Hyogo: Family in Japan Produces Traditional Charcoal to Help Preserve Tea Ceremony Culture

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:22 JST, March 14, 2026

KAWANISHI, Hyogo — Manabu Imanishi is committed to using traditional methods to produce high-quality charcoal for tea ceremonies.

Imanishi, 54, produces Hitokurazumi charcoal in a kiln at his residence in Kawanishi, Hyogo Prefecture, by burning high-quality sawthorn oak from nearby woodlands. The charcoal is also known as kikusumi, or chrysanthemum charcoal, as the cross-section reveals cracks resembling chrysanthemum petals.

Charcoal production in the city’s Kurokawa district started about 500 years ago and was a thriving industry.

However, demand for charcoal declined as the use of electricity and gas became more common. There were about 40 charcoal-making businesses in the district around 1960, but currently, only the Imanishi family produces this traditional style of charcoal.

Together with his family, Imanishi begins production in late January. About 1-meter-long logs are burned in a dome-shaped kiln for three days.

After that, the chimney is sealed and the charcoal is steamed. Four to five days later, they enter the kiln, where the internal temperature is about 100 C, and carefully remove the charcoal. This work continues until early May.

Imanishi said many young trees have been used this year, resulting in charcoal that is visually appealing.

“I want to preserve the tea ceremony culture by keeping the charcoal-making fire burning,” he said.