Ancient Japanese Daisugi Method Grows Multiple Timber Trunks from a Single Tree

Originating in Kyoto Prefecture during the 1300s, Daisugi was devised to supply high-quality cedar for growing wooden structures despite limited planting space. Foresters trim the upper branches of a mature tree, forming a platform that encourages multiple upright shoots, which are steered with bamboo poles and ropes. Every two years unwanted growth is removed, and after about twenty years the straight trunks are harvested as timber called taruki.

Because the original tree is never cut, it can continue producing timber for two to three centuries, yielding dozens of usable logs. The wood is denser, stronger, and roughly 140% more flexible than ordinary cedar, making it prized for traditional teahouse roofs. While the method requires skilled labor and long-term care, it offers a sustainable alternative to conventional logging.