The Capitol Hotel Tokyu has launched the world’s first wooden straw project. Made using timber sourced from forest thinning, the project aims to bring to light the necessity of sustainable foresting in Japan.
The wooden straw project is the brainchild of environmental journalist, Yuri Takeda. In 2018 the damage caused by a succession of natural disasters - including extensive flooding and landslides – caused Takeda to question Japan’s forest management practices.
Takeda comments: “Forest mismanagement and lack of forest thinning may have augmented the effects of the natural disasters. Timber obtained from forest thinning is less in demand in comparison to finished timber due to its thinness and maturity. In using thinned timbers, the wooden straw project aims to show how we can put this wood to good use, and hopefully lessen the impact from future natural disasters.”
The wooden straws designed and created in collaboration with Aqura Home Co. – which specializes in constructing homes from wood – were introduced at The Capitol Hotel Tokyu’s restaurant, “ORIGAMI”, on January 16th 2019, with all other bars and restaurants within the hotel due to switch to wooden straws by April 2019. Aqura Home Co. has led the planning development of this project, with The Capitol Hotel Tokyu overseeing production efforts.
About Aqura Home Co.
Aqura Home designs custom wood houses at reasonable prices. As a house builder with an emphasis on wood, the company leads the “Kibou No Mirai Projects” to communicate and make children aware of the importance of craftsmanship. The company has contributed a total of 11,971 top boards for elementary school desks made with thinned wood. The company hosts a variety of classes at elementary schools with the aim of deepening children’s understanding of the "wonders of the forest", "wonderfulness of wood" and "pleasures in manufacturing".