Wood is important in Japanese architecture. It is a key material in many different kinds of buildings, from ancient temples and old farmhouses to suburban homes and modern commercial buildings.
Kenichiro Tokuhisa, from ITOCHU Kenzai Corporation, notes a strong affinity for wooden houses among the Japanese. “The specific advantages of wood – including strength, workability and cultural significance – make it a widely used material in the construction of houses in Japan. Wood suits the traditional construction methods and the aesthetic preferences of Japanese architecture,” Tokuhisa says.
Versatile building material
As a building material, wood fits Japan’s seasonal weather changes. Wooden buildings provide excellent ventilation for the hot summers and rainy season, and insulation for the cold winter months. The elasticity of wood is an important safety factor for earthquake-prone regions.
However, convention does not prevent innovation. Today, wood is being used in new ways, even in urban multi-storey buildings. The Ginza Takagi Building in Tokyo, opened 2023, is one example of a new type of wooden urban architecture, boasting an impressive 12 floors.
Similarly, the 11-storey Port Plus wooden office building in Yokohama has received a lot of attention. And the W350 Project in Tokyo, announced in 2018, will be the world’s tallest wooden skyscraper when it is completed in 2041.
Nordic Pine in construction
Meiken Lamwood Corporation is a leading Japanese company in the engineered wood business. The company manufactures and sells timber, glulam and other wood materials for construction. It also provides design assistance, wood structure construction and consulting. Meiken Lamwood sources raw materials primarily from Northern Europe, with Metsä Fibre being a key partner.
European red pine, also known as Nordic pine (Pinus sylvestris), is one of the common types of wood used for traditional post and beam houses in Japan, says Mizuho Matsubara from Meiken Lamwood. Meiken Lamwood values both the volume and quality of the wood it purchases from Metsä Fibre.
Modular building methods
In Japan, modular building methods have increased in popularity as they are a solution to the challenges of urbanisation, population growth in cities and the need for sustainable construction practices. Modular construction also provides a resilient and earthquake-resistant solution.
Speed is one of the key advantages of modular building methods. Unlike in Europe, in Japan, prefabricated modules are produced in controlled factory environments. This enables simultaneous on-site preparation and off- site manufacturing. The efficiency of a modular building method is crucial in densely populated urban areas.
Wood in public architecture
The difficulty in promoting wood usage in urban areas arises from a lack of expertise in wood architecture for commercial buildings. It is also due to the fact that smaller contractors concentrate on residential construction. Meiken Lamwood Corporation is actively working to expand its market share in non-residential building projects.
The Japanese government has been encouraging wood use in public architecture since 2003. Even though Japan has a long tradition of wooden construction, engineered wood products are something new. The term engineered wood refers to construction materials made by bonding layers of wood with adhesives. This process can enhance the strength and stability of the material.
The Building Standards Law of Japan contains strict regulations regarding fire protection. Instead of fully wooden structures, it has become standard practice to use wood in combination with steel or other materials, especially in urban areas. Innovations such as new coating methods and fire-resistant wood materials are therefore eagerly anticipated.
This article was originally published in Fibre Magazine issue 2025.