Adapted to Hokkaido’s cold climate, the robust and fast-growing larch tree has long been cultivated as timber used to support mine shafts. It is the only native Japanese pine that sheds its leaves in autumn, and is known as the deciduous pine. Just before the first snowfall, its leaves turn golden all at once, transforming the forest into a breathtaking natural work of art.

Larch wood combines a distinctive reddish hue with high strength. However, it tends to crack due to twisting after drying, a characteristic that has traditionally limited its use to packaging materials. Recently, advancements in wood processing—such as laminating boards—have expanded its applications in architecture. Moreover, improved drying techniques have enabled its use as solid wood for logs and pillars.

Larch trees thrive even in poor soil and volcanic ash, making them ideal for afforestation. As a sustainable forest resource, their value is being reassessed in the context of climate change mitigation.

At the “Materials’ Forest” managed by Mitsubishi Materials in Hokkaido, larch species continue to be planted. While larch typically requires 30–50 years from planting to harvesting, the forest here aims to extend this period to produce thicker, larger, and stronger large-diameter timber.

There’s another charm to larch forests: toward the end of summer, adorable mushrooms called larch boletes pop up from the ground. Popular as edible mushrooms, they delight many during the mushroom-picking season—a true gift from the forest.

Larch trees enrich our lives not only through their value as timber but also through the seasonal landscapes and byproducts they offer. We hope to continue protecting these precious forest resources in Hokkaido.