OBLONG shou sugi ban furniture items. A traditional Japanese wood-burning technique that transforms wood planks into something both durable and beautiful; people have used it for over 400,000 years. While it might seem counterintuitive, charring wood doesn’t make it structurally weaker but has the opposite effect. Burning the surface of the wood under controlled conditions fortifies and protects the wood against future damage, making it an excellent preservation technique.