Binchōtan

thumb|Binchō-tan, or white charcoal thumbnail|Burning binchō-tan Binchō-tan (, ), also called white charcoal or binchō-zumi, is a type of high-quality charcoal traditionally used in Japanese cooking. Its use dates back to the Edo period when during the Genroku era, a craftsman named Bichū-ya Chōzaemon () began to produce it in Tanabe, Wakayama. The typical raw material used to make binchō-tan in Japan is oak, specifically ubame oak, now the official tree of Wakayama Prefecture. Wakayama continues to be a major producer of high-quality charcoal, with the town of Minabe, Wakayama, producing more binchō-tan than any other town in Japan. Binchō-tan produced in Wakayama is referred to as , Kishū being the old name of Wakayama.

White charcoal is made by pyrolysing wood in a kiln at approximately for 120 hours, then raising the temperature to around . Once carbonised, the material is taken out and covered to cure in a damp mixture of earth, sand, and ash.