The Green Flash and the Greener Future: Why Hokkaido Oak Links Lost Beetles to Whisky and Furniture
I begin by sharing my "romantic secret"—that snow-lit Hokkaido nights glowed orange—a secret quickly debunked by my wife's superior knowledge. This orange glow, caused by sodium lamps, is now disappearing due to energy-saving LEDs. I lament this because the lights attracted stag beetles, which were easily collected near acorn trees (Oak)—the same wood we use for our furniture. This Hokkaido Oak shares another legacy: it provides the essential cask material for some of the world's finest Japanese Whisky. The light may be gone, but the resilience of the acorn tree quietly connects the past, fine whisky, and our furniture.
