Binchōtan

Its use dates back to the Edo period when during the Genroku era, a craftsman named Bichū-ya Chōzaemon (備中屋 長左衛門) began to produce it in Tanabe, Wakayama.

White charcoal is made by pyrolysing wood in a kiln at approximately 240 °C (464 °F) for 120 hours, then raising the temperature to around 1,000 °C (1,830 °F).

Once carbonised, the material is taken out and covered to cure in a damp mixture of earth, sand, and ash.

[1] Binchō-tan is a type of hardwood charcoal which takes the natural shape of the wood that was used to make it.

Due to its physical structure, binchō-tan takes on a whiter or even metallic appearance.