Great Cedar Tree of Yasaka Jinja Shrine 八坂神社の大杉

Official explanation

This unusually large cedar tree dominates the shrine grounds at 25 meters in height and 12.8 meters in circumference (as of a 1984 survey). According to legend, the tree is 1,300 years old; scientists, however, estimate its true age at closer to 600 years. The tree’s presence is somewhat of a mystery—it is the town’s only Kitayama cedar, a regional variety of Cryptomeria japonica that grows in northern Kyoto and is difficult to cultivate in relatively warm places like Wazuka. At some point in the past, the main trunk collapsed, but over time, eight large branches fused together to form the current tree. The cedar continues to thrive despite having endured repeated lightning strikes over the years. It is a designated Natural Monument of Kyoto Prefecture.

The tree itself is considered sacred, and two small Shinto shrines are situated in front of it: a Yasaka Jinja Shrine on the right and a Hachimangu Shrine on the left. The first enshrines Gozu Tenno, a bull-headed guardian deity; the second venerates Hachiman, a deity associated with protection of the country. On July 7, Wazuka residents celebrate the Gion-san festival (officially called Gion Matsuri), in which a ritual is held before the Yasaka Shrine to express gratitude and pay respects to the deity. The custom of the day is to eat sweets called hanamochi manju, steamed red-bean sweets topped with rice grains that have been dyed a variety of bright colors.

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Access

Walk approximately 12 minutes from the Wazuka Chugakko bus stop, following the path across the Iwaibashi Bridge and up the slope.

出典: 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース（観光庁） — www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db. この英語解説文は観光庁の地域観光資源の多言語解説整備支援事業で作成しました。
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Multilingual Explanation Database. This English text was produced by the Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual explanation project and is shown unedited. Opening hours and services may have changed since it was written.