What keyaki means
Keyaki is the Japanese zelkova, a deciduous tree of the elm family, and its timber. The wood is hard and tough with a bold, handsome grain, and has long been used for buildings, furniture and utensils.
In buildings it is widely used for visible members: the posts and beams of shrines and temples, the doors and posts of gates, the boards of verandas, and the floorboards and front rails of alcoves. Great trees yielding wide single boards are prized, and using broad keyaki planks marks a high standard of building. The timber is prone to warping as it dries and is said to demand skill to work. Some great zelkova trees are themselves designated natural monuments.
Reading the records
Records note where keyaki is used. The new reception wing of the Mizote family in Hayashima, Okayama, a guest wing with a small tea room and an eight-mat room with alcove, shelves and desk, has a veranda of wide keyaki planks running from west to south and is described as fine sukiya work. The east gate of the Saito family in Sabae, Fukui, a braced udekimon for receiving honoured guests, uses keyaki for its main members, its doors decorated with metal fittings. The Otani family house in Fukaya, Saitama, has a building named Kokūan after the tree.
On site, look at the grain of the woodwork: a bold, wavy grain and reddish-brown colour are characteristic of keyaki.
References
- 溝手家住宅新座敷｜国指定文化財等データベース（文化庁）
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00013635
- 齋藤家住宅東門｜国指定文化財等データベース（文化庁）
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00011298
- 大谷家住宅欅空庵｜国指定文化財等データベース（文化庁）
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00003841
- 原町の大ケヤキ｜国指定文化財等データベース（文化庁）
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/401/537
Last verified: 2026.09.27