You've no idea what you'll find. Isn't that fun?
Posts tagged 栃木
The Giant Trees of Tochigi: #54 The Giant Zelkova of Yakumo Shrine
Approaching the shrine from the street, before you take a single step upwards, your vision is dominated by the Giant Zelkova.
Number: 54
Name: Giant Zelkova of Yakumo Shrine (八雲神社のケヤキ)
Type: Japanese Zelkova (Zelkowa serrata)
Height: 28m
Trunk Circumference: 5.1m
Age: >300 years
Location: 栃木県大田原市黒羽田町 (36° 51′ 38″N 140° 07′ 21″E)
Date of Visit: 2011-5-21
On the left bank of the Naka River, at the east end of National Route 461′s Naka River Bridge, you find Kurobaneta-machi. Before Kurobane Town amalgamated into Otawara City in 2005, you could find the town hall here.
I do hope those aren't insect holes. I'd hate for something to happen to this tree, like the Giant Evergreen Oak of Takioka Onsen Shrine.
Yakumo Shrine is found on the high ground to the east of the old town hall. Stepping onto the stone staircase leading up to the shrine, you can’t help but notice a majestic tree at the top on your right-hand side. This is the Giant Zelkova of Yakumo Shrine. The thin rope encircling its trunk suggests that herein dwells a kami.
What a mighty tree.
In 1989, the first survey of Giant Trees was carried out, and this zelkova was recorded. Since that time, the trunk circumference has increased a further 25cm. Despite its advanced years, it’s still managing to carry on strong growth.
From low on the trunk and looking upwards, one can see that there were many branches at one time, but as they get thick, they seem to be shed. Perhaps they become too heavy for their own good. At any rate, in the months and years after such a shedding, this zelkova works to heal itself, and now the wounds of these lost brances are nothing more than lumps and bumps here and there.
Though obscured by leaves on this warm spring day, it seems that, once, long ago, the tree forked further up, but that the southermost half of the fork has been lost. One wonders how wide the canopy may have reached if that fork had continued to grow.
The roots don't have an easy time of it, but they've made do.
Before leaving, I gave this tree a hug. I couldn't not, it was just such a warm, inviting tree. I'll come back here one day. But, ever onwards!
I try to show you my Japan. Won’t you show us your Japan?
We wait.
One day you'll return.
The Giant Trees of Tochigi: #59 The Giant Sawara Cypress of Nasu Shrine
Despite being labelled a tourist attraction, Nasu Shrine's grounds seem to be littered in scrap, and I know not why. Nevertheless, the Giant Sawara Cypress is still a sight to behold.
Number: 59
Name: Giant Sawara Cypress of Nasu Shrine (那須神社のサワラ)
Type: Sawara Cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera)
Height: 31m
Trunk Circumference: 5.0m
Age: 250 years
Location: 栃木県大田原市南金丸 (36° 51′ 46″N 140° 05′ 17″E)
Date of Visit: 2011-5-21
Of the many giant trees on this path, the Giant Sawara Cypress is the greatest.
The path leading to Nasu Shrine opens up from National Route 461. In 2004, Nasu Yoichi no Sato Rest Area (道の駅 那須与一の郷) opened adjacent to the shrine grounds. Tradition states that Nasu Shrine was founded during the reign of Emperor Nintoku (who is said to have reigned from 313-399 CE and is entombed in Japan’s largest kofun, Daisen Kofun in Sakai City, Osaka). The shrine’s two-storey outer gate is one of Tochigi’s Tangible Cultural Properties. It is a lovely shrine, and it’s a shame about all the scrap littering the grounds.
The Sawara Cypress stands along the path leading to the shrine, set back a little ways from the path itself on the left side. Of course, on the grounds there are many great zelkovas and sawara cypresses, but this one seems to be the largest.
Here, too, stone lanterns have been tumbled by the earthquake of March 11th, and have not yet been righted.
御神木 - Sacred Tree. Bidding farewell, I toddle next door to the Michi no Eki for a brief respite before continuing my adventure.
I try to show you my Japan. Won’t you show us your Japan?
The Giant Trees of Tochigi: #52 The Giant Evergreen Oak of Takioka Onsen Shrine
- This is how the Giant Evergreen Oak of Takioka Onsen Shrine appeared in November 2008, and how I expected it to look this time. I was unprepared for what I found.
Number: 52
Name: Giant Evergreen Oak of Takioka Onsen Shrine (滝岡温泉神社のアカガシ)
Type: Japanese Evergreen Oak (Quercus acuta)
Height: 21m
Trunk Circumference: 6.2m
Age: 700 years
Location: 栃木県大田原市滝岡 (36° 48′ 45″N 140° 01′ 55″E)
Date of Visit: 2011-5-21
Surrounded by a broad expanse of flat rice fields, Onsen Shrine lies on a small forested rise.
Onsen Shrine is located in Takioka, near the confluence of the Houki and Momomura Rivers, on a small, tree-laden rise amidst a sea of rice fields. In the shrine grounds, there were six evergreen oaks designated as Natural Monuments. Among those, however, one tree towered above the others, such that it could be seen from wherever one was in the rice fields. In its hunger for stronger light, this tree developed a lean, peeking out from under the cover of its neighbours to drink its fill and grow to great heights.
Though this rogue tree, going its own way, was huge, that does not seem to be the reason it was named a Natural Monument.
For an evergreen oak to grow in the wild, the mean average yearly temperature must not be less than 13°C. However, nowadays, in this part of Tochigi, the average temperature has dropped to just below 12°C. So, I guess, hundreds of years ago, the temperature must have been warmer, for these trees to have grown as they did. As these trees demonstrate that climate does change, they have been entered into the Natural Monument register.
For being able to read hints about past climate merely from the existence of these trees, one imagines that scholars must have smiled when they found them.
But you may have noticed I’ve been speaking in the past tense. The Giant Evergreen Oak of Takioka Onsen Shrine was huge; not is huge.
As this tree is located relatively close to the Giant Zelkova of Sakuyama, I headed here next. Arriving in the area, at first I was confused. Surely a tree of this size should be easy to spot. Ah, I thought, it leaned off the side of the hill, that’s a good hint to help me find it!
And then I spotted it.
The Giant Evergreen Oak of Takioka Onsen Shrine lay broken on the hillside.
I’m not sure when this happened. There was no mention of it on the information board, and I could find no one nearby to ask. It happened sometime since November 2008, as that’s when the pic at the top was taken. At first, I wondered if it had broken during the quake, but I realized that, if it had, it must have been on its last legs anyway, to have broken and to be in the condition its in now.
No, this probably happened a while ago. The fallen bits appear dead, and the smaller branches that ought to be on it seem to be gone.
One hopes that the roots are still strong, and from the ruined trunk, still firmly in the ground, new shoots will bring a rebirth for this great old tree.
I try to show you my Japan. Won’t you show us your Japan?
The Giant Trees of Tochigi: #53 The Giant Zelkova of Sakuyama
In a quiet village, off the main road, down someone's driveway, and nestled between a workshop and the river lies the Giant Zelkova of Sakuyama.
Number: 53
Name: Giant Zelkova of Sakuyama (佐久山のケヤキ)
Type: Japanese Zelkova (Zelkowa Serrata)
Height: 22m
Trunk Circumference: 7.1m
Age: 800 years
Location: 栃木県大田原市佐久山 (36° 48′ 30″N 140° 00′ 36″E)
Date of Visit: 2011-5-21
On the right bank of the Houki River lies the community of Sakuyama.
The Giant Zelkova of Sakuyama is a recognized Natural Monument.
An information board is near the base of the tree.
There, centrally located, off the prefectural road and slightly to the north and tucked behind some houses, there stands a lone, old zelkova tree. In front of it is Dainichi Temple, a small local temple dedicated to the supreme Buddha. Of course, due to its proximity, this tree is often called the Zelkova of Dainichi Temple.
Though it looks as though it has had a rough life, the tree seems healthy.
The trunk used to stretch to the sky, branches spreading in every direction to create the appearance of a lush hemispherical canopy.
But now, the shape is as you see it. In the early part of this century, the tree was rather sickly, and, so help preserve it for the future, a series of treatments were administered to help it recover. Though recovery was slow (just three years ago, it still looked rather sad and sick), now it seems to be full of life once again.
The base is broad and beautifully rooty.
In the past, local belief held that the richness of the canopy was a predictor of the harvest: poor and sickly, a poor harvest; full and rich, a good harvest. Though this may be little more than folklore, I hope the local community has a prosperous farming year.
You can see how trunk looks quite sickly, bark flaking off. You can see where bits have been cut or have fallen off. Yet, now, it seems to be as healthy as ever.
With a final glance at the carvings of Dainichi Temple, I'm off to my next destination. What I'll find will surprise and disappoint me.
I try to show you my Japan. Won’t you show us your Japan?
The Giant Trees of Tochigi: #77 The Sacred Zelkova of Shirahige Shrine
The Sacred Zelkova is clearly visible as you head north along National Route 4 from the Hoshakuji Junction.
Number: 77
Name: Sacred Zelkova of Shirahige Shrine (白鬚神社の神木けやき)
Type: Japanese Zelkova (Zelkowa Serrata)
Height: 29m
Trunk Circumference: 5.5m
Age: >300 years
Location: 栃木県塩谷郡高根沢町宝積寺 (36° 36′ 56″N 139° 58′ 29″E)
Date of Visit: 2011-5-21
The tree, despite its age, is clearly healthy and vigorous.
Shirahige Shrine is located immediately west of National Route 4, a short distance north of its crossing over the Kinu River at Hoshakuji. It is easily visible from the road, and impossible to overlook. However, as traffic on Route 4 is heavy, and the parking area practically nonexistant, do be careful if you choose to visit this tree.
Inside the shrine grounds, beside the massive zelkova, there is a signboard which states that it has been added to the Tochigi’s curated list of trees of historical importance (名木). Another stone pillar proclaiming the tree to be a natural monument in Takanezawa is also there. The pillar calls the tree 「神木欅」Sacred Zelkova.
The top of that retaining wall is a couple centimeters above the normal ground level. The bottom of the wall, about a meter below normal ground level.
I think the shrine’s ground level used to be lower. Perhaps the ground was raised during the building and upgrading of Route 4 after the war. At any rate, a stone retaining wall has been built around the zelkova to protect it.
If one looks closely, one can see new sprouts popping out of roots and here and there. Maybe, in a few decades, we will be able to call this The Parent and Child Zelkovas of Shirahige Shrine.
A look back to the entrance. In the distance, National Route 4, and the rise on which Houshakuji is built.
A guardian worth of such a tree.
Here, too, the aftereffects of The Great East Japan Earthquake can be seen.
As the Sacred Zelkova gently waved in the breeze, I head off to my next destination. What will I find there?
I try to show you my Japan. Won’t you show us your Japan?
The Great East Japan Earthquake / 東日本大震災
I had just finished my last class with 5-2 class. We were doing a bit of question time. The class was meant to end at 2:40, but the kids had lots of questions, so we kept going. We’d just finished, and I was on my way out the door, when the quake started.
There had been a sizable quake on Wednesday, and the teacher and I thought it would be about the same. Once it was clear it wasn’t a wee thing, we told the kids to get under the desks, and the teacher and I went to the hall, as we had no desk. We kept standing until about 30 seconds in, I guess, when it (1) became clear it wasn’t ending and (2) it picked up enough that we couldn’t stand. We sat in the doorway to the classroom, calling to the kids, 大丈夫よ！It’s okay! You’ll be okay! Stay under your desks, and you’ll be okay. Of course, between calling this, we were looking at each other, commenting on how long it was, and generally being pretty scared.
Once it stopped, and the announcement came to escape, we got up and headed down the stairs. There was an aftershock as we were escaping, resulting in shouts of SIT DOWN, SIT DOWN UNTIL IT ENDS.
Even though I had seen how violent the quake was, and how everything was a mess, I still thought, somehow, that outside would be pretty normal. It wasn’t. There were cracks in the ground, puddles where low-grade liquifaction had happened, etc. It wasn’t what I was expecting. This was a proper fucking quake.
The clock fell over. Lucky it stayed up there.
how much my car shifted during the main quake
One of many collapsed walls in town.
I suppose I should say that, in Tochigi, though it was strong (a Shindo 6 Upper), it was nothing compared to what was felt in Fukushima and Miyagi.
Out on the field, we crouched and waited. Once it had stopped shaking, I headed to my car and go home, but not before a group of my 6th grade students insisted I take an Earthquake Commemoration Photo.
Got in my car, and tried to drive home. Was dodgy. Lots of downed walls, lots of not-quite-down power lines.
There are a couple of garages completely collapsed here and there, really slipshod things constructed out of cinder blocks and that’s it.
There was no power, but there was some water, so I filled the bathtub with water. Turned gas off. Went to my car to charge my phone and listen to the radio. There was no cell phone service. I went upstairs to get my drink on, because fucking hell I needed a drink. Drank too much, puked, came back to my apartment and passed out for a few hours.
Got up, drove to Utsunomiya. Bought gas, but just enough to fill my car. Everyone else was hoarding it like mad. I’m trying to not be a bigger burden on the local region than I have to be. Went to a 7-11 that was open, bought some food, filled my face. Sat in the parking lot for hours, couldn’t relax, heart was racing. Decided to head back here to Takanezawa to see how things were. Water was still off, but power was back. I couldn’t handle being here, so I packed some shit in the car, and headed back to Utsunomiya, checked into a hotel, had a fairly good sleep.
This morning, got up around 6, watched TV, checked twitter. Checked out, came home. Stopped at supermarket. Not a lot left, but picked up some dried goods, some just-cooked food, some candles, etc. Pocari Sweat and Ion Water. Came home. Turned on the TV, hooked phone to the wall to stay charged, started cleaning. Several times my phone warned me of incoming tremors, and I’d check to see how strong it was gonna be. Usually Shindo 2, so I kept on.
My apartment is clean now. I went and bought some more dry foods. Only restaurant in town open was a pizza place, so I ordered pizza. I can keep that in the fridge for a while, it’ll be fine even if power goes off, so that’ll help me save my dry goods.
Relaxing now, as much as I can. My lower back and my thighs are killing me. Dunno why. There was just another sizable aftershock. There are going to be 3hr rolling blackouts starting at 6:20am tmrw. I dunno when I’ll be affected, the list isn’t up yet, and the TEPCO site is overwhelmed. Taxes are going to go up. People keep telling me that I can stay with them if I go back to Canada. I appreciate that, but I’m not ready to run away yet. Here in Tochigi, it’s not that bad. I may feel differently if I’d been in a tsunami afflicted portion of Miyagi or Iwate, but here, now? I’m not gonna run away.
If you haven’t already, please make a donation to the Red Cross, and tell others to do so too. This isn’t something that’s going to go away overnight; this is going to be a long, difficult road back to normality.
Giant Trees of Tochigi: #4 The Giant Ginkgo of Jougan Temple
Number: 4
Name: The Giant Ginkgo of Jougan Temple (成願寺のイチョウ)
Type: Ginkgo
Height: 30m
Trunk Circumference: 5.9m
Age: 500 years
Location: 栃木県宇都宮市西刑部町（成願寺） (36° 29′ 56″N 139° 55′ 53″E)
Date of Visit: 2010-1-31
If you head eastward out of Utsunomiya on the new-ish National Route 121, just past the Industrial Park at Shimokuwajima-machi, on the right (south) side of the road, you will see a large Ginkgo.
Much like the Gingko, Jougan Temple is a splendid temple. These days, the temple and the grounds are undergoing improvements and work. Thought I tried to avoid it, the pylons of this work could not but find their way into some of the images.
The temple was founded in Tempyou-jingo 1 (765 CE) by Shoudou, who also founded temples in Nikko. The road the passes the gate, Municipal Road 406, has been called Jougan Temple Highway since time immemorial. This Ginkgo was surely a landmark for people walking the road.
Giant Trees of Tochigi: #2 The Grand Ginkgo of Asahimachi
Number: 2
Name: Grand Ginkgo of Asahimachi (旭町の大いちょう)
Type: Gingko
Height: 32m
Trunk Circumference: 6.2m
Age: 300+ years
Location: 栃木県宇都宮市中央１丁目 (36° 33′ 27″N 139° 52′ 57″E)
Date of Visit: 2010-1-31
In Utsunomiya, at the intersection of the north-south road connecting City Hall with the Prefectural Government building and Ichou-dori, on the northwest corner stands this Ginkgo tree. The elevated location where it stands is the remnant of an earthen wall that formed a boundary at Utsunomiya Castle, but as it is now quite close to the downtown core, it was mostly lost. The Ginkgo was a symbol of Utsunomiya Castle, and later, an important symbol to the people of Utsunomiya City.
On July 12, 1945, from midnight until dawn, Utsunomiya suffered an American air raid. There were many victims, and approximately half the city center was lost. In the conflagration, this Ginkgo tree, too, was a victim, burned until it was completely pitch black. Yet, in the spring after the end of the war, green buds were to be seen sprouting from the tree that was thought to be dead. This gallantly strong life force lit the fire of courage in the hearts of the people of Utsunomiya.
Since then, this Ginkgo has become a symbol of the post-war revival. In 1986, on the 90th anniversary of the incorporation of Utsunomiya City, the citizens chose the Ginkgo as the city’s official tree. Surely, they were thinking of the Grand Ginkgo of Asahimachi when they made their choice.
