou” in Chinese. “Sugi” refers to the conifer Cryptomeria japonica—a type of cedar that’s indigenous to Japan. “Ban” is the Chinese reading of the ideogram for board or plank, pronounced “ita” in Japanese. 

While the term shou sugi ban caught on in the West when the material was introduced in the 1990s, the online keyword yakisugi is appearing more frequently in searches, databases, and media. Read more about yakisugi vs shou sugi ban.

Yes. Our 18mm and 30mm yakisugi “shou sugi ban” profiles are suitable for applications requiring thicker board stock. Our standard 9/16” thickness yakisugi siding can be edged and/or back-planed, then glued up as the cabinet or door facing. For specific dimensions and profiles, please refer to the individual product specification sheets. 

We also offer unburned sugi and hinoki lumber; these products are optimal for furniture and cabinet applications.  Feel free to reach out to our sales team for information on currently available options. Please note that we do not do custom millwork.

No. Due to the high temperature heat treatment process, yakisugi “shou sugi ban” is a thin-plank lumber material used primarily for cosmetic cladding. Our standard charred wood thickness for siding is 9/16”, and our 18mm and 30mm profiles are not thick enough to be used as framing lumber (6/4 or more by code.) Yakisugi is also too soft to use as decking. For framing or decking lumber, it is advised to use a local wood option instead of yakisugi.

No. Yakisugi siding is resistant to wood termites. The charring process reduces cellulose and installation over a screen wall allows the siding to dry out quickly, making it an unattractive target for wood-boring insects. Learn more about yakisugi’s pest resistance.