What the word means, how to say it, and why a plain looking piece of wood is the most important tree in Japan. This is the short version. The long one is the complete guide.
The first time I saw the word hinoki was on a booking page for an onsen about two hours outside Tokyo. There was an option for a "hinoki tub" that cost extra. I had no idea what hinoki was. It cost more, so it had to be better. Added it, booked it.
I've since learned a lot more than I ever expected to about one tree. Here's the short version of what the word means, how to say it and why it matters so much in Japan. If you want the full science, that's in the complete guide.
What does hinoki mean?
Hinoki is the Japanese name for one specific tree, Chamaecyparis obtusa. In English it's usually called Japanese cypress. In kanji it's 檜 (you'll also see 桧) and in katakana it's ヒノキ. It grows in central and southern Japan, it grows slowly, and it's been one of the most valuable woods in the country for well over a thousand years.
Where the name comes from is a bit of a debate. The most common explanation is 火の木, "fire tree," because the wood was used to start ceremonial fires by rubbing pieces together. The other one is 日の木, "tree of the sun," basically the tree of the highest quality. Either way the message is the same. This was the wood you used for the important stuff.
How do you pronounce hinoki?
Hee-no-kee. Three syllables, all about the same length, no stress on any of them. That's how Japanese works in general.
Most English speakers say hi-NO-ki with the stress in the middle, and everyone in Japan will still know what you mean, so don't stress about it. The one thing to avoid is "hi-NOKE." The i at the end is its own syllable.
Why is hinoki such a big deal in Japan?
Because it does everything a building wood needs to do and it smells amazing while doing it. It doesn't rot easily, insects mostly leave it alone, it holds its shape for centuries and the grain is straight and pale.
The five story pagoda at Horyu-ji has been standing in hinoki since around 600 AD. The Ise Grand Shrine, the most important Shinto site in Japan, gets torn down and rebuilt from fresh hinoki every 20 years and has been for more than 1,300 years. Sword makers keep blades in hinoki boxes. Noh masks are carved from it.
Shikinen Sengu
How often the Ise Grand Shrine is rebuilt, entirely from hinoki.
It's been done for over 1,300 years. It keeps the carpentry alive and keeps hinoki right in the middle of it.
And then there's the bath. The classic onsen tub is hinoki because the wood handles hot water and releases its scent when it's warm and wet. That's the tub I sat in. Plain looking, cost extra, and it eventually turned into a whole business. I still don't remember the name of the place.
What does hinoki smell like?
Lemon peel first, then dry wood, a little smoky when it's warm. Clean, not sweet. It isn't cedar, which is sharper and reminds most people of pencils, and it isn't sandalwood, which is creamy. It also fades pretty fast, so don't expect it to fill a room. I wrote a whole post on this if you want more: what does hinoki smell like.
What is hinoki oil?
The essential oil steam distilled from the heartwood. Same smell as the tub, just concentrated. It contains alpha-pinene and linalool, two compounds that have been studied for their calming properties, over a dry wood base. The Hinoki Oil I sell comes from a forest in Mie prefecture that I've visited in person. I smell it for a few breaths while doing breathwork every two hours, and honestly that's the whole routine. The complete guide has everything else.
What hinoki isn't
Sugi. That's Cryptomeria japonica, usually translated as Japanese cedar. It's the other big Japanese timber. Redder, softer, smells different.
Hiba. Thujopsis dolabrata. Sometimes sold as "Aomori hinoki." Related, smells good, not the same tree.
A fragrance note. Perfume brands use "hinoki" as a note name now, and some of those smell nothing like the tree. If it isn't made from Chamaecyparis obtusa, it's borrowing the name.
That's the short version. If you ever get the option to pay extra for the hinoki tub, do it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the word hinoki mean in Japanese?
Hinoki (檜, ヒノキ) is the Japanese name for the Japanese cypress, Chamaecyparis obtusa. The name is usually explained as "fire tree" (火の木), from the wood's use in starting ceremonial fires by friction, though "tree of the sun" (日の木) is another traditional reading.
How do you pronounce hinoki?
Hee-no-kee, with three syllables of about equal length and no strong stress, the way Japanese is generally spoken. English speakers often say hi-NO-ki with the middle syllable stressed, which is widely understood. The final "i" is its own syllable.
Is hinoki the same as Japanese cedar?
No. Hinoki is Japanese cypress, Chamaecyparis obtusa. Japanese cedar is sugi, Cryptomeria japonica, a different tree with redder, softer wood and a different scent. Both are major Japanese timbers used in traditional building, but they aren't interchangeable.
Why is hinoki used in Japanese temples and baths?
Because it resists rot and insects, holds its shape for centuries, has a fine pale grain, and smells good when it's warm. Horyu-ji's pagoda has stood in hinoki since around 600 AD, and the Ise Grand Shrine is rebuilt from fresh hinoki every 20 years. Hinoki bathtubs handle hot water and release the wood's scent as they warm, which is why they're the classic onsen tub.
