"Sumidake" refers to bamboo that has been smoked by the smoke from farmers’ hearths and stoves, taking anywhere from 30 to 200 years to develop an elegant amber hue. It is popular for its color, which evokes a sense of wabi-sabi.Since it is authentic soot-stained bamboo, it is called “Hon-sumidake.” Today, it is extremely rare and considered the finest grade of bamboo material. The areas directly

exposed to smoke have darkened significantly, while the parts covered by rope or other materials—and thus shielded from direct smoke—have retained a lighter color. Consequently, a single stalk of bamboo features a beautiful interplay of light and dark tones.