"kiri / 桐 / paulownia"

[No one]

Dear Gentlemen,

 

The  "kiri / 桐 / paulownia" is at the heart of the Japanese culture along the cherry tree. It's found on orders, decorations, medals, "mon" linked to the Imperial family, event the seal of the  Prime Minister of Japan .

The wood is used to make the cases of the medals or  precious items (and furniture, specially to store kimonos).

It's often, unfortunately, mistaken for balsa wood, a South-American tree.

This tree is in a little garden at the back of Reimeikan :

 

Yours sincerely,

No one
 

 

[TracA]

Hello No One,

 

It certainly is a beautiful tree. I assume that the wood is also used for the lacquered cases in which we find Orders, Decorations, some Badges, etc. Is my assumption correct?

 

Tracy

[JapanX]

Any generalizations regarding case materials could be dangerous.  

[No one]

Dear Gentlemen,

 

Thank you for your interest.

 

I don't know if the lacquered cases are made of "kiri / paulownia". But the cases of the War Medals and Commemorative Medals of the Meiji and Taishō era and most of the other badges are. Of course, there can be some exceptions. 

 

Yours sincerely,

No one