The high-quality Japanese charcoal made from oak is called binchotan, or binchō-tan.
Binchotan is traditionally produced from ubame oak, especially in Wakayama Prefecture. Its name is connected with Bichū-ya Chōzaemon, an Edo-period charcoal maker associated with its development in Tanabe during the Genroku era. Wakayama’s regional product is often called Kishū binchōtan, using the old name for the prefecture.
Unlike ordinary black charcoal, binchotan is fired at extremely high temperatures and then rapidly cooled with a mixture of earth, sand, and ash. The result is a very hard, dense charcoal with a pale, almost metallic surface. Pieces can produce a ringing sound when struck.
Binchotan burns cleanly and steadily, making it prized for yakitori, robatayaki, and other Japanese cooking. It is not the same as lump charcoal in general: lump charcoal describes a broad category, while binchotan refers to a particular high-quality hardwood charcoal tradition and production method.