"Susutake" (Smoked Bamboo) is a special type of bamboo obtained from the roof timbers from old traditional Japanese thatched-roof style houses most of which are in excess of 150 years old. The surface of the bamboo is naturally colored to a deep red brown color from continuous exposure to the smoke of the "Irori" (a traditional Japanese sunken fire/hearth). Different color tones are seen in the surface of the material depending upon its location and the type and quantity of the smoke over time. The continuous smoke over centuries has "seasoned" the bamboo material making it flexible and stable. The special appeal of Susutake is the fact that it is a natural material. Susutake is a highly treasured material used in traditional tea ceremonies in Japan for centuries. The raw material is becoming increasingly rare and difficult to obtain.