Nakamoto Forestry, the world’s leading provider of premium Japanese wood cladding, debuts Clear Vertical Grain (CVG) Sugi, expanding its portfolio to include the most exacting grade of sugi, or Japanese cedar, available in North America.
In Japan, sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) is the predominant species used in construction and architecture, valued for its grain, workability, and natural resistance to insects, decay, and fire. Defined by a straight, exceptionally clear grain with little to no knots, CVG Sugi offers a calm, uniform surface with no visual distraction. The grain runs clean and consistent from end to end, producing a refined, architectural expression that emphasizes proportion and light rather than texture or pattern.
Clear vertical grain cedar—once commonly sourced from old-growth forests—is no longer widely available in meaningful volumes. Through carefully managed forestry refined over generations, Nakamoto Forestry cultivates comparable fiber quality from responsibly managed stands, offering an ethical alternative to the old-growth cedar historically used in high-end construction.
Nakamoto Forestry’s sugi trees are intentionally cultivated from seedlings over a 70- to 80-year growth cycle. They are planted at nearly twice the typical density to slow the trees’ girth expansion, resulting in tighter growth rings that yield stronger, more dimensionally stable boards with consistent coloration. Over decades, the forests are selectively thinned, and lower branches are removed to produce clear lumber.
Large-diameter logs are quartersawn to produce true vertical grain—a process that prioritizes clarity over yield and requires the highest grade material. Boards are then air-dried for a full year prior to profiling, allowing the wood to acclimate gradually and reducing internal stresses. The result is a stable, refined surface with enhanced hardness and long term durability.
A premium addition to the company’s lineup, CVG Sugi establishes a new tier within Nakamoto Forestry’s lineup, elevating the overall catalog while offering architects a rare, premium cedar product suited to both contemporary and traditional applications.
CVG Sugi is available in 15mm nickel gap shiplap profiles for exterior siding and interior paneling and ships throughout North America from a stocking warehouse and prefinish shop in Portland, Oregon. Fire performance testing indicates ASTM E84 Class B.
