Kiri: A Lightweight Wood with a Long History

Wood Dictionary

Light and soft, kiri has long been used for chests, boxes and musical instruments. It is a wood worth knowing when a pale surface, gentle luster and clear grain are part of a design. In thin veneer, its main contribution is the character of the visible surface rather than a reduction in weight.

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 English names: Kiri / Paulownia Forest Tree Breeding Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute: Kiri in full bloom / Nara National Museum, Shōsō-in Exhibition glossary: Kiri (paulownia)
Classification: Genus Paulownia, family Paulowniaceae. Older sources may place it in Scrophulariaceae or other families. Forest Tree Breeding Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute: Kiri in full bloom / Nara National Museum, Shōsō-in Exhibition glossary: Kiri (paulownia)
Representative botanical name: Paulownia tomentosa. This does not identify all commercially traded Paulownia timber as this one species. Forest Tree Breeding Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute: Kiri in full bloom
Available cuts: Quarter-sawn MORI KOUGEI: Kiri A4 veneer sheet

A familiar name does not always mean a single species

Kiri is a fast-growing deciduous tree. The Forest Tree Breeding Center of the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute notes that Paulownia comprises several species and that research in Japan is exploring a complex picture that includes hybrids between species. The trade name kiri alone cannot determine the country where a tree grew or its precise botanical identity. Forest Tree Breeding Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute: Kiri in full bloom

Older guides and product descriptions may place kiri in Scrophulariaceae, whereas current sources use Paulowniaceae. The similarly named harigiri is not a close relative, either: the shared syllables in Japanese should not be used to group these woods together. Forest Tree Breeding Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute: Kiri in full bloom / Nara National Museum, Shōsō-in Exhibition glossary: Kiri (paulownia) / Hokkaido Research Organization, Forest Products Research Institute: Harigiri

Lightweight wood with a pale surface

Kiri is light and soft, with a pale color, grain and luster that have made it popular for chests, geta sandals and koto instruments. It is one of the woods that reflect the Japanese tradition of matching a material's density and properties to its use. Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, aff: A richer life with wood

MORI KOUGEI offers light-colored, quarter-sawn kiri. Even on a pale surface, running the grain vertically or horizontally changes the impression. For a narrow surface such as a furniture edge, try the sheet in position to decide whether to align the grain with the surrounding wood or deliberately change direction. MORI KOUGEI: Kiri A4 veneer sheet

A history with masks and instruments that predates its use in chests

The Nara National Museum's Shōsō-in Exhibition glossary describes kiri in gigaku theatrical masks and the bodies of Silla zithers. Its history reaches beyond storage furniture to objects made to produce sound and large masks worn in performance. Nara National Museum, Shōsō-in Exhibition glossary: Kiri (paulownia)

A solid-kiri box or chest and a thin kiri veneer bonded to a substrate differ in both thickness and construction. Claims about moisture regulation or preservation in a paulownia chest cannot simply be applied to a washi-backed sheet. MORI KOUGEI: Kiri A4 veneer sheet

Choosing a substrate for thin veneer

MORI KOUGEI's A4 kiri sheet measures 210 × 297 mm and is approximately 0.25 mm thick, combining natural wood with industrial washi paper. It can be used on furniture edges, for repairs or resurfacing on flat wooden substrates, and in wood inlay. It finishes a supporting surface rather than serving as a freestanding substitute for a lightweight solid board. MORI KOUGEI: Kiri A4 veneer sheet

With pale woods, the color or pattern of the substrate may show through. Check the surface underneath and test the adhesive and finish on a small area before proceeding. If you have particular requirements for grain or dimensions, please also tell us what you plan to make and where it will be used. MORI KOUGEI: Kiri A4 veneer sheet

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This article draws on publicly available sources from Japan and abroad, with AI used to support research and organization.

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