Air permeabilities for both sapwood and heartwood of the three softwoods(Picea jezoensis, Larix gmelini, Pinus sylvestris), imported from the Russian Far East, in the three different structural directions were measured using steady-state rotameter method. After measuring permeability, the liquid absorption into the longitudinal permeability specimens was measured, and then related with the measured permeability. The longitudinal permeability was overwhelmingly greater than the transverse permeability, with the radial direction showing higher permeability than the tangential direction. There appear to be species differences in permeability of the three softwoods. The mean longitudinal sapwood permeability of P. jezoensis(3.300darcy) and P. sylvestris(3.028darcy) were considerably greater(ca. 25times) than that of L. gmelini(0.134darcy). Also the average longitudinal heartwood permeability of P. jezoensis(0.300darcy) was about 10 times as great as that of P. sylvestris(0.029darcy) and L. gmelini(0.024darcy). The average calculated radius of pit openings in the heartwood was $0.101{mu}m$ for L. gmelini, $0.152{mu}m$ for P. sylvestris for and $0.703{mu}m$ for P. jezoensis. Heartwood permeability increases with the increase in radius of pit pore and the decrease in ring width and in extractive content, even though the correlation between permeability and its affecting factors was dependent on species. However, there was an inverse relationship between specific gravity and permeability, showing poor correlation between them. The correlation between air permeability and liquid retention was fairly high, so it was revealed that prediction of liquid absorption into the wood by using permeability was feasible.