Shitan: A Traditional Name for Fine Decorative Timber
Wood Dictionary
Shitan is a traditional karaki timber name familiar in furniture and craft. It is related to the term rosewood, but the scope of these names is not uniform. Here we introduce MORI KOUGEI's Shitan as a distinct trade product.
International delivery
For delivery outside Japan, please contact MORI KOUGEI before placing your order. Shipping availability depends on the material’s species and origin, the destination, and any permits or certificates required. Any required permits or certificates must be arranged before dispatch.
The photographs are examples of the color and grain associated with each wood or figure. Every piece of natural wood is different; the sheet you receive will not have exactly the same color or grain as the photographs.
Names and identification
- Japanese and trade names
- Shitan MORI KOUGEI: A4 veneer sheet product information / Forest Tree Breeding Center: Overseas Forest Tree Breeding Technical Information No. 25, Shitan
- Representative species in general references
- Dalbergia cochinchinensis Pierre, a representative species associated with hon-shitan / Family Fabaceae Forest Tree Breeding Center: Overseas Forest Tree Breeding Technical Information No. 25, Shitan
- Botanical identity of the timber sold
- No single species has been identified. MORI KOUGEI: A4 veneer sheet product information
- MORI KOUGEI veneer sheets
- A4 (210 × 297 mm), approximately 0.25 mm thick, backed with industrial washi paper MORI KOUGEI: A4 veneer sheet product information
Shitan as a traditional karaki name
The Forest Tree Breeding Center introduces shitan as one of the karaki, a traditional category of imported fine hardwoods, and names Dalbergia cochinchinensis as a representative species of hon-shitan. These woods have been used for furniture, decorative objects and musical instruments. A description of a representative species, however, cannot be treated as identification of every timber sold as Shitan. It is included here as background to the name. Forest Tree Breeding Center: Overseas Forest Tree Breeding Technical Information No. 25, Shitan
How does it differ from rosewood and sonoke?
Hoxan lists Sonokeling as an alternative name for Indian Rosewood. Such overlaps show how common timber names, botanical names and purchasing names do not always correspond one to one. MORI KOUGEI presents Shitan, Rosewood and Sonoke under separate product names. We do not treat separate products as proof that they must be separate botanical species. Hoxan: Rosewood / MORI KOUGEI: A4 veneer sheet product information
Look at the grain, not only the color in the name
Sources describe a representative hon-shitan species as having reddish wood with a purple cast and streaks. Rather than imagining a uniform purple from the Japanese characters alone, look at the reddish tones, depth of brown and flow of grain together. Judge a particular product's appearance by the photographs and actual material offered under that trade name. Forest Tree Breeding Center: Overseas Forest Tree Breeding Technical Information No. 25, Shitan / MORI KOUGEI: A4 veneer sheet product information
Within a design, it could take the lead on a broad surface, edge a lighter wood or provide fine lines in wood inlay. Make paper templates of the required shapes and place them over the sheet to plan the cuts. Rather than selecting only for rarity or the prestige of a name, consider the expression you want in the finished surface.
Shitan as an A4 sheet
Our product is an A4 sheet approximately 0.25 mm thick, with natural wood veneer backed by industrial washi paper. Unlike a solid board, it is bonded to furniture edges, flat wooden surfaces, small objects or wood-inlay work. General descriptions of shitan timber's hardness or durability do not guarantee the strength or water resistance of this sheet. MORI KOUGEI: A4 veneer sheet product information
Prepare the substrate before bonding, and test the finish and adhesive on an offcut. When repairing old furniture, check the relationship to the existing color and grain as well as the timber name. Deciding whether the repair should blend in or deliberately become a new decorative face helps guide the use of the material. MORI KOUGEI: A4 veneer sheet product information
For international orders, please contact us before ordering. Include the material name, quantity and destination in your message.
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Explore related woods
This article draws on publicly available sources from Japan and abroad, with AI used to support research and organization.
References
- MORI KOUGEI: A4 veneer sheet product information
- Forest Tree Breeding Center: Overseas Forest Tree Breeding Technical Information No. 25, Shitan
- Hoxan: Rosewood