Yakusugi

Yakusugi (屋久杉) refers to "Japanese cedar" (sugi, or Cryptomeria) on the island of Yakushima, typically growing at altitudes 500 meters and higher.

After Hideyoshi's subjugation of Kyushu, his commissioner Ishida Mitsunari ordered daimyō Shimazu Yoshihisa who governed Kagoshima (Satsuma Province) to conduct a survey of timber resources found in Yakushima, some time around 1590.

Yakushima timbers carried on 11 vessels from Shōdoshima (an island in the Inland Sea) were sent to Kyoto for erecting the Daibutsu-den or "Great Buddha Hall" at the Hōkō-ji temple built by Hideyoshi.

Some of the main points included: The court ruling finalized the decision to nationalize the forest, but logging commenced full swing.

By 2001, all of the old growth wood in the National Forest had been cut down except in the protected zones, and commercial logging of natural yakusugi cedars has come to an end.