Tag: Isu

Sunuke Bokken Image

Sunuke – Wood that has survived many centuries

On By tozando-editorial-staff

For wooden swords wood from trees such as the bamboo-leaved oak, the Japanese evergreen oak, and the distylium racemosum have been used. For top quality swords, the Japanese plum tree, ebony, and sunuke have been used. Sunuke refers to the core wood taken from distylium racemosum (isunoki) that has grown Read More

Isunoki – The little known yet hardest and heaviest tree in Japan

On By tozando-editorial-staff

The isunoki tree (English; distylium racemosum), often shortened to isu in Japanese, is an evergreen, broad-leaved tree that stretches up to 20m in height. It grows mostly to the east of the Kanto region. Often the leaves will have insect galls forming on them. In the old days, children picked Read More