Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants on Earth, with reported growth rates of 1 metre in 24 hours. However, the growth rate is dependent on local soil and climatic conditions, as well as species, and a more typical growth rate for many commonly cultivated bamboos in temperate climates is in the range of 3–10 centimetres per day during the growing period.

In this local factory in Kyoto, bamboo is being cut in thin long strips. The workers are using knives to first split the bamboo and then remove the sharp edges on the inside.