Japanese cedar carbonized at 700degreesC was vacuum infiltrated with tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS), and heated for 30 min at 1400, 1600 and 1800degreesC by electric pulse heating. The microstructure was investigated by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. Extra peaks in the XRD scans could be traced back to beta-SiC. Preliminary Auger analysis indicated an increase of the Si signal in pore walls. This was considered together with SEM images in agreement with the concept of a reaction layer covering the pore walls. Moreover, a large number of nanorods were present inside the pores. TEM analysis confirmed them to be SiC nanorods grown along the <111> direction.