The first temple of the Ise Grand Shrine complex was built in Japan in the 7th century. The buildings are all wooden, yet they are still standing today. The temple buildings are re-erected every 20 years, symbolizing Shintoist beliefs in the rebirth of nature. ¹⁾

Sitka spruce can grow up to 40 inches in one year and provides good wood. It grows on coasts from Alaska to northern California, Its name comes from the town of Sitka in Alaska. ²⁾

Lignin is one of the basic components of wood, which occurs in an amount of about 20%. It is a binder that makes the structure of wood cells compact. It gives the wood compressive strength and maintains its rigidity. The elimination of lignin is an essential process in paper production. ³⁾

The European bark beetle is a species of beetle in the bark beetle subfamily (Scolytinae). Its main host plant is spruce, but in spruce stands with other coniferous species, it can also infest pine, fir, limber, and larch. ⁴⁾

A shingle is a material made from coniferous trees that are prepared by making special cuts to make roofs out of it. It has a wedge-shaped cross-section with a groove along its longer edge, where it is joined by sliding one board into another. ⁵⁾