In the old times wood was the preferred construction material in Japan. The original castles were made of wood, and the oldest wooden buildings in the world, the main hall and the five-story pagoda of Horyu-ji, Nara, built 1,300 years ago, were made of hinoki (Japanese cypress) an extremely resistant type of wood that also has a very pleasant scent.

The building photographed here, the Konpon Chudo hall of Yamadera, was made 662 years ago and it is the oldest building in Japan made of beechwood, a strong and durable type of wood, with a good resistance to abrasion.

Konpon Chudo, Yamadera, Yamagata

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Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Japanese art, Akita Ranga