Judging the value of wood is difficult, as it is a natural product that is difficult to analyze quantitatively. Moreover, no consensus exists over the criteria for such analysis. Among wood products, the value of the material called Meiboku is particularly challenging to assess. Meiboku has been recognized for its role in Sukiya and Chashitsu architecture. In the postwar Showa period, Meiboku was used in special spaces such as alcoves and guest rooms. Today, however, Meiboku has begun to lose this specialized function as well as popular recognition, leading to a decline in its use and market. This paper investigates the use of the expression “Meiboku” by housing manufacturers, highlighting and interpreting changes in attitudes toward materials. Today, most mass-produced homes are built by major housing manufacturers, who use materials they have developed themselves. Such materials differ in nature from traditional Meiboku and may conceptually have the opposite meaning. Nevertheless, the expression “Meiboku” often appears in the product descriptions of housing manufacturers. Accordingly, this study analyzes aspects of the evolving concept and meaning of Meiboku.