What's Bamboo Charcoal? (benefit and making, kiln, uses)

【Made in Japan】Bamboo Charcoal Production and Commitment

Pesticide-free, Shikoku-grown Moso Bamboo

TAKETORA's Bamboo Charcoal is made from Moso Bamboo produced in Kochi and Shikoku prefectures and baked by skilled Bamboo Charcoal craftsmen in a special Bamboo Charcoal kiln that has been improved from a traditional earthen kiln. No chemicals, pesticides, or chemical fertilizers are used on the high-quality domestic Moso Bamboo used as raw materials, from the bamboo shoots to the parent bamboo, all the way through to the felling of the trees. We insist on domestically produced, made in Japan, and pesticide-free bamboo in order to provide safe and secure Bamboo Charcoal to our customers.

Why "Earthen Kiln"?

The quality of Bamboo Charcoal varies considerably depending on the nature of the raw bamboo material (bamboo variety and production area), the thermal processing process (carbonization method and kiln type), and the maximum temperature at which the material is thermally processed (carbonization temperature range). Among these, kiln type is one of the most important factors in determining the quality of Bamboo Charcoal. In addition to earthen kilns, other types of kilns include dry distillation kilns, fluidized bed kilns, kiln kilns, refractory brick kilns, and mobile carbonization kilns. There is also a wide variety of iron kilns, ranging from industrial carbonizing kilns to stainless steel kilns and simple kilns using drums.

The highest quality Bamboo Charcoal is only fired in earthen kilns.

However, after visiting various charcoal kilns and talking with many charcoal makers, we have come to the conclusion that the highest quality Bamboo Charcoal can only be made in earthen kilns. Compared to iron kilns, where even inexperienced charcoal makers can produce charcoal of relatively stable quality, Bamboo Charcoal made in earthen kilns requires a high level of skill and experience. Although modern science, such as temperature sensors, is used to interact with the kiln, it is the skill of the craftsman that is the final factor. Every time I visit the kiln, I am amazed at the depth of wisdom passed down from the ancients and the craftsmanship that can be seen everywhere.

Kiln Firing (Kiln Erection）

Bamboo materials are split and dried naturally for about 3 months to adjust the moisture content in order to eliminate variations in the degree of carbonization. Kiln insertion work is carefully packed one bundle at a time from the back of the kiln. I was convinced when I heard that it is also called "Kiln Dating". Even in this simple process, the skills of the Bamboo Charcoal craftsman are hidden, backed up by experience, in order to produce high quality charcoal.

Smoked Heat Treatment

Bamboo has differences in specific gravity between the outer and inner bark, as well as differences in moisture content in the vertical direction. If these differences are not made uniform, twists and cracks will occur during the charcoal making process. Smoke heat treatment is a very important process to make the raw bamboo material as homogeneous as possible before burning the Bamboo Charcoal, and it is truly a craftsman's art to achieve a moisture content of around 15%, which is said to be the ideal charcoal material, in a kiln at a temperature of nearly 200℃. This process takes 3 to 5 days depending on the condition of the bamboo material. After the smoking and heat treatment, fire-quenching is the most important process, along with the final refining process. This process requires delicate adjustments depending on the charcoal material, kiln conditions, season, and weather conditions, and involves staying in the kiln for 24 hours a day.

800 to 900 Degrees Celsius

The properties of Bamboo Charcoal vary greatly depending on the temperature at which it is fired in an earthen kiln. While most Bamboo Charcoal for humidity control is fired at low temperatures, edible Bamboo Charcoal must be fired at temperatures of 800°C or higher. Bamboo Charcoal baked at low temperatures cannot be expected to have the detoxifying and mineral-supplementing effects that are unique to Bamboo Charcoal.

Scouring (Nerashi)

Bamboo Charcoal is fired over a long period of time from the time it is placed in the kiln, but the timing of refining, the most important step, relies on many years of experience. The kiln is kept at a temperature of nearly 1,000 degrees Celsius for about four hours, and this is where the quality of the Bamboo Charcoal is determined and the craftsmanship is on display.

Highest Numerical Refining Degree

Rapid carbonization produces light, soft charcoal, but the steam in the kiln suppresses rapid carbonization. Earthen kilns are still outstanding in terms of reflected heat and metal ions. The degree of refinement, which is a proof of quality of Bamboo Charcoal fired in an earthen kiln, is measured, and naturally, it is the highest! Earthen kiln and degree of refinement are the two features that make Bamboo Charcoal of the highest rank domestically produced (made in Japan).

Bamboo Charcoal Grain

Bamboo Charcoal grains of various sizes are sorted through a sorting machine with different sized holes.

Unlimited Bamboo Resources

The history of Moso Bamboo is rather short, and it was introduced from China in the middle of the Edo period (1603-1867). It is said that it was first transplanted from Kagoshima or Kyoto, but its thickness and length made it highly prized for various effective uses (especially for food), and its vigorous vitality quickly spread throughout Japan, making it seem as if it were a native species. It is said that "a bamboo shoot becomes a bamboo in 10 days! It takes only three months to grow to the same size as the parent bamboo. The tremendous speed of growth and the rapid cycle of annual growth make it a unique and sustainable natural resource, unmatched by any other wood or other material. In these days of environmental concerns, Bamboo Charcoal made from Moso Bamboo is attracting attention from an ecological perspective. Bamboo materials are split and dried naturally for about 3 months to adjust the moisture content of the bamboo material in order to eliminate variations in the degree of carbonization.