Handmade in Japan from hinoki wood, the large spatula works well for general kitchen use, including stirring and turning objects. The width of the spatula makes it suitable for turning large and small objects. And it can be used as a rice paddle too.
The hinoki wood spatula is uncoated raw wood. Running under water and hand drying the spatula prior to using it helps prevent the flavor any ingredients from being absorbed in the wood.
Hinoki is a well known cypress tree native to Japan, and for millennia it has been prized and cherished for its strength, the lumber increasing durability some 200 years after felling. In fact, Horyu-ji Temple, built from hinoki cypress, was constructed about 1300 years ago, and nearly 65% of the original lumber remains today.
Much of this durability is the result of hinokitiol, a uniquely anti-microbial natural compound found in the heartwood of the hinoki tree. What's more, the cypress wood is highly absorbent and dries quickly, making it quite rot resistant.
