The Time Behind EnjuBoard: At Least Three Years of Drying

Before a piece of wood becomes an EnjuBoard, drying alone takes around three years at a minimum.

Those three years are not something you can see when you hold a finished board. Still, as you trace its growth rings or touch its surface, we hope you will pause to imagine the time behind it.

The years the tree spent growing. The time we wait as we make each board. And the days you will share with it in your own home.

These three passages of time come together in every EnjuBoard.

Growth Rings: A Record of the Tree’s Life

Layer upon layer of growth rings spreads across the surface of an EnjuBoard.

A cross section of wood, known as end grain, reveals the years a tree has lived. The spacing of the rings, the variations in color, and the position of each knot differ from one piece to the next.

Look closely, and you will see that the rings are not all perfect circles. Lines curve gently. Dark shades give way to lighter ones. Years of harsh wind and snow, and years of abundant growth, all contribute to the character of each piece.

We make EnjuBoard in a way that preserves these traces of nature.

Choosing a board means welcoming a small part of the tree’s life into your own home.

Three Years of Waiting, Then Selecting Each Piece

Once the wood is cut, we cannot immediately begin shaping it into an EnjuBoard.

A solid wood cross section holds moisture and is delicate enough to crack if dried too quickly. We let the wood rest through the changing seasons, giving it time to dry and settle. This drying stage alone takes around three years at a minimum.

A great deal can change in our lives over three years. We might move to a new place or celebrate a family milestone. The things we use every day, and the things we want to cherish, may change too.

The wood spends that same stretch of time preparing to become something we can use.

After the long drying period, we select only pieces that have remained in good condition through the risk of cracking and warping. Our craftspeople then carefully finish each selected piece by hand.

Giving the wood enough time, and carefully assessing its condition, means we cannot make EnjuBoard in large quantities at once. We hope you will find value in the care that goes into each piece, and in the limited number we can bring to completion.

Enju: A Wish for the Years Ahead

In Japanese, the name Enju is also associated with the characters 延寿, meaning “prolonging life,” and carries wishes for longevity and prosperity.

May you live a long and healthy life. It is a wish we express on birthdays and celebrations of longevity, but also one we hold for the people who share our everyday lives.

Looking at the years held in the wood, we think of the years still to come.

The name Enju, together with the growth rings in each board, brings another layer of meaning to a gift.

“May we share many more meals together.”
“May you have many more years to enjoy the things you love.”

Given with words like these, we hope an EnjuBoard will become a quiet companion in the recipient’s daily life.

From Here, Time Shared with You

After its long drying period and careful finishing by our craftspeople, a board finally arrives in your home.

Serve fresh bread in the morning. Set out something sweet for an afternoon pause. Rest a favorite ring or watch on it when you come home.

This role of bringing out the beauty of the things you treasure also connects to EnjuBoard’s beginnings. It started as a small stand designed to display a puzzle beautifully. EnjuBoard was born when we recognized the beauty of the stand itself.

With use, your EnjuBoard finds a role that belongs to your home alone.

The first day you used it. A meal shared with someone dear to you. The way it looks beside your favorite tableware. Your attachment to a board grows through these small, everyday memories.

The years the tree lived, and the three years spent preparing it to become a useful object, lead into the days of the person who uses it.

That is what we hope an EnjuBoard will be: a piece for everyday life, with which you can keep making memories.

Five Sizes for the Moments in Your Day

• Petit — a palm-sized board for a ring or watch
• Charmant — an elegant round stand for jewelry and small treasures
• Grace — a plate for morning bread or a sweet treat for one
• Elegance — a serving plate for appetizers and entertaining, or a stand for a vase
• Allure — our largest stage for displaying treasured objects as a focal point in your room

Find the growth rings you would like to welcome into your everyday life.

Choose a board to share the years ahead (browse the collection)