The definitive wood species encyclopedia, showcasing 325 types of wood with photographs. Each species is explained in an easy-to-understand manner, including its texture when processed, grain, color, and smell.
Seibundo Shinkosha Co., Ltd. Press release: October 1, 2025 To Members of the Press This is the definitive encyclopedia of wood species, introducing 325 types of wood with photographs. Each species provides easy-to-understand explanations of its characteristics, such as texture when processed, grain, color, and scent. Seibundo Shinkosha Co., Ltd. (Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo) will release the “[Primary Color] Tree Species Encyclopedia for Understanding Wood Processing Surfaces, Third Edition” on Friday, October 3, 2025.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/12109/1783/12109-1783-3a6288addbe01efe39b0494275075eb1-1770×2500.jpg
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/12109/1783/12109-1783-88c8decdfe33f3e28d4f458878e8eff2-1903×2700.jpg The definitive wood species encyclopedia, introducing 325 types of wood with photos! The wood sample photo shows a small box turned on a woodworking lathe by woodworker Toshimasa Kawamura. Characteristics of each tree species are explained in an easy-to-understand manner.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/12109/1783/12109-1783-27699849c8511bbbe35f91a1dc9a655c-3900×2767.jpg (1) 325 tree species are featured. 36 species have been newly added since the previous edition. A total of 325 species are featured, including 178 domestic and 147 foreign species. This book introduces a wide range of distinctive trees and useful materials, from desert ironwood and monzo, which are thought to be the heaviest and hardest woods in the world, to balsa, the lightest wood. Among domestic materials, Okinawan and lesser-known trees are also actively featured. Additional tree species include dogwood and rowan, which are commonly seen as roadside trees, as well as rare species such as Kumano cherry and Cuban mahogany. 36 additional tree species ・Domestic materials (20 types) Azuki pear, Japanese andromeda, Morus boninensis, Scutellaria boninensis, Japanese birch, Kumano cherry, Heronia serrata, plum, wild cherry, Japanese laurel, tea tree, rowan, Japanese laurel, dogwood, Japanese holly, wisteria, Japanese holly, Japanese laurel, Japanese bayberry, Japanese bayberry ・Imported timber (16 species) Assan, Alerce, Aromatic Cedar, Osage Orange, Kikkabok, Cuban Mahogany, Conkerberry, Giant Sequoia, Agarwood, Pistachio, Huon Pine,
Bristlecone Pine, Box Elder, European Oak, European Beech, Cedar of Lebanon (2) The photographs of the wood samples show the curved surfaces. Photographs are provided that clearly show the grain and figured surface of the curved surface of the small box (previous wood encyclopedias featured photos of flat boards). Each tree species is generally cut into four pieces, including the bare wood before processing. (3) Introducing the hardness of each tree species based on personal experience The hardness (ranked 1-10), ease of processing, grain, color, smell, and other characteristics of each tree species are clearly explained. It’s packed with useful information for wood users (woodworkers, interior designers, lumber dealers, etc.). For example, “It’s easy to process without feeling the grain. When turned on a lathe, it can be turned smoothly without being affected by the fibers. It’s oil-free, sands well, and leaves no visible roughness after finishing.” (4) Colors and smells, in particular, should be described in terms that evoke specific images. For the color and scent, we tried to use descriptions that were as easy to imagine as possible. For example, “black like espresso coffee,” “yellow like moist banana,” “smells like almond tofu or cherries,” etc. (5) Contains correct wood names, up-to-date scientific names, and family names In the lumber industry and in previously published
encyclopedias, lumber names are often mixed together using botanical names and common market names, which can be confusing. In this book, we have striven to organize the information as much as possible and provide accurate listings of scientific names. The scientific and family names of trees are listed based on the latest APG system based on DNA analysis (the third edition includes the latest updates). (6) Enjoying the Small Box Collection Not only can it be enjoyed as an encyclopedia, but also as a collection of 325 small boxes with different colors and wood grains.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/12109/1783/12109-1783-01f2d37916eb75500a38985ed6c96322-3900×2767.jpg
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/12109/1783/12109-1783-983c400bd49474e003d0c9bd71e98336-3900×2767.jpg
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/12109/1783/12109-1783-f4f9c0fe360650bcf686591448408b84-3900×2767.jpg 【Table of Contents】
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/12109/1783/12109-1783-8fb0dd4ad5522e538047ae0c8417c104-3900×2767.jpg Author/Editor Profile Kawamura Kawamura Toshimasa Born in 1968. A woodturner. He studied potter’s wheel techniques and lacquerware at the Ishikawa Prefecture Turning Technique Training Center before going independent. He began collecting wood during his apprenticeship and currently owns around 400 different types of wood. He uses these materials to create small boxes and vessels, and has held solo and group exhibitions at galleries and department stores. His work has been selected for the Takaoka Craft Competition, Craft City, and the Asahi Contemporary Craft Exhibition, among others. Nishikawa Takaaki Born in 1955. Editor and chair researcher. His editing and writing activities focus primarily on wood-related topics, from forests and wood to woodworking and wooden furniture. His books include “An Illustrated Guide to Trees and Wood,” “An Illustrated Guide to Wood that Identifies Flat Grain, Straight Grain, and End Grain” (both published by Sogensha), and “New Edition: Illustrated Guide to the Origins of Famous Chairs” (Seibundo Shinkosha). His co-authored works include “The Secret of the Y Chair,” “The Complete Windsor Chair,” “The Complete Shaker Furniture Guide,” “A New Dissection of Famous Chairs,” “A New Dissection of Famous Chairs Part 2,” and “A Guide to Lacquer Techniques” (all published by Seibundo Shinkosha). He has supervised translation and editing of books such as “Natural Science Handbook: An Illustrated Guide to Trees” (Sogensha). Koizumi Akio Born in 1955. Former professor in the Department of Forest Science (Wood Engineering Laboratory), Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University. His fields of research are wood science and forest science. His research topics include the material properties of useful tree species and evaluating the wind resistance of trees. He has co-authored “Concise Wood Encyclopedia” (Palea), “Wood Science Experiment Manual” (Bun’ei-do Publishing), “Forest Science” (Asakura Shoten), etc. He has supervised “Illustrated Guide to Trees and Wood” and “Illustrated Guide to Understanding Wood Grain, Straight Grain, and End Grain” (both Sogensha), etc. [Book summary] Book name: [Primary colors] Tree species encyclopedia for understanding wood processing aspects, 3rd edition Author: Toshimasa Kawamura, Hideaki Nishikawa Supervisor: Akio Koizumi Specifications: A5 size, 320 pages Price: ¥3,960 (tax included) Release date: Friday, October 3, 2025 ISBN:
978-4-416-52528-9 Purchase the book here Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/12109/1783/12109-1783-1a8f1c4d64318e06047cb1d9744e6288-1128×268.jpg Seibundo Shinkosha Co., Ltd. 3-3-11 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 Homepage: https://www.seibundo-shinkosha.net/ Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/seibundoshinkosha/ X:
https://twitter.com/seibundo_hanbai For more information about this release