Color
Tochi generally displays creamy white to pale yellowish-brown tones. Some pieces may show subtle pinkish or golden coloration.
Gifu Prefecture Horse Chestnut 5A+ Master Curly Acoustic Guitar Tonewood Back & Side 4-piece Set #TO-OM-BS-001
SKU: TO-OM-BS-001
Japanese Horse Chestnut 5A+ Acoustic Guitar Back & Side Set #TO-OM-BS-001
■ Product Description
Horse chestnut from Gifu Prefecture
Orchestral Model Back & Side Set for Acoustic Guitar
Product number: TO-OM-BS-001
Rare 5A+ [Superior] Master Curly Grade.
Featuring beautiful curly grain and spalted figured wood.
A set of four Japanese Tochigi wood back and sides.
■ Grade
5A+ [Special] Master Kali
■ Scientific Name
Aesculus turbinata
■ Set Contents
Back Side
Set of 4 (2 book matches for each part)
■ Size
Back: Approx. 543 x 420-455 x 4.0 mm
Side: Approx. 895 x 130 x 3.2 mm
(length x width x thickness)
■ Origin
Gifu Prefecture (domestic timber)
■ Features
-
Beautiful curly and spalted figured
-
The soft texture and elegant color unique to domestic wood
-
Relatively easy to dry and handle
-
Can be used for a wide range of purposes, including guitar making, knife handles, furniture, crafts, and inlays
Suitable for making acoustic guitars
This is a set made from rare 5A+ Master Grade Japanese Tochigi wood.
What is Gifu Prefecture's horse chestnut?
Premium Japanese Figured Hardwood
Japanese Horse Chestnut / Tochi
Aesculus turbinata — Gifu, Japan
Creamy white to pale golden wood, beautiful curly figure that shifts with the light, and a delicate silky luster. Japanese Horse Chestnut grown in Gifu Prefecture offers distinctive natural beauty for musical instruments, furniture, and fine woodworking.
01
What Is Japanese Horse Chestnut?
Origin & Botanical Information
Japanese Horse Chestnut, commonly called Tochi in Japan, is the wood of Aesculus turbinata, a deciduous hardwood tree native to Japan.
Tochi has a long history of use in Japanese furniture, lacquerware foundations, carving, and everyday wooden objects.
The tree can grow to a substantial size and produces wood with a light, creamy appearance. Carefully finished surfaces may display a delicate, silky natural luster.
The Tochi material featured here comes from Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Selected pieces with attractive curly or wavy figure can be used for decorative instrument components, furniture, and specialty woodworking.
- Common Name
- Japanese Horse Chestnut / Tochi
- Scientific Name
- Aesculus turbinata Blume
- Family
- Sapindaceae (Soapberry Family)
- Native Range
- Japan
- Wood Origin
- Gifu Prefecture, Japan
- Specific Gravity
- Approximately 0.52 (reference value; varies by specimen)
- Common Uses
- Musical instruments, furniture, lacquerware, carving, and fine woodworking
02
Wood Characteristics
Color, Grain & Natural Luster
Grain & Texture
The wood typically has a relatively fine and even texture. Variations in grain direction can produce curly and wavy figure.
Density & Softness
Tochi is a relatively light and soft hardwood, offering useful working properties for shaping and decorative woodworking.
Silky Natural Luster
Carefully sanded and finished surfaces may display an attractive silky sheen that enhances the light-colored grain.
03
Curly & Figured Tochi
The Beauty of Natural Figure
One of the most attractive characteristics of selected Tochi timber is its beautiful curly figure.
Changes in wood fiber orientation create shifting reflections of light, producing wave-like patterns that appear to move across the surface.
Curly figure can create a remarkable sense of visual depth, even when the wood is smoothly finished.
Pieces with strong, consistent figure and suitable dimensions are particularly attractive for electric guitar and bass decorative tops, furniture, and specialty woodcrafts.
Not every Tochi board
exhibits pronounced
curly figure.
Pattern intensity and
consistency vary naturally.
Figure alone does not
determine structural
quality or
acoustic performance.
04
Spalted Tochi & Natural Patterns
Spalting & Decorative Coloration
Some Tochi wood displays dark lines, contrasting brown areas, or unusual natural color patterns in addition to curly figure.
Certain patterns are associated with spalting, a form of coloration caused by fungal activity within the wood.
In Japan, some decorative patterns are described as Suminagashi, referring to the flowing appearance of ink on water.
The contrast between light wood and darker decorative markings can make individual pieces particularly appealing for guitar tops, furniture, and woodcrafts.
About Spalted Wood
Spalting can sometimes weaken wood fibers. When selecting spalted material, inspect the wood's hardness and structural condition before use.
Not all dark streaks or color variations are caused by spalting.
05
Figure Quality & Material Selection
Rarity, Grading & Usable Dimensions
Japanese Horse Chestnut can produce large logs, but the amount of instrument-quality wood with strong figure, suitable dimensions, and good material condition depends on each individual tree.
Wide pieces with pronounced curly figure are particularly desirable for decorative guitar tops and fine woodworking.
Curly Figure Intensity
Examine the clarity, depth, and continuity of wave-like figure patterns.
Color & Natural Patterns
Consider natural wood color, grain, contrasting markings, and decorative spalting.
Dimensions & Cutting
Check usable length, width, thickness, and grain orientation for instrument tops or furniture components.
Material Condition
Inspect for cracks, knots, warping, moisture content, and the condition of any spalted areas.
Maikai Wood Hawaii Grading
Maikai Wood Hawaii uses an in-house grading scale from 1A to 5A+. Grades such as 5A and 5A+ reflect our own evaluation criteria rather than a universal industry standard.
Please review each product's photographs, dimensions, and material condition before purchasing.
06
Musical Instrument Applications
Tochi for Guitars, Basses & Ukuleles
Tochi can be used for decorative electric guitar and bass tops, particularly when a piece features attractive curly figure.
Thin drop tops can showcase the wood's distinctive appearance while being combined with a separate body wood.
Depending on material dimensions, stiffness, and condition, selected pieces may also be considered for ukulele tops, backs, sides, and decorative components.
Instruments using Tochi are sometimes described as having a warm, mellow character. Such impressions should not be treated as guaranteed properties of the wood species.
Actual response and tone depend on density, stiffness, component thickness, body construction, pickups, and craftsmanship.
Comparing Tochi & Maple
Tochi is generally a relatively soft and lightweight hardwood, but that does not mean it always produces a softer tone than Maple. For decorative drop tops, prioritize figure, dimensions, stability, and compatibility with the overall instrument design.
07
Working, Drying & Storage
Practical Workshop Considerations
Japanese Horse Chestnut is generally easy to shape and machine due to its relatively soft nature.
However, strongly figured areas may contain changing grain directions, which can cause tear-out or fuzzy surfaces during cutting and planing.
Sharp cutting tools, careful grain assessment, and controlled feed rates are recommended for clean results.
During drying, Tochi may develop warping, end checking, or other defects if moisture changes too rapidly.
Drying conditions should be selected according to board thickness, initial moisture content, cutting orientation, and the intended use.
Before precision instrument work, check moisture content and dimensional stability, and allow the material to acclimate to the workshop environment.
About Drying Time
A general estimate of two months for 20–30 mm thick boards cannot reliably apply to every drying method or starting condition. Actual moisture measurements and material stability should take priority over a fixed timetable.
08
Recommended Applications
Japanese Figured Wood for Fine Craftsmanship
Electric Guitars
Figured drop tops, body caps, and decorative guitar tops that highlight curly Tochi grain.
Basses & Ukuleles
Decorative bass tops and selected ukulele components with suitable dimensions and material properties.
Furniture & Tabletops
Solid wood tables, decorative furniture surfaces, cabinets, and specialty interiors.
Woodworking & Crafts
Knife handle scales, small boxes, turned objects, lacquerware foundations, and decorative crafts.
Japanese Horse Chestnut from Gifu offers a distinctive combination of pale natural color, silky luster, and attractive curly figure.
From musical instruments to furniture and specialty woodworking, Tochi provides a beautiful way to showcase the character of Japanese hardwoods.
At Maikai Wood Hawaii, we appreciate the unique qualities of each piece and offer specialty materials for luthiers, instrument makers, and woodworkers around the world.
Detailed information
Tree species: Japanese horse chestnut
Usage: acoustic guitar
Ukulele size:
Ukulele set:
Guitar size:
Guitar set:
Guitar grade: AAA
Color:
Format:
Striped pattern:
Dimensions of top thickness:
Top width:
Top length:
Back thickness:
Back width:
Back length:
Side thickness:
Side width:
Site length:
