トチ
トチ

トチ

  • Aesculus turbinata
  • ムクロジ科トチノキ属
  • 日本

シルクの木目を持つ木

絹のような光沢のあるリップルマーク（さざなみ状の模様）の木目が出るのが特徴で、昔から木目や艶の美しいものは茶道具や工芸用材料として珍重されてきた。果実の栃の実の食用の歴史は古く、縄文時代の遺跡からも出土しており、現代でも栃餅などにされる。小学校の国語の教科書にも採用されている児童文学『モチモチの木』に出てくる木も、このトチの木である。

Tree with silk grain

It is characterized by wood grain with a silky sheen and ripple-like patterns. Since ancient times, wood with beautiful grain and luster has been prized for tea ceremony utensils and as a material for crafts. The fruit of the horse chestnut tree has a long history as a food; it has even been found at Jōmon-period archaeological sites, and today it is still used to make dishes such as tochimochi, a rice cake made with horse chestnuts. The tree featured in the children’s book "Mochimochi no ki", which is included in Japanese elementary school language arts textbooks, is also this horse chestnut tree.