Roughly 2,000 to 3,600 years old.
Ancient trees in Japan
Japan is the one country on this map where the oldest trees are older than the buildings by design. We map 319 trees in 109 cities here. The oldest of them is Jomon Sugi in Yakushima, at estimated 2,600+ years (official Ministry of Environment figure; disputed, see notes).
Shrines are rebuilt, sometimes every twenty years as a matter of ritual, while the tree in the courtyard is left alone and wrapped in a straw rope to mark it as sacred. A camphor at a shrine gate is not decoration, it is the thing the shrine was built around. The state has protected trees as Natural Monuments since 1919, and the Environment Ministry keeps a record of every tree in the country over three metres in girth, which is why ages and measurements here are firmer than almost anywhere else in Europe. Be careful with the biggest numbers all the same: a thousand years is usually tradition rather than measurement, and the sources say so. Some places here hold one tree, which was the whole reason to travel.
Every place we map in Japan
1
Hiroshima33 trees · oldest 1,500 years2
Tokyo22 trees · oldest 1,200 years3Higashi-Hiroshima19 trees · oldest 300 years4
Fukuoka18 trees · oldest ~1800 years5
Kyoto18 trees · oldest 866 years6
Kagoshima16 trees · oldest 900 years7
Nara15 trees · oldest 1,000 years8
Miyazaki8 trees · oldest 900 years9
Kanazawa7 trees · oldest 1,000 years10Kamakura6 trees · oldest 750 years11
Nagoya6 trees · oldest 600 years12Okinawa6 trees · oldest 400 years13
Osaka6 trees · oldest 1,100 years14
Sapporo6 trees · oldest 750 years15
Fujikawaguchiko5 trees · oldest 1,200 years16
Takachiho5 trees · oldest 800 years17
Hokuto4 trees · oldest ~1900 years18
Yabu4 trees · oldest 1000-1900 years19Atami3 trees · oldest 1,200 years20Higashiomi3 trees · oldest 1,000 years21
Omishima3 trees · oldest 2,000-3,000 years22
Uda3 trees · oldest 900 years23
Himi2 trees · oldest 1,000 years24Horaiji2 trees · oldest 800 years25Ichinohe2 trees · oldest 300-500 years26
Iga2 trees27Iida2 trees · oldest 450 years28
Iwata2 trees · oldest 800-850 years29
Kawazu2 trees · oldest 1000 years30
Koriyama2 trees · oldest 350 years31
Maebashi2 trees · oldest 300-1000 years32
Minami-Alps2 trees · oldest 1,000 years33
Morioka2 trees · oldest 380 years34
Nihonmatsu2 trees · oldest 780-800 years35
Shikokuchuo2 trees · oldest 300 years36Shokawa2 trees · oldest 450-500 years37
Tamba2 trees · oldest 1,000 years38Yakushima2 trees · oldest 2000-3600 years39Aga1 tree · oldest 1,400 years40Aizuwakamatsu1 tree · oldest 500 years41
Arita1 tree · oldest 850-1000 years42
Asago1 tree · oldest 1,000 years43Biei1 tree · oldest 100-130 years44Chikubushima1 tree · oldest 420 years45Gifu1 tree · oldest 700-1200 years46Higashiagatsuma1 tree · oldest 1,000 years47
Higashimiyoshi1 tree · oldest 1,000 years48Higashine1 tree · oldest 1000-1500 years49Hino1 tree50
Hinode1 tree · oldest ~190 years51Ibigawa1 tree · oldest 90-140 years52
Iheya1 tree · oldest 200-300 years53
Ito1 tree · oldest 300-1000 years54
Itoshiro1 tree · oldest 1,800 years55
Iwaki1 tree · oldest 125-250 years56Kaga1 tree · oldest 2,300 years57Kanagi1 tree · oldest 300-800 years58Kasukabe1 tree · oldest 1,200 years59
Kawago1 tree · oldest 3,000 years60Kawatana1 tree · oldest 1,000 years61
Kimotsuki1 tree · oldest 1200-1300 years62Kitakata1 tree · oldest 600 years63
Kitamoto1 tree · oldest 800 years64
Kozaki1 tree · oldest 1,300 years65
Maibara1 tree · oldest 195 years66Matsumae1 tree · oldest 200-320 years67Miharu1 tree · oldest 1000-1200 years68Minamiaso1 tree · oldest 400 years69
Mito1 tree · oldest 400-600 years70Motosu1 tree · oldest 1500 years71
Nagai1 tree · oldest 1000-1300 years72
Nagano1 tree · oldest 1,200 years73Nagi1 tree · oldest 900 years74
Nago1 tree · oldest 300 years75Neba1 tree · oldest 1,500-1,800 years76Nichinan, Tottori1 tree · oldest 2,000 years77Nikaho1 tree · oldest 300 years78
Nishio1 tree · oldest 900-1100 years79Numata1 tree · oldest 300-1500 years80Odawara1 tree · oldest 350 years81Ofunato1 tree · oldest 90 years82
Ogi1 tree · oldest 350 years83
Oguni1 tree · oldest 1000 years84Okuizumo1 tree · oldest 1,300 years85Ono1 tree · oldest 1,100-1,200 years86
Ora1 tree · oldest 700-750 years87Otama1 tree · oldest 1,000 years88Otoyo1 tree · oldest 3,000 years89
Oyodo1 tree · oldest 700 years90
Sakegawa1 tree · oldest 700-1000 years91
Sakurai1 tree · oldest 400-800 years92Shimizu1 tree · oldest 1,100 years93
Shingu1 tree · oldest 1,000 years94Shinkamigoto1 tree · oldest 670 years95
Shiwa1 tree · oldest 300 years96Suzuka1 tree · oldest ~80 years97Takahagi1 tree · oldest 1,000 years98
Takahama1 tree99
Takayama1 tree · oldest 1,200-1,300 years100
Takeo1 tree · oldest 1000-3000 years101
Taketa1 tree · oldest 800 years102
Toba1 tree103
Toga1 tree · oldest 800 years104
Tsuruoka1 tree · oldest 1,000 years105
Ueda1 tree · oldest 300-1200 years106Ueki1 tree · oldest 800 years107
Unnan1 tree108
Yamanashi City1 tree · oldest 150-200 years109
Yoshida1 tree · oldest 1,000 years
Hiroshima33 trees · oldest 1,500 years2Tokyo22 trees · oldest 1,200 years3Higashi-Hiroshima19 trees · oldest 300 years4Fukuoka18 trees · oldest ~1800 years5Kyoto18 trees · oldest 866 years6Kagoshima16 trees · oldest 900 years7Nara15 trees · oldest 1,000 years8Miyazaki8 trees · oldest 900 years9Kanazawa7 trees · oldest 1,000 years10Kamakura6 trees · oldest 750 years11Nagoya6 trees · oldest 600 years12Okinawa6 trees · oldest 400 years13Osaka6 trees · oldest 1,100 years14Sapporo6 trees · oldest 750 years15Fujikawaguchiko5 trees · oldest 1,200 years16Takachiho5 trees · oldest 800 years17Hokuto4 trees · oldest ~1900 years18Yabu4 trees · oldest 1000-1900 years19Atami3 trees · oldest 1,200 years20Higashiomi3 trees · oldest 1,000 years21Omishima3 trees · oldest 2,000-3,000 years22Uda3 trees · oldest 900 years23Himi2 trees · oldest 1,000 years24Horaiji2 trees · oldest 800 years25Ichinohe2 trees · oldest 300-500 years26Iga2 trees27Iida2 trees · oldest 450 years28Iwata2 trees · oldest 800-850 years29Kawazu2 trees · oldest 1000 years30Koriyama2 trees · oldest 350 years31Maebashi2 trees · oldest 300-1000 years32Minami-Alps2 trees · oldest 1,000 years33Morioka2 trees · oldest 380 years34Nihonmatsu2 trees · oldest 780-800 years35Shikokuchuo2 trees · oldest 300 years36Shokawa2 trees · oldest 450-500 years37Tamba2 trees · oldest 1,000 years38Yakushima2 trees · oldest 2000-3600 years39Aga1 tree · oldest 1,400 years40Aizuwakamatsu1 tree · oldest 500 years41Arita1 tree · oldest 850-1000 years42Asago1 tree · oldest 1,000 years43Biei1 tree · oldest 100-130 years44Chikubushima1 tree · oldest 420 years45Gifu1 tree · oldest 700-1200 years46Higashiagatsuma1 tree · oldest 1,000 years47Higashimiyoshi1 tree · oldest 1,000 years48Higashine1 tree · oldest 1000-1500 years49Hino1 tree50Hinode1 tree · oldest ~190 years51Ibigawa1 tree · oldest 90-140 years52Iheya1 tree · oldest 200-300 years53Ito1 tree · oldest 300-1000 years54Itoshiro1 tree · oldest 1,800 years55Iwaki1 tree · oldest 125-250 years56Kaga1 tree · oldest 2,300 years57Kanagi1 tree · oldest 300-800 years58Kasukabe1 tree · oldest 1,200 years59Kawago1 tree · oldest 3,000 years60Kawatana1 tree · oldest 1,000 years61Kimotsuki1 tree · oldest 1200-1300 years62Kitakata1 tree · oldest 600 years63Kitamoto1 tree · oldest 800 years64Kozaki1 tree · oldest 1,300 years65Maibara1 tree · oldest 195 years66Matsumae1 tree · oldest 200-320 years67Miharu1 tree · oldest 1000-1200 years68Minamiaso1 tree · oldest 400 years69Mito1 tree · oldest 400-600 years70Motosu1 tree · oldest 1500 years71Nagai1 tree · oldest 1000-1300 years72Nagano1 tree · oldest 1,200 years73Nagi1 tree · oldest 900 years74Nago1 tree · oldest 300 years75Neba1 tree · oldest 1,500-1,800 years76Nichinan, Tottori1 tree · oldest 2,000 years77Nikaho1 tree · oldest 300 years78Nishio1 tree · oldest 900-1100 years79Numata1 tree · oldest 300-1500 years80Odawara1 tree · oldest 350 years81Ofunato1 tree · oldest 90 years82Ogi1 tree · oldest 350 years83Oguni1 tree · oldest 1000 years84Okuizumo1 tree · oldest 1,300 years85Ono1 tree · oldest 1,100-1,200 years86Ora1 tree · oldest 700-750 years87Otama1 tree · oldest 1,000 years88Otoyo1 tree · oldest 3,000 years89Oyodo1 tree · oldest 700 years90Sakegawa1 tree · oldest 700-1000 years91Sakurai1 tree · oldest 400-800 years92Shimizu1 tree · oldest 1,100 years93Shingu1 tree · oldest 1,000 years94Shinkamigoto1 tree · oldest 670 years95Shiwa1 tree · oldest 300 years96Suzuka1 tree · oldest ~80 years97Takahagi1 tree · oldest 1,000 years98Takahama1 tree99Takayama1 tree · oldest 1,200-1,300 years100Takeo1 tree · oldest 1000-3000 years101Taketa1 tree · oldest 800 years102Toba1 tree103Toga1 tree · oldest 800 years104Tsuruoka1 tree · oldest 1,000 years105Ueda1 tree · oldest 300-1200 years106Ueki1 tree · oldest 800 years107Unnan1 tree108Yamanashi City1 tree · oldest 150-200 years109Yoshida1 tree · oldest 1,000 years76 species grow in Japan
Oaks Daimyo Oak 3 · Tsukubane Oak 2 · Northern Red Oak 1 · Oriental Cork Oak 1 · Urajiro Oak 1
Beeches Japanese Beech 1
Elms and zelkovas Saw-leaf Zelkova 18
Limes Miquel's Linden 2
Maples Maple 2 · Japanese Maple 1
Chestnuts, walnuts and hazels Japanese Horse Chestnut 2
Figs and mulberries Sea Fig 4 · Indian Laurel Fig 2 · Akou 1 · Fig 1 · Yamaguwa / Japanese Wild Mulberry 1
Conifers Ginkgo 34 · Japanese Cedar 32 · Japanese Black Pine 11 · Ohatsuki Ginkgo 6 · Japanese Fir / Momi 3 · Japanese White Pine 3 · Hinoki Cypress 2 · Japanese Red Pine 2 · Ryukyu Pine 2 · Bald Cypress 1 · Himalayan Cedar 1 · Japanese Yew 1
Fruit and blossom Weeping Higan Cherry 8 · Cherry 4 · Edo Higan Cherry 3 · Higan Cherry 2 · Weeping Cherry 2 · Hall's Crabapple 1 · Japanese Apricot 1 · Japanese Mountain Cherry 1 · Japanese Persimmon 1 · Matsumae Hayazaki Cherry 1
Southern hemisphere Eucalyptus 1
More broadleaf trees Camphor Tree 53 · Katsura 10 · Japanese Nutmeg-yew 7 · Japanese Bay Tree 6 · Japanese Wisteria 6 · Chinese Hackberry 5 · Sago Palm 5 · Chinese Juniper 4 · Edo-higan Cherry 4 · Japanese Chinquapin 4 · Kurogane Holly 3 · Muku Tree 3 · Sweet Osmanthus 3 · Bishop Wood 2 · Buddhist Pine 2 · Common Camellia 2 · Hiba 2 · Nagi 2 · Ogatama Magnolia 2 · Poplar 2 · Broad-leaf Ehretia 1 · Chinaberry 1 · Chinese Parasol Tree 1 · Chinese Soapberry 1 · Ezo Willow 1 · False Kamani 1 · Japanese Azalea 1 · Japanese Bayberry 1 · Japanese Holly 1 · Japanese Spindle 1 · Japanese Umbrella Pine 1 · Lombardy Poplar 1 · Red Bayberry 1 · Red-vein Hornbeam 1 · Temple Juniper 1 · Weeping Willow 1 · Wild Cherry / Yamazakura 1
The 10 oldest trees we map in Japan
Roughly 2,000 to 3,500 years old.
Photo: STA3816 (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Roughly 2,000 to 3,000 years old.
Roughly 2,000 to 3,000 years old.
Photo: そらみみ (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Roughly 2,000 to 3,000 years old.
Roughly 2,000 to 2,500 years old.
Roughly 1,800 to 2,000 years old.
Roughly 1,700 to 1,900 years old.
Photo: そらみみ (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Roughly 1,500 to 1,900 years old.
Photo: Alpsdake (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Roughly 1,500 to 1,800 years old.
Trees from Japan also appear in Autumn Worth the Trip · The Autumn Harvest · The Trees the World Has Written About. See every city on the map, or open the map to find what is near you.