Cedar and cypress have long played a prominent role in Japanese culture. From architecture and sake brewing to everyday objects, wood has always been an integral part of daily life, and people have traditionally chosen trees of a particular age and specific parts of the wood according to their intended purpose, using each piece fully and without waste. In the Yoshino region of Nara Prefecture, forests have been planted and nurtured for over 500 years, always with care for the trees spanning a century or more in mind—a practice of human-guided forestry that continues today as both philosophy and craft. 

This lounge chair is born from Yoshino-grown cedar. We selected red straight-grain wood with the dense, uniform grain found near the tree’s core, which combines exceptional beauty with strength, and cut it into thick, sturdy boards. Cedar’s cellular structure contains numerous air layers, making the wood strong yet supple, soft to the touch, warm and remarkably light. Its subtle fragrance and gentle tactility can be savored with the whole body. 

The chair is assembled without metal fittings, employing traditional joinery techniques such as yatoi-hozo and oire-tsugi. Respect for the wood’s natural properties and the avoidance of unnecessary elements serve to highlight the inherent presence and beauty of the material. 

To allow the cedar’s elegance to speak for itself, the chair is designed in a simple cubic form. Straight lines give it a solid, grounded presence, while the natural softness and lightness of the wood create a gentle, cheerful impression. The chair blends effortlessly into both Japanese and Western interiors, offering a serene and inviting place to sit. Carefully crafted by Yoshino artisans in a spirit of honoring the materials they select, this lounge chair quietly conveys the enduring beauty and quality of the wood itself.