This majestic ancient tree stands as a symbol of spiritual power and natural beauty.
Image credit: そらみみ
In the Takeo Shrine in western Saga, Japan, which was built in the Nara period (735 CE), there stands a sacred camphor tree, estimated to be 3,000 years old. It has withstood typhoons, earthquakes, volcano eruptions, and fires, and is considered to be one of the most spiritual places in Saga.
The enormous tree reaches a height of 27 meters and boasts a root circumference of 26 meters. At the base of the tree, there is a hollow area measuring approximately 18.6 square meters, or 12 tatami mats, which houses a stone shrine deep within.
These remarkable features earn the tree’s position as the seventh largest in Japan, as determined by a survey conducted by the Ministry of the Environment in August 2016. The surroundings of the camphor tree exude a mystical ambiance, and merely standing beside it can instill a sense of spiritual purification.
Towards the end of the Edo period in 1845 CE, during the construction of the garden, efforts were made to discover a pathway that connects it to the revered sacred tree within the Mifuneyama Rakuen forest. After extensive exploration, a stone footpath was eventually uncovered and a part of it can be seen near the shrine’s entrance.
The entrance to Takeo Shrine, a Shinto place of worship. Image credit: Heartoftheworld
The path to the tree leads through a mystical bamboo forest. Image credit: そらみみ
Arriving at the sacred tree. Image credit: Naokijp
The tree has a mystical ambiance. Image credit: kansokusha92
The gaping cavity at the tree’s base has a small shrine inside. Image credit: Teamlab
