"Depending on the person, the rhythm changes," relayed translator Dr. Frank Chance. The hinoki cypress bark roof is the only one of its kind outside Japan. Every five years, a restoration team ...

World Heritage Kiyomizu-dera's main-hall is thatched with Hinoki cypress bark. Discover how tradesmen uphold this building tradition, sustained by craftsmanship and faith.

If you're looking for a fine piece of wood, you'd be hard put to improve on a slab of hinoki (Hinoki cypress ... that consumes 10,000 of the finest trees; Kiso supplies three-quarters of them.