Elm: The Name Akadamo and the Appeal of Growth Rings
Wood Dictionary
Elm has long been used for furniture and implements, making use of its growth-ring patterns and brown-toned surface. It is also known as akadamo in Japanese, but belongs to a different group from tamo. Sorting out similar names helps reveal what to look for in elm itself.
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
- Trade name
- Elm MORI KOUGEI: Elm A4 veneer sheet
- Representative timber species
- Harunire and ohyō, among others. The individual species of the timber sold has not been identified. Hokkaido Research Organization, Forest Products Research Institute: Harunire and ohyō
- Classification and English name
- Genus Ulmus, family Ulmaceae / Elm Hokkaido Research Organization, Forest Products Research Institute: Harunire and ohyō
- Available cuts
- Quarter-sawn MORI KOUGEI: Elm A4 veneer sheet
Called akadamo, but not the same tree as tamo
In the timber trade, harunire is also called nire or akadamo. Despite the resemblance to tamo in its name, it belongs to Ulmus in the family Ulmaceae, unlike yachidamo, which is in Fraxinus, family Oleaceae. The more similar names sound, the more useful it is to check the product name and material description rather than ordering by an alternative name alone. Hokkaido Research Organization, Forest Products Research Institute: Harunire and ohyō / Hokkaido Research Organization, Forest Products Research Institute: Yachidamo
Ohyō is also an elm and is used for purposes similar to harunire. The short trade name Nire does not necessarily identify harunire alone, so this article introduces the general characteristics of elm timbers. Hokkaido Research Organization, Forest Products Research Institute: Harunire and ohyō / MORI KOUGEI: Elm A4 veneer sheet
Ring-porous wood with clearly defined grain
Harunire is ring-porous, with distinct growth rings. Its sapwood is generally grayish brown and its heartwood dark brown, with a relatively clear boundary. Ohyō, by contrast, is described as having pale yellowish-brown sapwood and pale reddish heartwood. Color varies even within the same genus. Hokkaido Research Organization, Forest Products Research Institute: Harunire and ohyō
MORI KOUGEI describes its Elm as light-colored, quarter-sawn wood. Do not assume that a reference's description of heartwood color is the color of the product; consider the sales category and intended use together. Even when working with straight grain, line thickness, spacing and background color differ between sheets. MORI KOUGEI: Elm A4 veneer sheet
Uses resembling keyaki, and an elm history of its own
Harunire has been used for furniture, implements and drum shells, and as a substitute for keyaki. Its resistance to splitting has also been put to use in mortars and pestles. A shared history of uses does not, however, make elm the same species as keyaki. Hokkaido Research Organization, Forest Products Research Institute: Harunire and ohyō
The Ainu have used fibers from the inner bark of ohyō to make material for clothing. The inner trunk becomes boards, while the bark can become cloth: trees have contributed to everyday life in ways far beyond furniture. Hokkaido Research Organization, Forest Products Research Institute: Harunire and ohyō
Make quarter-sawn grain work on a surface
Our A4 veneer sheet measures 210 × 297 mm and is approximately 0.25 mm thick. Natural wood backed with industrial washi paper is used for furniture edges, repairs and resurfacing on flat wooden substrates, and wood inlay. Unlike solid timber in furniture or drum components, its role is to finish the surface of a supporting material. MORI KOUGEI: Elm A4 veneer sheet
On a long, narrow surface, compare running the quarter-sawn lines along the component with turning them across it. If you are seeking a quieter gray-toned appearance, the separately named Jindai Elm is another option to compare, but not a same-color substitute. Check each product on its own terms. MORI KOUGEI: Elm A4 veneer sheet / MORI KOUGEI: Jindai elm A4 veneer sheet
Explore related woods
This article draws on publicly available sources from Japan and abroad, with AI used to support research and organization.