Youbi is a producer of furniture and architectural designs in the picturesque village of Nishiawakura in Okayama prefecture. We create custom-made, sustainable designs constructed from locally sourced Japanese cypress (hinoki). Our factory, constructed from this celebrated local timber, has become a beacon for our whole village, where the collective mission is working together towards the health of our regional forests. 　

Japan is a country rich in woodland, with 66% of its land covered by forests. Approximately 95% of the municipality where our headquarters resides is sylvan, which has inspired the community initiative called The Hundred Year Forest Plan, whose ambition is to improve our local woodland. Our president, Masayuki Oshima, is committed to Nishiawakura’s inspiring and purposeful forest plan to both rejuvenate the local lumber industry and secure a sustainable tree-filled environment.

Of the aforementioned 95% timberland, more than 80% is either sugi (Japanese cedar), or Japan’s revered “Treasure Tree,” hinoki (Japanese cypress). Hinoki is a rare and beautiful wood found only in the area ranging from Taiwan to Fukushima Prefecture in Japan. Classified as a softwood, it has a texture akin to silk, an aromatic fragrance, and is very light and warm. Due to these characteristics, hinoki has been used in many of Japan’s shrines and temples since ancient times, including in the oldest wooden structure in the world, the Hōryū-ji Temple. Traditionally, its predominant use was as a building material for the construction of homes, temples, and Japanese bathtubs. However, not many people experimented with using hinoki for furniture, as it was believed to be too light and too soft. Oshima, however, decided to make furniture using only hinoki precisely for those reasons.

Our mission at Youbi is to transform this beautiful wood into highly designed, long-lasting architectural designs and furniture. Youbi’s Windsor chair, for example, can be easily lifted with one hand despite its sturdy construction. Because of the flexibility of the material, Youbi is able to bend the wood into shapes that would be more difficult with harder species. 

Youbi’s present ambition is to expand beyond Japan to bring the beauty of hinoki furniture and architectural designs to locations across the globe, while honouring our commitment to the mission of The Hundred Year Forest Plan and collectively addressing sustainability through design. 

For more information contact CIPANGO Inc. at info@cipango.jp.

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