Kunugi Afforestation Experience クヌギ植林体験

On October 21st, I experienced an afforestation of Kunugi (a kind of Oak) trees which will become tea charcoal at Ono charcoal factory in Suzu city.

Tea charcoal, especially great one is called "Kiku-zumi" (kiku = chrysanthemum, sumi/zumi = charcoal) because its cross section has the uniform cracks and looks like a chrysanthemum flower. The quality and standard of Kiku-zumi as a fuel is very strict, therefore its selling price becomes high.

As I always start a procedure from making a fire with charcoal and boiling water using charcoal, the water boiled by Kunugi charcoal and its sound, looks or heat are special to me.

Suzu city (where Ono charcoal factory is) is located the tip of Ishikawa prefecture.

I heard that Suzu city has the least population among the cities in Honshu (a main land of Japan). As depopulation is progressing, Suzu is becoming a marginal village. But on the other hand, there are the local characteristics such as forestry, a special technique of making salt, Suzu pottery, Kiriko festival... 

Mr. Ono decided to inherit his family business, making charcoal, after the work experience as an office worker.

He has been thought, challenged and done activities of how he could make "burning charcoal" as a stable occupation, how he could make it grow as a local industry, how he could create a better work and environment for the next generations.

During that he started putting his ambition into making tea charcoal and started planting the oak trees which could become good-quality-tea charcoal.(Tea charcoal is made from the 6~10 years-old oak trees.) For the afforestation, there are lots of costs, time and works taken for a ground leveling, planting trees or a management after planting. I've realized with my body after experiencing this time.

Mr. Ono started the afforestation in 2004, then the afforestation event was started from 2008. From 2004 to 2016, there were about 6000 oak trees were planted. Plus 420 trees we planted on the day.

Since old times, many of Japanese people have cared of the nature which gives people a lot of blessings with a respect and have been protecting it.

"Valuing fire" is one of those.

I think it's a continuation of lives ー to do one's best for living with nature which makes your life and mind rich and for inheriting the traditional cultures coming from a respect for nature.