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 314 trees in 106 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 years14Sapporo6 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
Maebashi2 trees · oldest 300-1000 years31
Minami-Alps2 trees · oldest 1,000 years32
Morioka2 trees · oldest 380 years33
Nihonmatsu2 trees · oldest 780-800 years34Shokawa2 trees · oldest 450-500 years35
Tamba2 trees · oldest 1,000 years36Yakushima2 trees · oldest 2000-3600 years37Aga1 tree · oldest 1,400 years38Aizuwakamatsu1 tree · oldest 500 years39
Arita1 tree · oldest 850-1000 years40
Asago1 tree · oldest 1,000 years41Biei1 tree · oldest 100-130 years42Chikubushima1 tree · oldest 420 years43Gifu1 tree · oldest 700-1200 years44Higashiagatsuma1 tree · oldest 1,000 years45
Higashimiyoshi1 tree · oldest 1,000 years46Higashine1 tree · oldest 1000-1500 years47Hino1 tree48
Hinode1 tree · oldest ~190 years49Ibigawa1 tree · oldest 90-140 years50
Iheya1 tree · oldest 200-300 years51
Ito1 tree · oldest 300-1000 years52
Itoshiro1 tree · oldest 1,800 years53
Iwaki1 tree · oldest 125-250 years54Kaga1 tree · oldest 2,300 years55Kanagi1 tree · oldest 300-800 years56Kasukabe1 tree · oldest 1,200 years57
Kawago1 tree · oldest 3,000 years58Kawatana1 tree · oldest 1,000 years59
Kimotsuki1 tree · oldest 1200-1300 years60Kitakata1 tree · oldest 600 years61
Kitamoto1 tree · oldest 800 years62Koriyama1 tree · oldest 350 years63
Kozaki1 tree · oldest 1,300 years64
Maibara1 tree · oldest 195 years65Matsumae1 tree · oldest 200-320 years66Miharu1 tree · oldest 1000-1200 years67Minamiaso1 tree · oldest 400 years68
Mito1 tree · oldest 400-600 years69Motosu1 tree · oldest 1500 years70
Nagai1 tree · oldest 1000-1300 years71
Nagano1 tree · oldest 1,200 years72Nagi1 tree · oldest 900 years73
Nago1 tree · oldest 300 years74Neba1 tree · oldest 1,500-1,800 years75Nichinan, Tottori1 tree · oldest 2,000 years76Nikaho1 tree · oldest 300 years77
Nishio1 tree · oldest 900-1100 years78Numata1 tree · oldest 300-1500 years79Odawara1 tree · oldest 350 years80Ofunato1 tree · oldest 90 years81
Oguni1 tree · oldest 1000 years82Okuizumo1 tree · oldest 1,300 years83Ono1 tree · oldest 1,100-1,200 years84
Ora1 tree · oldest 700-750 years85Otama1 tree · oldest 1,000 years86Otoyo1 tree · oldest 3,000 years87
Oyodo1 tree · oldest 700 years88
Sakegawa1 tree · oldest 700-1000 years89Shimizu1 tree · oldest 1,100 years90
Shingu1 tree · oldest 1,000 years91Shinkamigoto1 tree · oldest 670 years92
Shiwa1 tree · oldest 300 years93Suzuka1 tree · oldest ~80 years94Takahagi1 tree · oldest 1,000 years95
Takahama1 tree96
Takayama1 tree · oldest 1,200-1,300 years97
Takeo1 tree · oldest 1000-3000 years98
Taketa1 tree · oldest 800 years99
Toba1 tree100
Toga1 tree · oldest 800 years101
Tsuruoka1 tree · oldest 1,000 years102
Ueda1 tree · oldest 300-1200 years103Ueki1 tree · oldest 800 years104
Unnan1 tree105
Yamanashi City1 tree · oldest 150-200 years106
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 years30Maebashi2 trees · oldest 300-1000 years31Minami-Alps2 trees · oldest 1,000 years32Morioka2 trees · oldest 380 years33Nihonmatsu2 trees · oldest 780-800 years34Shokawa2 trees · oldest 450-500 years35Tamba2 trees · oldest 1,000 years36Yakushima2 trees · oldest 2000-3600 years37Aga1 tree · oldest 1,400 years38Aizuwakamatsu1 tree · oldest 500 years39Arita1 tree · oldest 850-1000 years40Asago1 tree · oldest 1,000 years41Biei1 tree · oldest 100-130 years42Chikubushima1 tree · oldest 420 years43Gifu1 tree · oldest 700-1200 years44Higashiagatsuma1 tree · oldest 1,000 years45Higashimiyoshi1 tree · oldest 1,000 years46Higashine1 tree · oldest 1000-1500 years47Hino1 tree48Hinode1 tree · oldest ~190 years49Ibigawa1 tree · oldest 90-140 years50Iheya1 tree · oldest 200-300 years51Ito1 tree · oldest 300-1000 years52Itoshiro1 tree · oldest 1,800 years53Iwaki1 tree · oldest 125-250 years54Kaga1 tree · oldest 2,300 years55Kanagi1 tree · oldest 300-800 years56Kasukabe1 tree · oldest 1,200 years57Kawago1 tree · oldest 3,000 years58Kawatana1 tree · oldest 1,000 years59Kimotsuki1 tree · oldest 1200-1300 years60Kitakata1 tree · oldest 600 years61Kitamoto1 tree · oldest 800 years62Koriyama1 tree · oldest 350 years63Kozaki1 tree · oldest 1,300 years64Maibara1 tree · oldest 195 years65Matsumae1 tree · oldest 200-320 years66Miharu1 tree · oldest 1000-1200 years67Minamiaso1 tree · oldest 400 years68Mito1 tree · oldest 400-600 years69Motosu1 tree · oldest 1500 years70Nagai1 tree · oldest 1000-1300 years71Nagano1 tree · oldest 1,200 years72Nagi1 tree · oldest 900 years73Nago1 tree · oldest 300 years74Neba1 tree · oldest 1,500-1,800 years75Nichinan, Tottori1 tree · oldest 2,000 years76Nikaho1 tree · oldest 300 years77Nishio1 tree · oldest 900-1100 years78Numata1 tree · oldest 300-1500 years79Odawara1 tree · oldest 350 years80Ofunato1 tree · oldest 90 years81Oguni1 tree · oldest 1000 years82Okuizumo1 tree · oldest 1,300 years83Ono1 tree · oldest 1,100-1,200 years84Ora1 tree · oldest 700-750 years85Otama1 tree · oldest 1,000 years86Otoyo1 tree · oldest 3,000 years87Oyodo1 tree · oldest 700 years88Sakegawa1 tree · oldest 700-1000 years89Shimizu1 tree · oldest 1,100 years90Shingu1 tree · oldest 1,000 years91Shinkamigoto1 tree · oldest 670 years92Shiwa1 tree · oldest 300 years93Suzuka1 tree · oldest ~80 years94Takahagi1 tree · oldest 1,000 years95Takahama1 tree96Takayama1 tree · oldest 1,200-1,300 years97Takeo1 tree · oldest 1000-3000 years98Taketa1 tree · oldest 800 years99Toba1 tree100Toga1 tree · oldest 800 years101Tsuruoka1 tree · oldest 1,000 years102Ueda1 tree · oldest 300-1200 years103Ueki1 tree · oldest 800 years104Unnan1 tree105Yamanashi City1 tree · oldest 150-200 years106Yoshida1 tree · oldest 1,000 years75 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 17
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 9 · Japanese Nutmeg-yew 7 · Japanese Bay Tree 6 · Japanese Wisteria 6 · Chinese Hackberry 5 · Sago Palm 5 · Edo-higan Cherry 4 · Japanese Chinquapin 4 · Chinese Juniper 3 · Kurogane Holly 3 · Muku Tree 3 · Sweet Osmanthus 3 · Bishop Wood 2 · Common Camellia 2 · Hiba 2 · Nagi 2 · Ogatama Magnolia 2 · Poplar 2 · Broad-leaf Ehretia 1 · Buddhist Pine 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 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.