The methanol-mediated extraction was applied to wood carbonization tar. Phenolic compounds could be extracted from the wood tar. This shows the possibility of the selective extraction of phenolic compounds, although wood tar consists of many kinds of oxygen-containing compounds such as alcohols, phenols, ketones. esters. ethers, aldehydes, carboxylic acids. furans, and so on. The e,traction is expected as a new method for the utilization of wood tar.