For the first time, the material used will be hiba wood found in the Aomori prefecture in the northeast of Honshu. It is 75% cheaper than cypress, can be worked easily, and is even more resistant to water and insect damage than cypress. However, hiba has a strong tendency to develop shrinkage cracks and gives off a pungent smell.
2017, Christoph Henrichsen, Authenticity in Japan, Katharina Weiler, Niels Gutschow (editors), Authenticity in Architectural Heritage Conservation, Springer, page 281