Yakisugi, or “burnt cedar,” is a traditional Japanese wood treatment technique that involves charring the surface of wood. This process enhances the durability and fire resistance of the wood. The technique, also known as Yakisugi-ita, is particularly applied to Japanese cedar ("sugi") in Japan.

Shou Sugi Ban is a misused term in English-speaking countries, which refers to yakisugi. This misnomer arose from a misunderstanding of the Japanese term "Yakisugi-ita." The confusion likely stems from reading the Japanese kanji characters individually and applying Chinese phonetics, leading to the erroneous term Shou Sugi Ban instead of the correct Yakisugi or Yakisugi-ita.