DOUGLAS FIR HIRAKAKU: 

A traditional product, a product for the future

Midori-Machi House - Hiroshima, Hiroshima. 
ARCHITECT: Hiroyuki Yamashita.

COVER: Sleeved House - Kobe, Hyogo. 

ARCHITECT: Maniera Architect & Associates/Kazuo Oe.

A number of sawmills in the Pacific Northwest manufacture solid-sawn timber products specifically for Japan—products that meet or exceed rigorous requirements for size, appearance and performance—manufactured in grades, dimensions and moisture content levels specified through buyer/seller agreements.

One such product is solid-sawn, Douglas fir HIRAKAKU. This structural product is carefully manufactured to specified dimensions and provided with a visual override to ensure Japan’s appearance standards are met.

Many in the homebuilding industry identify Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) as the perfect building material because it combines strength with aesthetic appeal. This is a winning combination for HIRAKAKU, proven over time throughout years of service.

Pacific Northwest producers have been shipping Douglas fir HIRAKAKU to Japan for more than 75 years. The product has developed a history of predictable performance in both post-and-beam construction and western-style, platform-frame design, and stands today as a sustainable, all-natural product for the future.