Sugi-no-Osugi The Tallest Cedar Tree in Japan, Kochi
In our last trip across Shikoku island in Japan, we dropped by Osugi town in Kochi prefecture to visit a local attraction in Sugi-no-Osugi, a 3000 years old cedar tree known to be the tallest in the whole country.
This cedar tree sits in the middle of a residential area in Osugi town, far away from all other common tourist attractions. We had only discovered the Sugi-no-Osugi from Japan Hour – a weekly tv programme that introduces travelling in Japan which we had been following for many many years.
Osugi town is close to the main highway that we took from Takamatsu to Kochi city, so getting there requires not much detour. It is a quiet town and we seems to be the only foreigner/tourist around. If we haven’t saw it featured on the tv programme, we would never had known its existence. It is unlikely to find it in any guidebook.
A shrine with a small torii gate guards the holy cedar tree. Entrance fee was 300 yen to help maintain the place. Everything looks old with the gate, wooden bridge, nearby dry well, all covered with moss. Seems like this place had remained as it is for the past 100 years.
First look at the huge Sugi-no-Osugi left us with awe by the thousands years old cedar tree that has gigantic sturdy trunk easily at a few metres wide. The height of it reaches so high up that it is not possible to fit the whole tree into a single photo frame.
A wooden pavement was specifically built around the tree for visitors to view from all angle. But the path is too closed to the huge tree making photo taking really challenging.
It is still amazing to get up close to such a large living being. Known to be 3000 years old, the Sugi-no-Osugi will likely continue standing tall over the next thousand years if proper care is provided.
However, the town sits in the middle of Shikoku island, not easily accessible, and out of the way from other attractions. Therefore, it is not recommended to put this in your itinerary unless you are a cedar tree lover 🙂
Oh, there are nice athentic Sanuki Udon in this town too. Do try them if you are in the area.
